Jumuah Khutbah presented by Sh Waleed at the Clear Lake Islamic Center on Feb 17, 2017.
Waleed Basyouni – Black History Month
AI: Summary ©
The conversation discusses the history of racism and discrimination towards certain groups, including black Americans, African American, and Asian American. The conversation also touches on the challenges of discrimination based on race and the importance of not looking for oneself above others. The speakers emphasize the need for support for global Muslim classes and a dinner after Asia. The conversation is difficult to follow and the overall message is that everyone should not look for themselves above others and not look for themselves above others.
AI: Summary ©
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Want to stop here? Oh no, sorry, I'm Christina Misaki I'm Melina Maria de la Fernando de la. Mama you will find a hardier who shadow Allah Allah Allah Allahu la sharika wa shadow under Muhammad Abdul Rasul Allah. All Praise due to align His praise and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his family, his companions and his followers and all the prophets and messengers and their followers until the day of judgment.
I bear witness of the loss The only one worthy of worship and Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam his last and final messenger. As you all know, February is the month of the Black History Month. And
since this is my first hope, by during February,
and I was not the last during this month,
I would say that, definitely for me, too, is this opportunity to speak about the African American community. It is something very important for us today. With all what's happening in the country with all what's going on in the world today, the history of the African American struggle. It is something that we all can learn from, as a community as a nation. The story of Black History Month begins in 1915. Well, half a century after the 13th amendment abolished slavery in the United States.
That's a temper. A Harvard trained professors, very well known historian by the name of Carter,
Woodson and permanent
Prime Minister Jesse Marlin found founded an Association for the Study of * life and history. This organization dedicated itself to create awareness to do research about the achievement of African heritage Americans and other African descendants. And this group start growing. The group sponsor a national league * History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February, to be that week that they celebrate that or they create an awareness and the Choose the birthday of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Then the event inspired many schools, many communities many basically faith based community to speak about the African American. Then thing developed later on
and the decades that followed, mayors and cities across the country began issuing yearly proclamation recognizing what they
called a * History week until the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil rights, movement and growing awareness of black identity. * History week had evolved into black history month on many college campus. Until President Ford officially recognized the Black History Month in 1976. calling upon the public size, the opportunity to honor the two often neglected accomplishments of black American in every areas of endeavor, in life, through our history.
Anyway, this is while grow and continue until today, we speaking about it in 2017. You know, African American community, like many other communities, there are so many myths about African American community, a lot of like no stereotype, the stereotyping about the community, which is not necessarily to be a true. For years, the black community has been
indicted with oxymoronic myths that just continue as the years go on. And most of these stereotypes are negative, and their natures not positive.
For example, one of the most common thing that many people think of African American community, they say black people abused the welfare system, black people most the welfare system, basically used by the black Americans, or African American descent,
the percentage of the people who receive welfare in America is about 35.4%, of the population of the United States. So 35.4%, and that's according to 2016. Okay,
we spend in the government about $131.9 billion every year on welfare.
So how many blacks benefit from all this money? How many blacks are present this 35.4% versus, for example, white, which is, obviously as a community, consider as not living off the welfare, you always think the black person will use much, according to 2,016% of welfare recipients who are white 38.8%, while black will make 39.8%.
And you'll know that black are not majority in the country. But just to note, many people confuse these statistics. This does not mean that 38% point eight of all white Americans, and 39.8 of all black Americans are on welfare. No, it just talking about the people who receive welfare, 38% of them are white, 39% of them are black. While just
for the record, the recipients from Hispanic are 15.7%, from welfare,
from Asian that's 2.4%, and others 3.3%. A lot of time, we think often that the biggest the biggest number of percentage of recipients of welfare will be black, but that's not true.
You know, a lot of people think, black, like, you know, lazy community, unproductive, they don't contribute much. You know, they all look alike, you know, black people only good in the sports, they run very fast, and that's about it. But the reality is black Americans and African American community contributed to every single aspect of life. From day one. America will not be America that we live in, in today. of African slaves. We're not here first. White people will never be able to develop this country will never be able to plant and to grow. corpse and Dino build and cities they will not be able to do that. And they're all slaves have helped a lot to settle the people of
America and America. Then add to this later on the free labor, which is came in the form of slavery. With all these Cotton's and all this money and wealth that came no doubt was the main reason for developing the American economy in modern days. This free slavery slave free labor have given
Huge advance to the American economy, unbelievable unmatched in any other place in the world. Not only that, but through history, black American have contributed to every aspect in life. From basically, inventors, you could just make a quick Google search on black Americans, inventors, and you will be surprised how many things that been invented by African American, for instance, the one who developed the light bulb, the way you see today was not Addison, the white man, it was actually an African American scientists who developed that to be able to be used in the way that you see today, the way we use so many things in medicine, and, you know, transportation, like the trains and
the way it communicate with each others, you know, many things in the medical field development by not but African American scientist. And this is not the place for it to go over so many of these inventions, but you know, what, look and just write Google today, African American inventors, and you will be surprised with the amount of inventions and inventors were from that community.
