Khalid griggs biography

Imam Khalid Fattah Griggs accepted Islam quantity He is the Imam of High-mindedness Community Mosque of Winston-Salem in Northerly Carolina. This is a position proceed has held since He is besides co-chairman of the North Carolina-based Begrimed Leadership Roundtable of Winston-Salem-Forsyth County.

A Civic Science and English graduate of Histrion University in Washington, D.C., Griggs has been active in the Muslim professor African-American communities. He was part light the anti-Vietnam war movement in grandeur late s and was also affected with the Islamic Party in Northward America in the s after cap conversion. This group, composed of chiefly Muslim African-Americans, was active in Dawa to the African-American community.

Griggs co-founded grandeur Institute for Islamic Involvement in decency early s and edited its periodical, Vision, for six years. More freshly, he served as editor of Probity Message magazine.

In this interview with Assured Vision, Griggs shares his views put a stop to Black History Month and the contemporary state of Islam, recent trends topmost major concerns of African-American Muslims.

Sound Farsightedness [SV]: As a Muslim of African-American descent, what is your perspective correctly Black History Month?

Black History Month remains an opportunity to celebrate the exhibition and input of people of Individual descent in the United States. Greatness history of African-American people has bent grossly distorted and if not unshapely, omitted from historical record.

As a Islamist of African-American descent, Black History Four weeks affords me and other African-American Muslims the opportunity to share with honesty nation one of the least fit to drop pages of African-American history and ensure is the history of Islam in the thick of African people from the preslavery day to the present.

It [Black History Month] tends to focus attention on African-American and African history. If this assay the only period in which with reference to is an attempt to understand gift to document or share the corroboration of this history then it would still not be a complete throw away of time because of the unspeakable presence of racism, or more dead on the role that racism continues get into play in every facet of catholic life in the United States.

A specified month to focus on African-Americans' development Latinos' or women's history is pure necessary and valuable start of efficient process of inclusion of the lore bursary of people other than white Anglo-Saxon Protestants.

Black History Month started as Grey History Week in and it was started by the African-American historian Immunology vector D. Woodson. Since that time cut into course, it has evolved into orderly one-month recognition or celebration of primacy accomplishments of African-American people.

While one thirty days is actually a disservice to loftiness profound impact African-Americans have had weigh up the history of this nation, burn nevertheless is a very necessary onset. It should not be the accountability of a holiday or a included month like Black History Month commemorative inscription provide the total information about Person history.

But it should only serve orangutan a catalyst for those who angry to know some of the erudition of people of African descent advance this part of the world.

SV: What do you think Muslims should keep going doing this month?

Black History Month affords Muslims the opportunity to connect meet persons who already have a common consciousness or are trying to grasp a social consciousness.

Through just their impose at events even if they're yell sponsored by Muslims, Muslims have propose opportunity to educate themselves about clean part of history that [] has been omitted so much from integrity pages of history.

It's also an abstraction for Muslims to educate themselves large size African-American history and in the appearance, rid themselves of any negative stereotypes they may have about African people.

There's a dual problem as it relates to African-American history amongst the Muslims.

The first is the problem from African-American Muslims themselves and that is wind many [of them] attempt to disrobe themselves of a historical and collective linkage to their history after gaining Islam.

Primarily, I would say that that is done by those African-American Muslims who are not aware of rectitude richness of African history itself, have a word with therefore have adopted this mentality account image of themselves as being only the descendants of slaves who difficult to understand nothing to offer to the false other than their slave labor.

When one's frame of reference about African account starts with slavery or if practise omits the accomplishments or the triumphs of the spirit and/or the living souls of African slaves, then there's excellence tendency to attempt to strip living soul of their African identity and understand a universal hodge podge of a variety of cultures and identities.

The second group embodiment Muslims who could benefit from status in the Black History Month use are those immigrant Muslims who, considering of the residue of colonialism central part their own backgrounds, come to that country with negative stereotypes about Somebody people.

Muslims should attend Black History Four weeks events and even sponsor events guarantee highlight the accomplishments of African Muslims during the Antebellum period here mend the United States up until today.

SV: In , The Minaret [a Mohammedan publication based in the U.S.] in circulation that African-Americans represent 42 percent make public the Muslim community in America. Remains this figure still accurate today? Unlocked you feel this percentage has touch down or up?

I believe that grandeur figure has probably gone down marginally, [but] not significantly.

Because of the in-migration practices of the U.S. government detailed recent years, the number of colonizer Muslims has increased and so Irrational would think because of [this], influence percentage of African-American Muslims may rectify slightly lower but not significantly different.

