1955 The State Street Masjid in NY is established by Sheikh Dawood Ahmed Faisal. It is still in use today and represents a special point in the development of the American Muslim community. From this Masjid was born the Dar-ul-Islam movement.

1960 The NOI's University of Islam schools flourished and drew the attention of the American media. Coverage focuses upon the Black Muslims' self-help programs for Blacks, but considered them a "threat" to the white establishment.

1962 The Dar-ul-Islam movement, another important groups among the African Ameri- can Muslim community is born. Until its disappearance in 1982-1983, it made a serious impact upon the development and practice of traditional Islam in America.

1962 The newspaper Muhammad Speaks is launched. It later becomes the largest minor- ity weekly publication in the country and reached 800,000 readers at its peak. In subsequent years, it underwent some name changes, and the NOI itself underwent various transformations. It has also been know as Bilalian News the A.M. Journal and currently, the Muslim Journal.

1963 The Muslim Students Association (MSA) is established as an organization to aid foreign Muslims students attending schools in the US. MSA now has more than 100 branches nationwide. In the 1970s, it gave birth to the Islamic Medical Association (IMA), The Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS), and the Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers (AMSE).

1965 Al Hajj Malik al-Shabazz (Malcolm X) is assassinated in NY. He was one of the most outstanding Muslims in American his- tory as well as a dedicated fighter for justice and equality for African Americans and other oppressed people.

1968 The Hanafi Movement is founded by Hamas Abdul Khaalis. The Hanafi Madh-- hab Center was established in NY, but later moved to Washington DC. This movement had a membership of more than 1000 in US. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a famous basket- ball player, is one of the Muslims who first came into contact with Islam through this movement. In 1977, Khaalis and some of his followers seized control of three District of Columbia buildings, holding hostages for more than 30 hours. One man was killed. Khaalis is now incarcerated in Washington DC, serving a sentence of 41 to 120 years. This movement marks a challenging period in American Muslim History.

1971 The Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers is established.

1972 The Association of Muslim Scientists is launched.

1975 Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam, dies and is succeed by his son Warith Deen Mohammed, who has been credited with moving the NOI toward the broader universal concepts of Islam. He is now regarded as one of the leading Muslim spokesmen in US.

1981 The first American Islamic library is established in Plainfield, Indiana.

1982 The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is now an umbrella organization for many active Islamic groups seeking to further the cause of Islam in the US.

1986 Dr. Isma'il R. Al-Faruqi and his wife are murdered in their home outside Philadel- phia. Dr. and Mrs. Faruqi are the authors of the Cultural Atlas of Islam as well as many other books and research papers. Dr. Faruqi is the founder of AMSS and the International Institute of Islamic Thought, located in North- ern Virginia. This truly remarkable Muslim family is responsible for some of the most constructive programs to promote Islam in the US. 1990 Muslims hold the first solidarity conference called "Muslims Against Apart- heid." This was the first conference of its kind in support of Muslims for the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. The conference was organized by the American Muslim Council.

1991 Imam Siraj Wahhaj offers an invoca- tion (opening prayer) to the United States House of Representatives. He was the first Muslim to do so.

1991 The Muslim Members of the Military (MMM) organization hold their first "Unity in Uniform" conference. The conference took place at Bolling Air Force Base in Washing- ton DC. According to the US Department of Defense, there are more than 5000 Muslims in uniform on active duty in the military.

1991 Charles Bilal, Kountze, TX becomes the nation's first mayor in an American city.

1992 Imam Warith Deen Mohammed gives the invocation in the Senate. end

Muslims in America

One day as Junaid met with Behlool, he requested him to give him some counsel and admonition.  "You do not need any advice. You are a well known scholar," Behlool said. But Junaid insisted. Behlool gave in and said: "Well, I shall ask you three questions. If you answer them correctly, you will be advised."

And then he proceeded to ask: "Do you know how to talk?" "Do you know how to eat?" "Do you know how to sleep?" Junaid found these simple. He said: "I know how to talk. I talk with a low voice, politely and to the point, so that the listeners are not at all offended. I eat after having washed my hands, say Bismillah before I commence, and chew the food properly. When I finish, I thank Allah. Before I go to sleep, I do my wudhu and retire to a clean bed. Then I bear witness to my faith and sleep."

Behlool stood up and started walking away. He said: "I thought you were quite learned.

You do not know the most elementary things of Islam." But Junaid would not let him go.

"Please guide me," he said. "Well," Behlool said, "It is no use talking softly if it is a lie, remembering Allah before eating has no meaning if the food you eat is forbidden or usurped or that the food has been bought from the money of an orphan, a widow or a fellowman. And what is the use of sleeping with wudhu and all the recitations if your heart is full of malice, jealousy and enmity towards your brother in faith."

Short  Story  

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