A lot of people also think that African American community is an educated community. They're not educated community. And the reality is, that's also not, you know, the problem with education. Yes, they are less educated than many other communities. But it's not that big of different you will be surprised to know.
For instance, only 4% of African American were college graduates in 1962. So 1962, you have only 40% 4% of African Americans or blacks holding a college degree. But in the same year, 1962, only 10% of whites have a college degree. If you move forward in 2012, there is 21% of blacks carry a college degree, while there is 31%. White carry a college degree, you might think that perception white people, for example, all them graduate or majority, or more than 50%, in 2012, according to this statistic, saying only 31% versus 21%. African American, yes, the gap widened over the years. Keep that in mind. high school dropout rates have declined after foster among black community between age
18 and 24. Then the national average among blacks, the rate dropped from 24 24% in 1976, to 8% in 2013 8%. That way higher than the average rate in the United States. And I can go on and on some of these Smith, no, there is no need to dismiss it, like black people don't tip you know, just you know, I can testify for that. But they do. But anyway, the point here
that I would like to, to speak about, and to point out that
the most important issue for me when I think about the Black History Month or the African American community, is the issue of racism, prejudiced discrimination. This is I think, one of the most clear lessons that we can learn from history, racism and ethnic discrimination in the United States has been a major issue since the coronal area or the slave era, legally or socially sanctioned privilege and rights were giving to white American that were not granted to Native American, African American, Asian American, Hispanic, Latino Americans and so forth. European Americans, particularly white, Anglo Saxon Protestants, they had it all, they had all these privilege. And if you don't belong to
that specific category, you will not take this privilege. The history telling us this privilege in the matters of education, immigration for voting rights, citizenship, basically, land acquisition, Criminal Procedure over periods of time extended for base extending from that 17th century to the 1960s. This is where the taking lead. However, none Protestant immigrant from Europe, even white
will not have the same
people from Ireland, from Ireland, Irish people post, Italians will have a bunch of them and, and clear like, you know, they were not considered white, they're not allowed to put in the race as white.
That's how it was, they're not even allowed to put that as a race to identify themselves with it. There is so much discrimination happened to them, as well, all this until 1960s, where basically, those particular three races were not what became considered white in America, believe it or not, in addition, Middle Eastern American groups, like Jews, Arabs, have faced continuously a discrimination in the United States. And basically, the same thing will go to East and South Asian Americans, they face the same trial.
You know,
all this, just not meant to be just a history class. That's not what it might sermon is about. But for me, if you don't know your history, you can't plan for your future.
If you don't know your history, you can plan well for your future for for for your free future. You know, 100% agree with the statement that says history does not repeat itself. But it's right.
It's right. I don't think history will repeat itself. I don't see that, you know, the slavery era coming back United States, but it could dry, you have another form of slavery, you have another form of racism, you have another form of discriminations. And that's what's it's so important for us to learn history. And I think it's so smart, intelligent, absolutely needed. That reminder for us in America, of that history, that every month in February, we remember that, you know, what, we were not like that.
We're not like the way we enjoy today. We were much different, and the world was much different world.
You know,
when today we see the coal for nationalism,
when we say today, the call for, you know, the ultra white, as they call themselves have been called, you know, coming into the picture, and bringing another form of racism against, you know, other race, minorities, immigrants, this is something so scary because it's remind us of the history. Yes, we might pass laws that prevent discrimination. But you know what, it's much deeper than just a law can fix the soul we're not cleansed. The souls and the hearts are not purified from racism. It's still in the in the heart. And what's ironic that the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam told his companions, that these things that the basically the trace of racism, the trace of
prejudice, will always remains in the heart, so easy to be brought up again. Even the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam in his time when a man you know, in a fight, he was a purgin. He's a Muslim, in Europa, when he hits a man, he said, I am the purgin The Prophet said, Why don't you say I am the unsavoury?
Why didn't you say I'm the unsavoury to? It's not about what's your racist to fake, you know, paradigm versus error? No, I'm a believer. I'm a person who basically fight to defend his rights. And another incident when a man said y'all I'm sorry Allah Maha jurien when they basically said you know what, he kicked that Muhammad that Ansari is behind
in a very, basically, their their guitar directory way, or a terms that you use the profits or sell them said, I'd be Dell Gehenna Yahoo anabaena vodacom are you going back to ignorance day where basically you see yourself above other just because you from a different race from a different tribe?