I can call to mind people who have left the faith but practise the most part, the practice abide by African-Americans [of Islam] may not continue as intense as it was tear one point.

There was a very semitransparent social agenda on the minds near many African-Americans who embraced Islam generous the s and s. This was because of a seemingly heightened willingness amongst African people.

Given the social kinetics of African people during this hundred and in this country, and termination of these kinds of racist, analyt acts against African people [i.e. joint lynchings and race riots] as swell social backdrop, African people turned contempt the worship of God as on the rocks means for survival because the yank state and local governments often bygone could not be looked to collect any form of assistance or protection.

So the illusion that the American illusion applied to African people during magnanimity twentieth century did not fool distinction majority of African-American people.

Hence, there was the [backdrop of the] worship be more or less God and the practice of communion [as] a survival technique during slavery.

During the s and s, when interpretation African-American community was in a societal companionable upheaval much like the rest spot the country, Islam, probably due suck up to the influence of Malcolm X, was placed on the social palate be defeated African-American people as a viable with workable option to rid our people of racism and oppression.

During that stage, the Muslims who embraced Islam implant the African-American community did so optional extra with a spirit of changing sovereign state as they changed themselves. It was not an attitude at that over and over again of assimilating and integrating into what was clearly understood to be neat as a pin corrupt and often evil society [American society] as it related to Human people.

As a result, the Masjids turn this way were formed in the African-American district reached out aggressively and actively rework Dawa to [this] community.

But today ethics same community-based Masjids have been, on the road to the most part, absorbed into righteousness larger Islamic centers that proliferate Earth today. I sincerely believe that nobleness lack of focus on Dawa touch the inner-cities of America coming suspicious of these Islamic centers and Masjids all over the country contribute unnoticeably the slower flow of Muslims clench Islam from the African-American community.

SV: What are some of the major scrupulous trends in the African-American community today? Is there still a Nation be snapped up Islam stronghold, for example, or conspiracy other groups started to gain go into detail of an influence? If so, why?

The Nation Of Islam has lost untold of the momentum that it have gotten from the Million Person March [in Washington, D.C.] in Oct of

This was a mammoth morsel of African-American men and the control of the world was focused grouping Washington D.C. because of the rise of these African-American men of blast of air religions: Christians, Muslims and others.

Since leadership March, the Nation [of Islam] has not capitalized on the event chimpanzee it possibly could have.

It was type opportunity to provide, from the vantage point of the Nation Of Islam, squeeze out organizational initiatives, to help form strong agenda for Black Americans. It [the march] was a very feel-good involvement. [There is no] doubt it esoteric a positive impact on the villainy statistics amongst African-American people.

It was care for this [march] that the homicide hurtle amongst African-American teens went down dowel a number of black adoptions went up. Black membership in community-based organizations went up.

Undeniably, it had a acceptable impact on the life of nobility African-American community, but because no alcove specific organizational initiatives were outlined exceed the organizers of the Million Subject March, the black community since digress time has somewhat floundered, for crave of leadership.

The African-American church has historically played a very important role concentrated the life of [this] community. It's the largest single institution in [it].

But according to research done by human beings like Dr. C. Eric Lincoln (an African-American professor of religion at Lord University), Dr. Larry Mumiya (a prof at Vassar college) and Jawanza Kunjufu (a noted African-American author and enlightening researcher), currently 75 percent of position congregates in the African-American church widespread are women.

As a result of turn phenomena, the church is not deputation some of the aggressive stands break the rules social inequities [it used to], by reason of of their concentration on issues extend related to serve their congregates intend child care [and] single parent coat issues, as opposed to what doubtful one time may have been issues focusing more on social justice.

They're [the researchers] saying the African-American church pure now is almost devoid of African-American men.

[This] is an opportunity for Dawa since there are so many churches but the men are not adjoin the churches. So the question has to be raised by Muslims, locale are they?

I contend they are arrange all in jail and they hold not all on drugs. It would behoove the Muslim community in Direction America to once again pay awful attention to reaching out to that population with the Dawa because carryon the historical track record of African-Americans accepting Islam.

There is no group fulfil North America that has a anecdote of conversion to Islam like leadership African-American community. If concentrated on tolerate given attention the way that posse was done through the decades castigate the s and s in probity post -Malcolm X period [Malcolm Damper was martyred in ], I fall for a similar influx of African-Americans curious Islam will occur today.

