Islamic Hip Hop
May 1, 2010
Muslim fundamentalists portray Islamic Hip Hop as a negative force that reckons with their religion and refer to it as a “forbidden act." In contrast, Islam is instrumental to the civil rights movement that calls for the importance of equality and the spread of harmony in the community. Islamic hip- hop has emerged from the urban youth to get rid of the hateful treatment of segregation, riot against white dominance and promote peace. Rappers realized the connection of resemblance in both music and religion, as both aspects allowed their followers to unify and create a structure that could bring their own unique power among society both politically and socially. This form of hip hop focuses on the positivity of hip hop culture from an Islamic viewpoint, which reflects its moral and religious culture, by showing various examples of what Islamic Hip hop has done to the community as a whole.
Islam is not new to hip hop, Anna Johnson, a writer for the AP wrote “Nation of Islam and other nontraditional sects have influenced hip-hop through lyrics and images since the late 1970s” – Islamic hip hop rappers don’t follow mainstream hip hop lyrics like women, cars and jewelry, but instead use rhymes to praise God, criticize war, and blast corporate America. This is important because Islam comprehends the value of peace. She also used David Kelly (also known as Capital D) in her article as an example, in his song “culture of terrorism” he sings about spreading the awareness of some of the issues happening in society today: “The American economy's surviving of arms/ Third world debt, closing down farms/ Promoting conflict and violent behavior/ Then using convicts 4 cheap slave labor.”
The Nation of Islam (founded by Wallace Dodd Fard) is a great example Johnson used of an infamous western African American Islamic sect with values the Eastern cultures holds such as the five pillars of Islam (which are Al-Shahada, Prayer, Zakat, Haj, and Ramadan), and their following of Halal/Haram (permitted/forbidden action). As Islamic Hip Hop grows across the world and especially in the United States, these hip hop artists and groups choose their inspirational messages from the Quran, to teach Muslims and Non- Muslims about Islam, rather than promote negative western values of sex, drugs, and gang life.
Muslim fundamentalists portray Islamic Hip Hop as a negative force that reckons with their religion and refer to it as a “forbidden act." In contrast, Islam is instrumental to the civil rights movement that calls for the importance of equality and the spread of harmony in the community. Islamic hip- hop has emerged from the urban youth to get rid of the hateful treatment of segregation, riot against white dominance and promote peace. Rappers realized the connection of resemblance in both music and religion, as both aspects allowed their followers to unify and create a structure that could bring their own unique power among society both politically and socially. This form of hip hop focuses on the positivity of hip hop culture from an Islamic viewpoint, which reflects its moral and religious culture, by showing various examples of what Islamic Hip hop has done to the community as a whole.
Islam is not new to hip hop, Anna Johnson, a writer for the AP wrote “Nation of Islam and other nontraditional sects have influenced hip-hop through lyrics and images since the late 1970s” – Islamic hip hop rappers don’t follow mainstream hip hop lyrics like women, cars and jewelry, but instead use rhymes to praise God, criticize war, and blast corporate America. This is important because Islam comprehends the value of peace. She also used David Kelly (also known as Capital D) in her article as an example, in his song “culture of terrorism” he sings about spreading the awareness of some of the issues happening in society today: “The American economy's surviving of arms/ Third world debt, closing down farms/ Promoting conflict and violent behavior/ Then using convicts 4 cheap slave labor.”
The Nation of Islam (founded by Wallace Dodd Fard) is a great example Johnson used of an infamous western African American Islamic sect with values the Eastern cultures holds such as the five pillars of Islam (which are Al-Shahada, Prayer, Zakat, Haj, and Ramadan), and their following of Halal/Haram (permitted/forbidden action). As Islamic Hip Hop grows across the world and especially in the United States, these hip hop artists and groups choose their inspirational messages from the Quran, to teach Muslims and Non- Muslims about Islam, rather than promote negative western values of sex, drugs, and gang life.
Well-known artists like Mos Def stands with those positive values of Harmony and Jihad. Muslim American rap artist Lupe Fiasco rapped about this in his song America Terrorist: “Camouflaged Torahs, Bibles and glorious Qurans/ The books that take you to heaven and let you meet the Lord there/ Have become misinterpreted, reasons for warfare/ We read 'em with blind eyes I guarantee you there's more there.” Spiritual challenges, human development and ethical values are usually what the lyrics represent. Having a noticeably positive influence on its audience, that on which creates a stronger hold towards the Islamic values.
