Good afternoon and again agreed to in peace and to my Muslim brothers and sisters, I say, As-salamu alaikum.
It's certainly an honour and pleasure to be here, to be a part of the discourse and actually to pay tribute and recognise the work of Dr.
Hudson and Miss Harvey and the progressive group and all of those who've made the sacrifice.
One can only imagine the efforts in the struggles that were necessary to bring us thus far,
and so I speak this afternoon from the Islamic perspective, not just from the position of resistance.
But more so from a position of persistence, from the standpoint that.
The latter speaks more to continuously moving forward with your objective in mind.
So let's proceed forward.
I'll share a bit about the birth of the Nation of Islam and its mission, the Islamic faith and its fortitude and it combating racism.
Perhaps two examples of Claremont School in the Mahomet speaks. And then where we are today with respect to the Islamic community.
It is it is without doubt without question that racism is the foundation in Bermuda society.
In the creation of race construction, it occurred in two phases.
And beginning of time with the early settlers up to nineteen seventy.
And then the 1970s and 80s, and perhaps we can argue today.
That the third phase has just occurred.
When you talk about international business and the lack of diversity in males, et cetera, in the particular institution.
Well, that industry. But even before we get there, let's just make the point that racism,
as our dearly beloved scholar, Dr. Swan points out, was actually built into colonialism.
And in the case of colonialism, I think it's important for us to get these nodes sorted out to remember that Bermuda is still a colony.
And as much as we enjoyed these privileges. There's more work to be done with disrespect.
Why? Because colonialism is a system whereby the colonised colonisers ruled through policies used for the purpose of controlling for independence.
It's also a system. Which perpetuates policies of exploitation.
We're the colonisers have the monopoly over the economy.
Moving forward, capitalism also. Brings forward the idea of inferiority.
And in society. And so it is against this backdrop that the nation of Islam v. the Muhammad Speaks newspaper.
Arrives in Bermuda, I must point out as well that this time this 1960s and 70s era.
Is a time when other organisations, such as the Bermuda Industrial Union, which is already established,
the Progressive Labour Party and of course, as we heard earlier from the Black Roy Cordray were formed very active in this society.
The organisation itself, the nation of Islam, as we well know, was created by the Honourable Elijah Muhammad,
who was influenced by Marcus Garvey, and so Garvey's philosophy was self-determination to do for self.
Elijah Muhammad believed that it was important for African-Americans who were being oppressed to institute to create a system
that would combat the racial oppression and injustice in the society so that transform and arrives here in Bermuda in the 1960s.
In so doing, gentlemen such as Kenneth Castle, Dalton, Matthews Askew, Muhammad pick up the paper and have the desire to disseminate it nationally.
We know that much risk was involved in this dissemination because the paper was banned in nineteen sixty three.
And it was banned under this premise, which was put forward by Lord Madumere that the doctrine of black supremacy and non-cooperation of whites.
Could affect the less coloured. Unions.
OK. The doctrine of black supremacy and non-cooperation of the white community could affect the last call it Bermudian.
Where we are. That's where it was. Already in so doing, the members of the Nation of Islam saw fit to persist.
Selling a total of twelve thousand papers.
In any event, 1974 marks to highlight the peak of the Nation of Islam in that the organisation is able to formulate its beliefs,
its value system, established businesses increase its membership.
I believe there were in excess of over 300 members, and they become.
Are a mainstay in the community, so to speak.
Well, nineteen seventy five is very significant because it brings about the passing of the Honourable Elijah Muhammad.
And in so doing. His son, Imam Warty Mohammed, assumes the leadership of the nation of Islam.
Imam Mohammed. Bless his soul.
Created one man, what about a transformation of black Muslims and convert it over one million African-Americans and by extension,
Bermudian into Orthodox Islam? Dr. Suliman Yang identifies it as a bloodless revolution where one million African-Americans
saw fit to make the transformation from the nation of Islam to Orthodox Islam.
And I point out there the point the idea of Orthodox Islam being that there's one God prayer fasting charity and a visit to Mecca.
Now, in that transformation, he also changes the name of the Muhammad Speaks newspaper to Malala and Luus.
So the fact that even though the page the paper was banned, it never became an issue, no longer because the name was changed.
Moving forward, perhaps the largest obstacle, the biggest obstacle was with respect to the Muslims opening an elementary school.
And what I've pointed out here is the timeline and the articles that were back and forth throughout the country in this effort.
A total of 15 years for this religious community to open up a school.
And let me make the point. And by 1990, when the time had come, there was still no government approval.
So. Were they resistant? Or were they persistent in addition to the opening of the school?
Email, Mohammed also had recommended.
That the Muslim community become engaged in the broader community that it it opened its doors to other ethnicities and other communities
because the philosophy prior to that was one of quote unquote separation the nation of Islam did not want to integrate with the main society.
Perhaps one of the most significant points that he stressed to the community was the idea of impressing upon them and the believers,
the removal of racial images in religious institutions and in the homes because of the negative impact it had on individuals.
You know,
you're familiar with the kind of cloth sturdy with respect to the doors where little children were given a black doll on a wall that white doll?
Well, interestingly enough, that effect still takes place a day.
Why in twenty eighteen we still see African-American women beating themselves, bleaching their skin for wanting to be of a lighter complexion.
So let's push this forward, I have a minute they say what's happening in the transformation since the transformation?
Well, since two thousand sixty 20 twenty 40,
the local community has seen fit to host a a number of international conferences where 150 to 200 Muslims have seen fit to visit the
shores and integrate with unions because we've seen the submission of the the massive Muhammad submission to the independent commission.
This is very significant. Why? Because I told you earlier about the purpose of colonialism and what it is in the Muslims position.
With this then and now, it's important for us to determine our destiny as a people.
In two thousand and twelve, there was the appointment of the first Muslim senator, whether Cuomo should care.
And then recently, in twenty eighteen, they have the highest ranking female officer Muslim.
Now you might ask, would. What else is happening well, on a daily basis, on a weekly basis, Muslims take the time to feed the homeless.
They reach out interfaith dialogue, visit the prisons, et cetera.
There's much to be done. There's a hospital that needs to be built. A cultural centre that needs to be established.
And so the challenge for the next generation or the present generation is to embrace modernity.
With patience and perseverance.
But more importantly, believe and know that their responsibility is to follow through from the work that has been done from our pioneers.
I leave you with friends for nan's quote. Every generation a relative obscurity must explore his mission or purpose.
Fulfil it. You got it.