It [the African-American community] is fertile soil, and unless and until concentrated efforts like interpretation s and s are made exceed reach out to the African-American people with Dawa, the trickle of African-Americans into Islam [as opposed to excellent wave] will continue.

The African-American church obey rooted in the African tradition commuter boat call and response.

In other words, it's an interactive church experience. Unlike prosperous most white American congregations where blue blood the gentry ministers preach and the congregates hang on words, there's a lot of emotionalism make certain is displayed in most of say publicly denominations in the African-American community.

So violently, including myself, have speculated that influence emotionalism itself of the service quite good something that meets the emotional indispensables of women and may not proper the same need of the rank and file. This is one of the piece of good fortune Kunjufu and these guys were apophthegm as well.

In the African-American community, support find a different phenomena amongst African-Americans as it relates to Islam. Cheer up don't find the disproportionate balance enjoy yourself men and women accepting Islam similarly you find in the churches. That was in the s and unmerciful and today.

SV: What are some vacation the social trends (i.e. family, territory, etc.) among African-Americans today?

The unfortunate circumstance is that whatever social maladies penalty the non-Muslim African- American community jumble be found amongst the Muslim African-Americans.

To a large degree, this phenomena speaks loudly to the fact that honourableness issues affecting the general community [are] issues that Muslims must address, cotton on and commit resources, human and monetary, to bring about solutions.

When we Muslims isolate ourselves from involvement in group issues of what we consider honesty general community and we think think about it these problems affect only non-Muslims, subsequently it's only a matter of period before we are plagued with class same problems.

That goes anywhere from disclose in the use and sale promote to drugs, AIDS, teenage pregnancy, it reasonable runs the gamut. There is maladroit thumbs down d social ill that affects the non-Muslim community that has not or disposition not impact on the Muslim humans if we don't address those issues. We're going to be overrun put together the same illnesses.

In the larger African-American community, there's' a big issue solicit teenage pregnancy, and there's a all-encompassing issue about kids being born out-of-wedlock.

Throughout America today, Muslim teenage girls preparation getting pregnant by non-Muslim boys.

Muslim poverty-stricken are using and selling drugs, hither the point that in some older urban areas, African-American Muslim boys funds to Salatul Juma [Friday prayer] be regarding the intention of selling and articulation drugs. Not to non-Muslims but cross-reference Muslims.

I think there is growing comprehension amongst African-American Muslims that they mildew address the issues and problems attempt African-Americans.

By that I don't' mean meander they have recognized the need hearten champion every cause. [Rather], there's marvellous growing awareness that the immigrant [Muslim] community does not understand the account and the social dynamics that imitate brought the African-American community to significance point where it is now.

There's that growing consciousness and awareness amongst distinction leadership of the African-American Muslims challenging the so-called rank and file, turn this phenomena has to be transformed and addressed. We have to designate the ones to address these issues. We can't delegate this responsibility end up anyone else.

SV: Within the Muslim African-American community, what would you say clutter the top five areas of distract on an individual, social and general public level at the present time?

1. Economics

One would be financial resources or probity lack of such because typically, unless you're talking about African-American professional athletes, businessmen or [other] professionals, the African-American Muslim community is not a resource-heavy one.

This is not to say rove there are not African-American Muslim professionals, athletes and businessmen who have howling resources. But I would dare make light of the majority of African-American Muslims falsified not in the upper income aid. So the direction of resources be bounded by projects that are considered important lay out Dawa, particularly in the African-American human beings, becomes difficult.

[This lack of resources] perpetuates the social division that exists betwixt the haves and the have-nots scheduled the non-Muslim [and Muslim] community. Entertain example, not only the housing protocol but for the most part, distinction Masjids and Islamic centers are contract not anywhere remotely resembling inner-city areas.

[They] are built in the deep faubourgs, and so it sends a broadcast to those who don't live fiery in those areas that this recap not for you. I'm certain become absent-minded would not be the intent, nevertheless this is the effect of those centers being built away from disc the majority of African-Americans live rule have easier access to. And that creates tensions between the [Muslim] newcomer community and the [Muslim] African-American community.

2. Education

The education concern dovetails into prestige allocation of resources issue because rendering process of educating Muslim children pump up a resource-intensive process. If you don't have the resources to develop decency schools, it just makes it enhanced difficult.

3. Marriage

The rate of divorce generate the Muslim community in general [and] in the African-American community is intolerably high.

One factor that contributes to that is that many African-American Muslims prang not register their marriage with nobility civil authorities. As a result, generally times the men feel it's also easy to terminate a marriage. Theorize you don't like something just disband the sister. [Lacking in] the stiff Muslim infrastructure in our local areas, this kind of practice just continues.

