MANA Conference
Last weekend I was in Philly and attended the Muslim Alliance in North America Conference with about 1,500 other attendees mostly from the Northeast - including a numer from the DC area. With the number of indigenous Muslims in Philly, this was an appropriate place to have such a conference.I am really glad to see that so many Muslims are now recognizing that the situation is not good and that something needs to be done. Even while I was there, I was told several stories of recent madness and dysfunction. I hope that this conference can officially mark an end to the days of denial, pretense and isolation.
I saw Muslims of all stripes including brothers from the Germantown Masjid as well as Abu Muslimah of New Jersey. I spoke to the brothers from the Germantown Masjid (as well as Abu Muslimah) at length and they agreed that we must move away from living in a bubble and engage our neighbors. There are people wanting to return to the “good Islam“.
It was refreshing to hear the speakers say that we must begin to look at moving our Islamic Institutions to the next level and prepare them to face - rather than ignore - the problems of lawlessness, drugs, poor education and broken families, and economic dependency. It is time to accept that these problems exist amongst us instead of taking the Pollyanna attitude.
In the next few years, MANA plans to offer a number of programs, but most interesting to me were:
- The plan to offer training to masjid administrators and imams in proper business practices. Anyone in administration knows that masjid administrators - in order to do their job affectively - will need to know how to solve (sometimes) complex business, legal, and financial issues. Many urban Muslim leaders have established masjids without ever establishing 501-3(c) status and many others just don’t know have any formal business training. These imams, under this program, will be able to be trained in ‘best practice’ models in running a masjid.
- More interestingly, a marriage initiative that I personally hope will pave the way to a better means of getting married than the bizarre and disastrous stranger marriages that have been done throughout the 1990s until now.
We will see how it goes from here…You can view pictures here from Marc Manley and thoughts from Imam Johari here
Here’s hoping for the best
Filed under: Black American Muslims | Tagged: conference, MANA, Muslim Alliance in North America
ASA,
I’ve heard nothing but positive reports regarding the MANA conference. One of the aspects that was very positive to me, but may be superficial for others, was that we came together in a spirit of BROTHERHOOD & SISTERHOOD within the scope of our varying idealogical leanings.
May ALLAH (SWT) bless Imam Siraj, Dr. Ihsan and all of the organizers of that event. AMEEN!
I would be interested to hear from the sisters who attended the events. I mean, it is wonderful for our leaders to begin addressing issues that are plaguing our communities, but I see the lack of women’s voices. I am sure it had to do with the issues of modesty and gender segregation but a part of me was saddened by brother Marc Manley’s photos. I felt invisible (in a figurative sense because in reality I’m in the Middle East). Being that women comprise at minimum 50% of the community, and are the ones who are raising the next generation, we should also have an important say. Many of the problems that are inthe community disproportionately affect us women. Without our critical contribution and without addressing the issues the we face, an solution will be superficial.
[...] Tariq Nelson’s take [...]
lets see amina Macloud was on stage and sisters were in the front row… don’t see how you can really jump to the suppose that sisters weren’t involved…maybe they haven’t blogged about it, but it seems they were a bit more involved than you perceive…
Mana pics, I’m not saying that they weren’t involved and I guess you got to look real hard in the pics. If you read my language a bit more closely, I wrote:
“I would be interested to hear from the sisters who attended the events. I mean, it is wonderful for our leaders to begin addressing issues that are plaguing our communities, but I see the lack of women’s voices.”
So that was not jumping to conclusions but to hear about women at this event. Also, one Muslim woman? I have tons of respect for Amina Macloud’s work but there should be more representation of Muslim women are are community leaders. Muslim women do a lot of the groundwork, but don’t have the same prominence.
MAH,
true, you weren’t saying that, and I maybe didnt read your comments close enough to understand what you were trying to say, sorry for that.
As for more representation, true there needs to be input, but leadership is an earned position. Is the case of there not being more representation one of deliberate obstrcution, neglect, or the choice of most women to operate in the background? Maybe all three, but will most accept the fact that a woman wants to do groundwork and not take the foreground?
