By Everyone has most likely heard of the racist and outrageous statements said by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf at the Reviving Islamic Spirit conference.
For many Muslims, his bigoted statements and fake apology were enough to make us throw his CD’s away and delete his lectures from our iPads.
For those who have had enough of non-Black Muslim “scholars” and “leaders” making such ridiculous claims and failing to communicate to our marginalized members of the community, here’s a list of great Black Muslim leaders or scholars you need to follow.
1, Donna Auston
Auston is a doctoral candidate at Rutgers University and writes about African American Muslim communities. She’s an anthropologist, writer and public speaker.
She is an activist, scholar and artist. Her current project is sapelosquare.com, an online resource on Black Muslims in the U.S.
3. Shaykh Abdullah Hakim Quick
This is an imam and teacher who has visited 61 countries and served as Senior Lecturer and Resident Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto and the Outreach Coordinator for the Canadian Council of Imams. He also urges Muslim leaders in America to support Black Lives Matter.
4. Usama Canon
Canon is the director at Taleef Collective , an outreach program that serves the youth and converts in Chicago and Fremont, Ca. I love all of his talks — and he speaks to the young crowd so well.
5. Mahdi Bray
Bray is the national director of American Muslim Alliance and was the former executive director at MAS Freedom. He gives powerful and inspiring talks across the country.
6. Dawud Walid
Walid is a writer and lecturer on Islam and an activist who shares great advice on combatting racism in the Muslim society.
Shabazz is an author, activist, motivational speaker and community organizer. She’s also the third daughter of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz.
The list goes on and on. Who are some of your favorite Black Muslim leaders or scholars?
I love your list! Thank you for compiling it. It is important to celebrate our leaders who do not pander to anti-black racist narratives in Muslim communities. A lot of our black Muslim leaders either remain silent when we are attacked or they choose to defend non-black Muslims who make anti-black racist statements. I know that no list is exhaustive and you do mention that “The list goes on and on.” This is true. I just think there is a certain age bias in your list. I would have started my list by mentioning our Muslim elders. I am thinking of the following names:
1) Professor Amina Wadud. She needs no introduction.
Other younger generation Islamic scholars include:
2) Professor Intisar Rabb, the Director or Islamic Legal Studies Program at Harvard University
Dr Wadud for sure!
14. Imam Johari
15. Dr. Bilal Ware
Taylor Amari Little, Nakia Jackson, Troy Jackson. These leaders are not heterosexist, unlike some of your picks.
1. Ustadha Ieasha Prime
2. Ustadha Faatimah Knight
3. Dr. Fatimah Jackson
4. Dr. Fatimah Fanusie
5. Dr. Sherman Jackson
6. Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans
7. Shaykh Muhammad Mendes
8. Imam Amin
9. Shaykh Abdullah Bin Hamid Ali
10. Imam Zaid Shakir
11. Imam Qasim Ahmed
12. Imam Wazir Ali
13. Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad