to see a Muslim scholar in the West.
I have decided to write this post with a concern for some of the very poor members of the Muslim community (esp. NJ). We find these very poor urban Muslims in Trenton, Newark, Jersey City, Camden, New Brunswick, etc. Many visiting scholars attend some of the nicer looking suburban mosques, five star hotels, and larger than Boeing 707 hanger conference halls; and are not aware of our cities. Most of these poor Muslims are out of sight and out of mind. The scholars are welcomed at fundraising dinners and conferences that most city (poor) Muslims cannot afford. Thus, a vast majority of very devoted, sincere Muslims do not have any access to Islamic knowledge.
They can’t even afford a $7 lecture CD or a $15 watch a scholar DVD.
There’s a disconnect between middle class and lower class Muslims and the gap is getting wider every time there is a $50 conference entrance fee or a $100 class registration fee. In our enthusiasm to bring financial stability to Islamic institutions, we have closed the doors of knowledge on our less fortunate brothers/sisters.
Unfortunately, we, the suburbanites have little or no clue about what poor people go through every single day. I daily commute to Trenton, the State capital. If you haven’t seen poverty, come to Trenton – I have seen people eating out of a trash can (no joke).
My point here is that we need to make an effort to connect with all members of the Muslim community. The money that is generated for a good cause with these events in a short run can create a major rift in a long run.
We cannot afford to lose them. We need these Muslims more than they need us and God is my witness.
5 Responses
Excellent point. There’s always been historical tension between the suburban/rural areas and cities of New Jersey, with suburban legislators refusing to allocate desperately needed funds to the cities. The courts have had to step in several times and force the mostly suburban state to fund urban public school properly. It’s ironic that Muslim communities are falling into the same pattern by neglecting poor urban Muslims.
Posted on June 15th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Salaam alaikum,
Scholars also visit these “poorer” communities brother. They may be denied access to conferences or lectures in suburbia because of a lack to pay, but they too benefit from islamic scholarship. In the inner cities, usually those more financially fortunate shoulder the burden of those less fortunate. Yes, these cities you have mentioned are statistically populated with the poorer citizens of this state, but the muslims in these communitites dont have “less” knowledge at their disposal or “less” opportunites than those from suburbia. Its stereotypical to assume that because one hails from an urban area, the muslims of that area have also somehow been denied the benefit of a sound islamic education. No, the masjids and schools aren’t as fancy-smancy, however, alhamdulillah, Allah doesn’t discriminiate, and His book and the sunnah are constant. And, we all know that, at times,the Prophet (SAW) and many of his companions lived a, meeger, though all be it, fulfilled existence.
I, too, commuted via train to work in Trenton every day brother, so I have witnessed the depravity of our state’s capitol each and every day for some time. I’ve lived in urban areas and I now live in the suburbs. The masjids in the ‘burbs may be more extravagant, but the muslims, unfortunately, arent any nicer, or any wiser in my estimation, and Allah knows best.
Posted on June 22nd, 2007 at 3:10 pm
A very similar situation in South Africa as well. But our context is slightly different though, there are efforts to make dawaah in the so called “Black” townships (Apartheid Legacy) and there are many “Black Muslims”, however the vast majority of Muslims in South Africa are of “Indian” descent (Indian being the Apartheid term to describe anyone with historical roots in the Sub Continent, regardless of whether it is India, Pakistan or Bangladesh).
Most lectures etc are held in the “Indian” areas and Masjids etc, and it is often far and expensive for “Black” Muslims to attend. Subhanallah though, a new trend is to provide free hired transport to and from the venues so that everyone can learn.
Posted on June 30th, 2007 at 11:33 am
very interesting detail about South Africa… Traditionally, cities have been the center of Islamic knowledge and dawah effort. But with post-modernism, M. community is living Islamic edu online…
Posted on July 2nd, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Maybe I’m taking it personally or just missing the point of this blog, having been reared in a “poorer” muslim community….. masha’Allah there was a MAJOR conference held in Parsippany last weekend by one such, “poor”, inner-city, masjid brother and believe it or not we actually did “learn” something, if you can believe that or not.
The reason “Black”, inner-city, muslims arent present at suburban masjids or lectures held therein is NOT because they lack the funds to attend, but that MOST of the urban masjids here in NJ i.e. Newark, Trenton, Camden, etc, etc, are salafi and DO NOT attend events sponsored by non salafis. Now, this being an islamic educational issue, or a lack thereof can be argued, but I know for a fact that inner city or, “poor”, muslims are not being denied islamic education. And, if you were to go to Newark, Camden, or one of the masjids in these surrounding areas, you would find classes being held regularly. Also lectures are given by some of the preeminent scholars of our day in these mosques too, just like their suburban counterparts.
So, is the point of this particular blog that only lectures and classes held in grander, lavish, masjids and schools are beneficial? Is this a class thing? This is NOT S. Africa and, alhamdulillah, we do NOT live under the caste system where the poor are deprived education because of the station into which they were born. Many of these “poor” muslims study overeas in S. Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, etc, speak and read Quran and arabic fluently, and are students of the science of hadith. Many of us “Black” folk even raise children who memorize quran and become and students of knowledge.
I’m sorry to take offense but in reading this blog and these comments its almost as though if one were to attend a mosque in the “ghetto” one would expect of find “backward” muslims praying in the opposite direction of the qibla and reading their qurans from left to right. If there is a rift or divide its probably influenced more by personal than financial issues.
Posted on July 8th, 2007 at 8:19 am
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