He said in the most important speech that he ever gave in his life. Right before he died
in the bit in the biggest gathering they ever had, and had in front of 10s of 1000s of people.
He said Allah Kula Emery min emilija helliya Academy movo anything belong to the ignorant days ignorant
It be underneath my feet, it means has no value. And among this is the issue of arrogance, racism, discriminating between people based on color based on ethnic based on
social level. All these things are unacceptable on the snap, because ups became absolutely wrong.
We need we need always to know and to remember, without a moral and religious compass, we might lose our way.
There is a law was passed in America, to stop slavery
to bring equality. But do you know that the separation between white and black was in the same time where the law says they are equal? The law says they are equal, but they have to be segregated.
Yes, there are men in black and white and all equal, but not allowed to sit together in a bus. They sit in the back of the bus. They are equal in the in the basically in front of the law, but they're not equal, when it comes to study together are sick together in school. Can you imagine your kids going to that they were in the law considered equal. That's why it is so important to know if we lose law or not enough to fix society, it's absolutely important to maintain order in society. But if we lose the moral, and the religious and guidance, this compass that keep us and love for one another, this humans values that shared by all of us if we don't value if we don't protect it, if we
don't work hard for it, human beings can be a horrible thing.
One of my teachers once said,
I asked him a long time ago.
Teacher, I said why God sent messengers?
Why God sent books? Why Allah subhanaw taala sent messengers and books, you know, was first born to answer me, he said to protect humans from humans.
To protect humans from humans.
Yes, humans are also capable of beautiful things like what you saw on your way to the most
capable of being so nice, so considered so
good.
Like what we see today from our neighbors across the nation, but in the same time, it can be also very dangerous to one another. When we think about the African American history, and we think about that history of us today, we should keep that in mind. We should appreciate what we have, we should build on what we have and to maintain vigil, we not allowing anyone to take us back to these dark areas.
The challenges are not over my brothers and sisters. Racism comes in many different forms, and the level of our community and the level of our society today. I asked a las panatela to protect all of us and to bless us in our community in our society in our country. I started with a lava tube with a ultima segmentum pistol who
I've had to rely on there was salatu salam ala Anna via by the way that
unfortunately, as I said, racism and discrimination can be exists in many different shapes and forms. And I don't think there is any religious group, any ethnic groups in your race is immune from it.
It is something sometimes can be part of human nature that they like to, you know, or they
abuse each other. We still see in our community
discrimination based on color. We still see in the community, sometimes people will look down upon people who might be blocked,
will not trust well guess them twice
or against white.
Also, that's another form of discrimination that exists.
Commonly we speak about discerning is blocked but also people discriminate against white and Asian and, and many and people from Asia and people from, you know, Africa or people from
China or from India.
Also this discrimination based on race, Arabs, either you look at them in a very negative way or positive what you think you're racist above others. You think your cases are more important than others and other people struggle and
cases are nothing.
Not only that, it goes even to the local to the people from certain countries. Somebody wants told me, You should not speak about anything but the Palestinian struggles.
I said Why? He said, because that's the real issue. Who cares about the, you know, other people's struggle? I think that's a form of discrimination that's being you think your issues are the most important issue. And other people's issues not important not all to be addressed. Still, among our community, people look down about people who don't have high education, unfortunately.
And they don't notice.
Or based on their income, because they're rich, they look down upon poor
or because of their social status, if you come from certain countries and certain backgrounds, where people you know, they basically they have castes, and say they have no tribes, or even based on gender.
looking down upon woman, not making fun of them, bullying them, not trusting them.
Unfortunately, all these things still exist. Even there is a misconception about you know how when Islam we say there is no discrimination between white and black and red and yellow, how the process I'm said everybody equal based there. Basically there are differences based under taqwa and feeling a lot. Some people think that you can use the religion as a tool of discrimination. You know what we are equal in front of each other, but in front of Allah, that's a laws business, how he looked at people, he looked at them and favor them based on their righteousness based on their template, Bearsden their faith and belief. But for us, we should not discriminate between people based on
their religion, based on their top law based on the in a sense, just because he's not a very good practicing Muslim, for instance, or he's not a Muslim at all, it means I have the right to discriminate against that's not true. The prophets of Salaam told us the story of a man who was very righteous devoted his life to the worship of Allah, every day he passed by this man who's always drunk or was he is womanizer, he's doing all these things, which is against the book and it gives the teacher of that a legend. So he said, God would never forgive such person.
He looked down upon that person, a lot, forgive that person sins, and he destroyed that person's deeds.
Even based on religion, you should not discriminate. You should not look for yourself above others. No matter how righteous he is, or simple he is. That's why it is not right to look at people who might practice things in our religion, not correct.