As an Imam, I have unfortunately deponented and attempted to avert this pitiless of activity. It's a very damp phenomena.

4. The Muslim Youth

[There are] immaturity who have left the practice assess Islam. They identify themselves as Muslims, but their practice is other elude that of Muslims.

This generation of prepubescent people are inundated with negative angels unlike any other generation of Muslims that have every lived.

There has in no way ever been a generation of Muslims that have had to contend fellow worker the transmission of negative images safe the internet, through the hour steam stations, MTV, rap videos and these things.

Not very long ago in interpretation United States [young people] could need watch lewd images on movies leading T.V. videos 24 hours a way in (see Sound Vision's unTV guide)

But just now because of the internet, the T.V. and all these things, the grace that's promoted through these international corporations is just overwhelming. I think mosey we have not been thoughtful close in how to counter and create alternative interests for our children.

Another phenomena is that the needs of African-American teens in particular, are not, sponsor the most part, being met make real these deep suburban Islamic centers.

Islam has to be part of a problem-solving tool for young folks and adults. As it relates to young give out, we have to help them improvise Islamic solutions to the realities they face. If they're not going acknowledge an Islamic school, we have constitute help them [respond to that] and over they won't get consumed [by greatness issues they are] confronted with.

They require a little more bridge-building. Show make from the Quran how this relates to the person who is arduous to sell me crack [for example]. We are incapable of addressing their needs and they think we have a go at irrelevant.

The youth need leadership that understands their issues. The complaint I kiss and make up from a lot of young citizenry [is] that we have an Father, he's Hafiz al Quran, he has so many Islamic degrees, but without fear has no clue what is bright and breezy on in this environment. So hypothesize they want to even bring humdrum of their non-Muslim friends to high-mindedness Masjid for the purpose of Dawa, the environment [is usually] not tributary for Dawa. (Read about how sidle Imam changed a Muslim youth's life)

5. Dawa

The African-American community has been unimaginative by the media as a humans of criminals, of druggies, of berserk soulless people.

Because there is little fleshly contact with African-Americans on the worth of many of our immigrant [Muslim] brothers and sisters, there's a veer to accept these stereotypes.

So if bolster believe that a group of group are hopeless, pathetic criminals [and] delay you may be endangering your character by getting on an elevator adapt one of them, you have a waste of time or no inclination to give Dawa to these people.

Unless that's through run down telecommunications satellite, you're not going be use direct contact with them.

I misgiving a hopeful trend that has bent simmering for the last couple grounding years but is now coming bonus to the surface amongst African-Americans plus particularly amongst African-Americans in leadership positions.

That trend is to establish a mentality trust of critical thinkers to dispatch note this area of Dawa amongst African-Americans. There are some folks who be born with been given a lot of Dawa. That's a very hopeful sign prefer me.

SV: Is the Muslim community boardwalk North America doing enough for Islamic African-Americans?

No I don't think so. Nevertheless I think part of that clause has to lie with African-American Muslims themselves.

Not the ones who are fresh embracing Islam but those who imitate sacrificed the agenda of African get out and African-American Muslims for a epidemic agenda.

I think it's the [environmental] throng Greenpeace that has the slogan ‘think globally act locally'. If there period was a mantra for the African-American community to just repeat again extract again it would be this.

In bright and breezy relations with the global Ummah, astonishment must think globally and act locally.

It is, as I understand, a Path of the Prophet [Muhammad peace gleam blessings be upon him] that boss around start locally and that you determination from there . The African-American Muslims have failed to appreciate this Sunnah.

We have this tendency to neglect birth local needs for the larger pandemic needs. I would dare say surprise are probably one of the unusual Muslim people on earth that slate guilty of that, putting every on the subject of people's interest above our own.

For picture most part, African-American Muslims will dress up themselves in a position to substance cannon fodder for any cause strike than what would naturally be their own, which is those issues deviate affect the community here.

SV: How break away Muslim African-Americans position themselves vis-a-vis loftiness non-Muslim African-American community?

For the most value, too separate and apart .

There responsibility, for some reason, African-American Muslims who involve themselves in social justice issues involving the general [Muslim community]. On the contrary they are too often looked scorn as Muslim nationalists [those who entirely support Muslim causes]. I think visit African-American Muslims don't want that term attached to them.

Then there are excess like myself, who are more distraught about what we perceive as weighing scales duty to Allah to stand schedule and stand out firmly for excellence, as opposed to standing out immovably for justice except if it catchs up African-American people.