Islamic Brotherhood celebrates 44th anniversary

NEW YORK BEACON, May 5, 2011 - May 11, 2011 newyorkbeacon.net
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Honorees include Al Hajj Imam Talib Abdur-Rashid, Dr. Halima Toure, Yahya Abdul-Hakim, Muhaimina Abdul Hakim (Yahya’s wife) and Abdur-Rauf Nasiridin. With the
honorees is Senator Bill Perkins (4th from left).
Islamic Brotherhood celebrates 44th
anniversary with pomp and ceremony
By Yusef Salaam
The Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood (M.I.B.) gala at the Al
Hambra Ballroom attracted a full
house. The theme of the weekend affair was “Celebrating 44
Years of Services.”
There was a kaleidoscope of
colors as the attendees gathered
into the ballroom; women strutted in sun-light-orange, lake-blue,
mango - yellow, and soft chocolate Islamic attire. Most of the
men were dressed in traditional
Muslim apparel and others
sported Islamic-inspired tuxedos.
There was an almost palpable
spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood, love, and unity in the edifice as people bear-hugged and
cheek- kissed each other.
The honorees were Al Hajj
Imam Talib Abdur-Rashid, Dr.
Halima Toure, Yahya AbdulHakim, Muhaimina Abdul-Hakim
( Yahya’s wife), and Abdur-Rauf
Nasiridin (Walter Edwards). They
have, respectively served M. I.
B. for 30-to-40 years.
The festivity began with a spirited recitation of The Holy Qur’an,
Muslim scripture. Spoken Word
rhymesters offered lyrics that condemned bigotry against Muslim
women and love for Prophet
Muhammad. MIB Boy Scout
Troop 357 and Cub Scout Pack
357 snapped to attention as their
scout master led them in cadences
of drills.
A documentary, “Celebrating 44
Years of M.I.B.: Building an Indigenous Muslim Intelligentsia”, was
shown, which featured interviews
with the honorees about their legacies at MIB and their affectionate
memories of M. I. B. founder, Shayk
‘Allama Al-Hajj K. Ahmad Tawfiq.
While the general character of their
narratives was serious, the anecdotes were sometimes humorous.
The pioneers remembered the
Shayk as an athlete, musician, institution builder, intellectual, spiritual leader of the oldest Sunni
mosque in Harlem, and a member
of the Muslim Mosque, Incorporated, which was founded by Al
Hajj Malik Shabazz after he left the
Elijah Muhammad-led Nation of
Islam.
M.I.B., under the leadership of
the Shayk, and now Imam Talib
Abdur-Rashid, pioneered the
health food movement in Harlem,
particular vegetarianism. During
the Shayk’s tenure, the organization operated a health food store,
an herbal tearoom and restaurant,
a school, a scout troop, and established a drug-free green zone
(When heroin was devastating
Harlem.) at the mosque location,
113th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, that is still respected by the
community today.
Imam Abdur-Rashid is a social
justice advocate activist for the
poor, individuals who have AIDS,
the incarcerated, and inter-faith
unity. He is also a much soughtafter speaker at Muslim and nonMuslim events.
Some of the dignitaries present
were Congressman Charles Rangel
(D: Manhattan), New York Senator Bill Perkins (D: Manhattan),
and a representative from the office of city councilwoman Inez
Dickens (D: Manhattan). Perkin’s
presented a New York State Proclamation to all of the honorees.
Each beamed a priceless smile as
they accepted their roses while
they could still smell them. Perkins
said, “I’ve been fortunate to work
with M.I.B. over the years.” He
noted that he has assisted his
Muslim constituents in Harlem for
decades.
Rangel emphasized that he had
read the accomplishments of M.I.
B. into the Congressional Record.
He described Imam Abdur-Rashid
as an astute leader and gushed
accolades on Abdur-RaufNasiridin, a businessman who is
international recognized as a leading builder of green residences in
inner cities and a promoter of
growing Black businesses.
Mika’il Deveaux, Master of Ceremony and Assistant Imam of
M.I.B., reminded the audience
that the gala was a fundraiser, “to
build a masjid (mosque) in Harlem
from the ground up. He introduced
the presenters of The M.I.B.
Award, which were given to the
honorees. All of them humbly received their award. Dr. Toure, an
esteemed educator, said “I have
shared with M.I.B what Allah has
given me.”
Muhaimina, also a teacher and
treasured mentor for young Muslim women, asserted that she is
standing on the shoulders of
women who are living and deceased. “I teach women what it
means to be a Muslim in America.
We are beautiful…,” she declared.
Yahya, a master electrician,
modestly insisted, “I’m not worthy. I am just a tool in Allah’s tool
box.”
The keynote speaker, Imam
Mutawwaf Abdush-Shaheed, of
the Cleveland, Ohio-based Islamic
Revivalist Movement and Masjid
Mu’mineen, recalled his experience with Shayk Tawfiq. He called
him a balanced disciplinarian and
patient teacher. He shared an anecdote about an endurance jog in
Central Park and how men
younger than the Shayk lagged
behind as Tawfiq led the run. He
said, “I don’t do public speaking,
but I had to come to support Imam
Talib, who is the same brother he
was decades when I first met him.”
He urged the audience to support
the Imam’s leadership and his efforts
to realize M.I.B.’s initial vision to
build an Islamic community that
stands on the principles of the Holy
Qur’an and the Sunnah (way) of
Prophet Muhammad.
Imam Abdur-Rashid gave thanks
to his wife, Sana, and his 79-yearold mother, who became a Muslim
last year. He expressed thankfulness
for his mentors who have given him
guidance, advice and their sober
assessments. He said, “We are still
holding on to the core” of M. I. B.’s
original concepts and goals.” He
called for the believers to hold the
line and move forward. He invited
those who had been M.I. B. members and left to “…sign up for a second tour of duty.”
The Imam cited the psych-spiritual pain that M.I.B. members, including the youths, have internalized.
“We have not been perfect.
We’ve made mistakes.” He mentioned the successes of M.I. B.
young folks, who are teachers, law
enforcement officials, firefighters,
owners of businesses, doctors, and
those who have achieved the highly
regarded position of Hafiz, one who
has remembered the entire Holy
Qur’an. The Imam declared, “The
battle is not over. The struggle has
not yet been won. We love you…”