“(Amin) Pray Allah keep my soul and heart clean/ (Amin) Pray the same thing again for all my team” this is from Mos Def’s “love,” these lyrics are another great example that show the importance of Islam’s standards of life that relies on the five pillars. Annaya McMurray explains in her book how most Islamic hip hop artists’ values and lyrics have nothing to do with materialism, and a lot more to do with spirituality and gratitude.
More Islamic leaders like Poor Right Teachers and Paris began to globalize this form of hip hop music, they have given a new face to Islam, it’s identity has become better known in America, as it is the first religion to come in terms of acceptance of the hip hop genre. An example of this is the song “INSurrection,” by Sons of Hagar, in their album “A Change, 2004” they present a more Islamic view and identity, and many of their concerns about being Muslims in the west and the challenges being faced because of it, and their large faith in Allah despite no one standing with him, in their lyrics: “My own country is trying to get rid of me / Got no shoulder to lean on and I ain’t crying neither/ It’s the Arab hunting season/ And I ain’t leavin.” This relates back to one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which is prayer, to show how such worship could bring this artist closer to God, and leave him stronger to face the world.
In spite of its prevalence in hip hop culture, Islamic critics like Abu Bilal Mustafa Al-Kanadi (taken from his book 'Islamic Ruling on Music') contend that hip hop misleads Muslims with false beliefs, and the promotions of negative western values such as alcohol usage and drug abuse. While the overtly materialistic and misogynistic themes of hip hop certainly go against Islamic belief, arguably, Islamic hip hop positively promotes the religious cultural and tolerance the western world holds and bridges the gap between eastern and western cultures through this genre. The Son of Hagar’s song represents that bridge between both cultures.
Despite the African-American Islamic hip hop artists and groups towards the promotion of the positivity and values of Islam, many Islamists like Abu Bilal Mustafa argue that this form of music will never be completely accepted, because music itself is forbidden in Islam. This is based off the following Quranic verse from Surat Luqman 31:6 “And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks to mislead from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment” It is in “idle talk”, meaning music and singing. But if music was in fact forbidden, Prophet Mohammed would have indicated the exact meaning of “Idle talk” and not leave it to the scholars to figure it out, because Idle Talk could mean any other form of talk, not necessarily singing. He would have also forbid music ever since he began his prophecy. He never prohibited any of the musical instruments the old Arabs used to use, as music was a great part of their social lives, nor did he indicate anything in his book or The Holy Quran that showed the prohibition of music or singing, as the article “Islam and Music” stated that “The Almighty claims in the Koran that he has not left out anything in the Koran (6:38). If so, how come he “forgot” to include the 'all important' (to the mullah) subject of music?” We find throughout the Holy Quran acts like consumption of alcohol, theft or murder being prohibited in clear forward statements. But there is no clear indication like that towards music or singing. In fact, A Ismail shoots back at this claim from a different standpoint stating “The fact is that God places no prohibition on music. On the contrary, the entire cosmos is played out like music” Meaning most Islamic rituals, like the citation of the Holy Quran, Nasheeds, Azaan, Madih, and Sufi music are all in a way, sung, rather than read out loud.
Finally, One of the most famous Islamic Philosopher/ Mystic Al-Ghazali’s (1058-1111, medieval era/Islamic golden age era) states the following “The deaf man who misses the sweet sound of music is like one who is absent though present, dead though he is alive” and this is an example of an Islamic scholar’s positive opinion on music and how important it is in people’s lives even before Islamic hip hop's formation.
The argument presented in this paper shows the positive outcome Islamic hip hop has done to the community. It has represented values both hip hop and religion hold dearly to fight against the cruelty of society, unite them with the power of peace, and enable the bridging of eastern and western cultures together. All of this is important because it brings people together to promote the positive message Islam contends to spread through its songs and political movements.
-- Work Cited
* “Islam and music”. Sunday Times (South Africa). June 1, 2003. Section: Opinion & Editorial; Pg.7.
* Ismail, A “Islamic music continues to prosper”. Sunday Times (South Africa). Section: Opinion and editorial; Pg. 7. 11 May, (2003)
* Johnson, Anna. ““BC cycle Muslim rappers seek to combine Islamic beliefs with popular music” Associated Press Writer. The Associated Press State & Local Wire. SECTION: State and Regional. Dateline: Chicago, November 6, (2004), Saturday.