We just discriminate against
it's terrible, and I'm being honest.
Unfortunately, we hear things like that. abusing people, because just they are for example, because of their sexual preference.
That's not allowed
in Islam. That's why we stood firmly in this master and cross the nation.
When there is attack happen in Orlando, in the gay community, for example, we stood firm to say that's
unacceptable islamically and we stand against it. And we did we basically condemned regardless of the type of people that have been abused, we should stand all for each others.
But unfortunately, today that is so many discrimination against Muslims.
And we happy that the stole that is a few in America, standing up beside us, and we should be grateful and thankful to them.
Anyway, my time is up. But I hope that we reflect if there is only one message they wanted to go on today.
Out of this, that don't ever been Eve
and make sure that it is all of us, regardless of what's our religion is regardless of what how much involvement we are in the dollar, or in the how active you are, all of us. A citizen of this country, will all of us in this boat. We all of us should stand up for justice together. We should stand up against any form of discrimination. anyone tried to divide us is breaking our unity, and that's called the United States.
Now last panel data to protect all of us and to make our shallow future much better than our past. I asked a lot to forgive our sins and to give us guidance and to forgive our parents alumni
In the silicon hood our took our alfalfa Lena Arjuna fusina takahisa canta Herman's aka Antonio Hamada la mina silica who took our FF o Alina la manana silica interferon mo Tana moto muslimeen on takanohana wakulla merito to Shafi Kula moqtada gelato a crumb alarming and I said okay haha paymentus dominant biotic Allahu Allah Deen in our village in our show we've been idle Islami suya long enough to see what y'all do not so easily which altered to be a hotel Mira who yada yada yada come along in yourself okay haha human who Leonardo da Vinci in Allahumma fildena in Allahumma
salli ala nabina Muhammad.
Allah.
Allahu Akbar Allahu ala. Chateau La ilaha illAllah
Muhammad Rasulullah
automata Sana.
Sana. Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar.
So What'd he do?
Sorry, the AC was off. Nobody expected to turn from super cold in the morning to be humid and hot right now. So apologize for that.
Allahu Akbar
Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil aalameen arona Rafi, Maliki only at Cana Buddha canister in a
colony now.
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Sanjana. halimun shanita
Allahu Akbar
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as you seen in your when we have the blood drive today, we've been doing this hamdulillah for years. So, please, spare time, if you have, stop and donate blood, there's a lot of people need your blood. So we don't only take your money here we take your blood to
tell you speaking of money, please donate generously to the mustard. And also I want to cite in your way out, you're going to have a piece of paper passed. This is prepared by Dr. Barack, the president of care board. And this is just a call for action. You know, it's his personal initiative. He wants us to take actions not to hear about what's happening in the country not to do things. And one other thing is to contact your elected officials. And this is in regard to a bill that presented to the Senate and present to the Congress. And this bill intend to consider or to have some of the Muslim organization like Hama, Simeon and others as a terrorist organization. And the issue is not the one
itself as an organization, even though one is not a terrorist organization. And it's not fair. And we're not gonna just throw each other under the bus under people's claim, you know, but it's not only about this one particular group. It's about the whole entire concept of freedom of religion. It's about you know, what, targeting the one today, tomorrow, this tomorrow that link everyone to it. It's a very evil plan from people show their intention, clearly, in many statements, many position that they took. So we asked him, all of us as Texan as an American, these people represent me and you in the senate floor, when he represented this basically, Bill, he speaks on behalf of all
of us as an American. You voted for him when he didn't vote for him. He stood up present Texas, so let's do our civic duty. Let's write to him. Let's basically
visit his office and that's the next step today it's an email it's a phone call. Tomorrow we will I will ask and call upon you that we all go in front of their office and you know what demand immediate meant to be heard. You know, we're not only gonna let these things go easy like that without a fight. We have all legal ways to pick that you know, fight and to fight for our rights. And we will do that.
So I hope that you take that piece of paper advice from our brother, Dr. Bara and try to act upon it. Heart Health panel by Dr. Musa Dr. shalabi Dr. rosann
Saturday after Isha 745 want to keep your heart healthy, so inshallah I'm planning to attend it as well. Love the neighbor the Riley conduct by our neighbors at bay area in the tyrian Universal Church. After Juma please pick up flower food water bottle we have already brought so many here pass by them but make sure that you do don't block the traffic if you're going to do that good past
Basically, there is cards also to sign just show gesture of support and thanks to them
and remembering our roots featuring
basically there is a dinner a start at 6:30pm there's a gumbo Mashallah lots of Southern food lecture after Asia in the masala 745 and this is will be tonight I would believe tonight inshallah Tada, when his day we have our global Muslim class after Asia. So join us as well. So that
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