I’m not saying that women should make it their top priority to go on the lecture circuit and many leaders earn their positions by gaining prominence through extensive travels and PR work. Now this is something women are discouraged from doing, especially if they are married an have children. But brothers with families are not discouraged from travelling to the extent that women are. In truth there are real obstacles that make it difficult for women to earn a leadership position. While it is more challenging for women to occupy decision making positions, this does not preclude women from stepping up and doing community work. But time and time again I hear stories of women getting iced out. You even have MSAs arguing that women can’t be president. I mean, if a you can’t be president of a club of a few dozen students then how are you going to earn a leadership position?
I wouldn’t mind operating in the background, but when our issues sink to the bottom of the agenda it is a problem. I’m not trying to press some Western elitist feminist agenda. I am just saying that I want to hear back from the women who are involved in the decision making process. And I want to encourage more of us to get involved and to contribute our talent to bettering our community.
As salaam alaikum,
I thoroughly enjoyed the MANA conference. We (sisters) did question MANA about the fact that there are no women on its executive board. We also talked about how women are the backbone of the African-American community and how there is no way they can do this work without including women. I found the brothers to be very responsive. Everyone seemed to be in agreement that the strict gender separation is a foreign practice and is not something that is supported by the Quran and Sunnah. Insha’allah I hope to do some work with MANA and work my hardest to ensure that sisters are heard.
Overall, I think this is the beginning of something very exciting.
As-Salaamu ‘alaykum.
How come you post stuff like MANA but dont post real programs like Shaykh Muhammad Musa Nasr coming or Shaykh Hisham etc. Umar radee Allaahu anhu said, “Hold yourself accountable before you are held accountable.” Nuff said.
It is past time for blackamerican muslims to start solving their problems and stop looking for people overseas to do it for them
Salaam alaikum Jamerican Muslimah,
That is very encouraging. And I was delighted to read your update on the conference.
Jamerican Muslimah said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the MANA conference. We (sisters) did question MANA about the fact that there are no women on its executive board.”
Sorry to burst your bubble, sister, but women do not belong to leadership positions in Islam.
We may need women in leadership positions in women groups, but women should certainly NOT be in leadership positions over men.
[...] 1) Tariq Nelson [...]
I agree with mustapha…..The MANA convention was a flop islamicly because slogans like “The state of the black american in the muslim community” Are we focusing on black islam or islam???? Strange I havent seen conferences with titles like this for arabs or pakistanians…..lol…..We relate to each other because of islam not because of color…..That’s why it was a flop…..and plus there is no unity but on the Quran and sunnah……most of the callers there were not people of sunnah and call to sunnah……..unlissted2007
In regards to the MANA conference… I was very proud to be amongst the number of brothers and sisters who came across the country for this great cause. The last thing the conference was, was a flop. This was the most insightful, inspiring outpour of clean, educated and focused Muslims. It was an honor to be there in Philadelphia with the masses who would agree that the program made an impact on all who were in attendence. Everyone that I spoke to that was unable to attend the conference have made intentions to be there next year.
Allah knows best about that which he has created. I’d like to say that there will always be some negative person or people blogging but making no forward movement. To say that the black muslims are wrong for having this conference is to say that we should cancel family reunions. Yes, we are all Muslims, who denied that? The beginning of EVERY program started with the Fatiha or with La Illaha illa la, which means we knew our purpose was to please Allah and Allah alone. The black community has been beaten down for years and this conference allowed us to come together to see that we are strong in numbers and Faith, not to leave anyone, male or female, arab or other out.
To say that women should not hold leadership roles is ignorant because we are apart of the Ummah as well. A strong force in the Ummah seeing that Allah allows us to carry the future of Islam in our womb. As an African American muslim women I felt I had a reason to be there at the MANA conference and I pray Allah allows me to see many more to come. If you’re not interested in empowering every Muslim in Islam, pray to Allah to give you guidance, because your missing the beauty of this Faith. May Allah have mercy on us all. Ameen