08/15/2026
For too long, the world has looked away from the saving grace of faith. For generations, humanity has struggled to make sense of the hatred, bloodshed, and cruelty inflicted by human hands. The chronicles of our shared suffering are too heavy, too vast to fully recount. But our specific story is raw, real, and recent. We are a mere 160 years removed from the catastrophic trauma of chattel slavery in America. We are only 75 years past the horrific, commonplace terror of the lynching tree. As African Americans who have chosen a sacred, transformative path through Islam, we declare that those dark chapters are closed for us. If we look back at all, it is only to remind ourselves of the profound distance we have traveled, anchoring our hearts in the beautiful truth of what we hold today: we have found the faith that was once stolen from us. Al-Islam is our sanctuary. We surrender our hearts entirely to the service of Allah, the Guardian Lord of every soul and all creation. Having survived the absolute worst, we now seek only the best—not just for ourselves, but for every single living soul on this earth. We have tasted the fires of hell on this earth under the whip of the tyrant. We have felt the slow burn of destructive vices and structural traps designed to keep us trapped in a modern, insidious bondage—enslaved to materialism, empty pleasure, and hedonism. Today, we stand tall. We have made a solemn, unbreakable covenant: we will bow to no man, no system, and no addiction. We are servants only to Almighty God, Allah. This is our narrative of redemption. This is our true reparation. The ultimate truth has always been clear: only Allah can restore what was broken and repair what was stolen from us. To those who wish to hold us back: step aside. If you have no goodness to contribute to the progress of humanity, then at the very least, do not obstruct our path. Leave us to live, thrive, and worship as truly free men and free women in this city. All praise belongs to Allah alone.
