Muslim Students Mark African American Achievement

Expanding the canvas for students to recognize heroes

BY LISA KAHLER

Two years ago, the Islamic Schools League of America (ISLA) conducted research with Islamic school alumni (Students’ Sense of Belonging, JEMS, Vol 2, Nov 2022). One key finding stood out: Their knowledge of African and African-American history was sorely lacking. African American alumni “cited common racist actions and micro-aggressions from fellow students, staff and administrators” (https://islamichorizons. net/?s=alumni+voices).

In the fall of 2021, ISLA executive director Shaza Khan, Ph.D., along with the board, reviewed the research data and decided to address this inequity with a student-centered contest. The resulting “Celebrating African and African American Muslim History Contest (AAAMH),” born from this context, is a springboard for introducing Muslim 6th-8th grade students to their fellow Muslims’ amazing contributions and achievements. The intention is to include families, teachers and community members as well to further amplify awareness and knowledge of African Muslims’ crucial contributions throughout history.

ISLA board member and AAAMH contest chair Qur’an Shakir says, “[T]his contest offers intentional works to make sure that the habit of overlooking, disregarding and not acknowledging the works and contributions of Muslims of color is addressed. ISLA’s research documents that, sadly, many alumni of Islamic schools said they did not learn about Muslims of color while attending Islamic schools. Important history was overlooked.”

The contest was launched in Dec. 2021, under the direction of Shaza Khan, Qur’an Shakir (chair, The Clara Mohammed School Network), Salahuddeen Kareem (founder, former principal and now teacher, Muslim Community School, Alim Academy, Potomac, Md.); president and executive director, Kindness and Care Beyond Borders) and Lisa Kahler (educator and ISLA volunteer). ISLA created developmentally appropriate and educationally sound rubrics and metrics to guide students and their teachers with clear grade-level appropriate expectations and standards.

With minimal advertisement on the IECN listserv, the 2022 contest elicited 120 student projects. Several community members assisted with judging, and each of the 16 winners received an e-certificate and a cash prize in a virtual award ceremony held on Feb. 28, 2022. Promos were provided by community heroes Maryum Ali (Muhammad Ali’s daughter), Dr. Yusef Salaam (member of the Exonerated Five, activist, scholar and motivational speaker) and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (former NBA star, activist and motivational speaker). Contest support was provided by sponsors MyDeen and Kindness and Care Beyond Borders.

Based on the 2022 contest feedback, ISLA created a seven-member advisory committee to oversee the 2023 contest: Qur’an Shakir (chair), Lisa Kahler (co-chair), Salahuddeen Kareem, Dr. Patricia Salahuddin (ISLA and CISNA board member and chair, Sister Clara Mohammed School board), Nura Elmagbari (former principal, Islamic School of Portland), Fitrah Muhammad (executive producer, Study Al-Islam) and Imam Talib Shareef (president, Masjid Muhammad, The Nation’s Mosque).

Under the committee’s direction, the rubric was refined, a FAQ page was added and a dedicated webpage was launched to reach out to this country’s 300+ full-time Islamic schools. Nine corporate sponsors, including major sponsors MuslimKidsTV, MuslimARC and Banneker Ventures, covered the contest expenses, student prizes and further expanded the contest’s reach through their social media.

Some 400 student submissions were received by the February 8 deadline — a 300% increase from 2022. Judges screened all projects to ensure adherence to the guidelines as well as for plagiarism. The 320 qualified projects came from 40 different schools in 19 states. Students chose to research individuals from professional sports, the Sahaba, Qur’an reciters, civil rights activists, politicians, models and more! The top six individuals researched were Ibtihaj Muhammad, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X), Muhammad Ali, Halima Aden, Bilal ibn Rabah (radi Allahu ‘anh) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).

WHAT DID STUDENTS LEARN?

Sixth Graders. “Something that was unexpected that I learned was the details of my African American life. • “That Ilhan Omar is a refugee and also, and even when you are trying to do the right thing there will be a lot of opposition and you need to prepare yourself to face that.”

Seventh Graders. “How much black Muslims alive [today] have contributed [to] our society. There are hundreds if not thousands of African American Muslims that made a change • “I learned that being different doesn’t always mean bad and being different is what makes us unique.” • “About how people unite in Islam and a singular person can inspire so many.”

8th Graders. “After reading about Halima [Aden]’s life, even my perspective on the world changed. I don’t have to be like everyone else to succeed in this world. I just have to be myself, and that is 100% enough.” • “I learned about the life of Yusuf Salam and his amazing accomplishments. I did not expect to hear about a Muslim who successfully managed to get him[self] and his friends out of jail after being put there accused of a crime they did not commit because of racism.”

During the first week of February, each of the 40 judges spent an average of 6-7 hours reviewing a batch of 20 submissions. Each project was evaluated based on the rubric provided to students and judges. After all scores were received, the Advisory Committee averaged them and reviewed the top projects in each category to determine the winners. An honorable mention was added for the sixth-grade students due to the high caliber of the entries received.

WHAT DID THE JUDGES LEARN?

“I learned about Muslim trailblazers that I had not heard of and was educated with more hindsight of some of our great heroes in Islam. I am very proud of the participants!”

• “I learned that young Muslims from all backgrounds are being inspired by a wide range of Black Muslims. This shouldn’t be surprising, but for me it was a pleasant surprise.” • “I didn’t know that Summayah, the first martyr in Islam, was Abyssinian or that Muhammad Ali refused to have a Hollywood star because he didn’t want anyone stepping on our Messenger’s name — Subhan Allah).”

DRUMROLL…

The contest’s winners were announced on February 25 in a virtual contest hosted by ISLA and emceed by Qur’an Shakir. The ceremony included promos from community heroes who thanked ISLA for their support in encouraging awareness of African and African American Muslim contributions to the world. Guests encouraged students to “cultivate their genius” and continue to study and learn to “combat the racism within the Muslim community.”

Community heroes/sheroes and corporate sponsors who spoke included Ayesha K. Mustafa (editor-in-chief, Muslim Journal), Michael Milo (co-founder and CEO, MuslimKidsTV), Dr. Gholnesar “Gholdy” Muhammad (educator and award-winning author, “Cultivating Genius” [2019] and an Islamic school alumni); Margari Hill (executive director, MuslimARC), Imam Q. Amin Nathari (activist, an Islamic school alumni and author of “Islam in Black America”).

To further awareness of these Muslims’ vital contributions within the Muslim community, MuslimKidsTV offered to animate the winners’ projects and e-publish them on the MuslimKidsTV platform or to join the staff as an unpaid intern and work on a new e-book focusing on a pivotal African or African-American Muslim.

Student winners in California, along with their principals and social studies teachers, were treated to an in-person congratulatory visit from committee co-chair and California resident Lisa Kahler. The other winners’ certificates and prizes were mailed to their respective principals and were presented in-person during the award ceremony held at their schools.

THE WINNERS?

WHAT’S NEXT?

Surveys conducted for students and judges, and the feedback from the survey results, will inform the 2024 contest, to be held during February 2024. ISLA and the AAAMH advisory committee look forward to increased participation and perhaps regional as well as national competitions.

Do you have a middle schooler in your household or teach at an Islamic school? Make sure to keep an eye on social media come this December, so you too can help a youth go “Beyond Bilal” and learn about the millions of African and African-Muslims who have and continue to make vital contributions to Islam and the world. ih