* Mcmurray, Anaya. ““Hotep and Hip-Hop: Can Black Muslim Women Be Down with Hip-Hop?”
* Miller, Paul D. “Unbound Sound”. The MIT Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts. London, England
* Moussly, Mona. . “Rappers replace gang life with Muslim life”. Al-Arabiya newspaper. Thursday, 19 March 2000
More Islamic leaders like Poor Right Teachers and Paris began to globalize this form of hip hop music, they have given a new face to Islam, it’s identity has become better known in America, as it is the first religion to come in terms of acceptance of the hip hop genre. An example of this is the song “INSurrection,” by Sons of Hagar, in their album “A Change, 2004” they present a more Islamic view and identity, and many of their concerns about being Muslims in the west and the challenges being faced because of it, and their large faith in Allah despite no one standing with him, in their lyrics: “My own country is trying to get rid of me / Got no shoulder to lean on and I ain’t crying neither/ It’s the Arab hunting season/ And I ain’t leavin.” This relates back to one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which is prayer, to show how such worship could bring this artist closer to God, and leave him stronger to face the world.
In spite of its prevalence in hip hop culture, Islamic critics like Abu Bilal Mustafa Al-Kanadi (taken from his book 'Islamic Ruling on Music') contend that hip hop misleads Muslims with false beliefs, and the promotions of negative western values such as alcohol usage and drug abuse. While the overtly materialistic and misogynistic themes of hip hop certainly go against Islamic belief, arguably, Islamic hip hop positively promotes the religious cultural and tolerance the western world holds and bridges the gap between eastern and western cultures through this genre. The Son of Hagar’s song represents that bridge between both cultures.
Despite the African-American Islamic hip hop artists and groups towards the promotion of the positivity and values of Islam, many Islamists like Abu Bilal Mustafa argue that this form of music will never be completely accepted, because music itself is forbidden in Islam. This is based off the following Quranic verse from Surat Luqman 31:6 “And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks to mislead from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment” It is in “idle talk”, meaning music and singing. But if music was in fact forbidden, Prophet Mohammed would have indicated the exact meaning of “Idle talk” and not leave it to the scholars to figure it out, because Idle Talk could mean any other form of talk, not necessarily singing. He would have also forbid music ever since he began his prophecy. He never prohibited any of the musical instruments the old Arabs used to use, as music was a great part of their social lives, nor did he indicate anything in his book or The Holy Quran that showed the prohibition of music or singing, as the article “Islam and Music” stated that “The Almighty claims in the Koran that he has not left out anything in the Koran (6:38). If so, how come he “forgot” to include the 'all important' (to the mullah) subject of music?” We find throughout the Holy Quran acts like consumption of alcohol, theft or murder being prohibited in clear forward statements. But there is no clear indication like that towards music or singing. In fact, A Ismail shoots back at this claim from a different standpoint stating “The fact is that God places no prohibition on music. On the contrary, the entire cosmos is played out like music” Meaning most Islamic rituals, like the citation of the Holy Quran, Nasheeds, Azaan, Madih, and Sufi music are all in a way, sung, rather than read out loud.
Finally, One of the most famous Islamic Philosopher/ Mystic Al-Ghazali’s (1058-1111, medieval era/Islamic golden age era) states the following “The deaf man who misses the sweet sound of music is like one who is absent though present, dead though he is alive” and this is an example of an Islamic scholar’s positive opinion on music and how important it is in people’s lives even before Islamic hip hop's formation.
The argument presented in this paper shows the positive outcome Islamic hip hop has done to the community. It has represented values both hip hop and religion hold dearly to fight against the cruelty of society, unite them with the power of peace, and enable the bridging of eastern and western cultures together. All of this is important because it brings people together to promote the positive message Islam contends to spread through its songs and political movements.
-- Work Cited
* “Islam and music”. Sunday Times (South Africa). June 1, 2003. Section: Opinion & Editorial; Pg.7.
* Ismail, A “Islamic music continues to prosper”. Sunday Times (South Africa). Section: Opinion and editorial; Pg. 7. 11 May, (2003)
* Johnson, Anna. ““BC cycle Muslim rappers seek to combine Islamic beliefs with popular music” Associated Press Writer. The Associated Press State & Local Wire. SECTION: State and Regional. Dateline: Chicago, November 6, (2004), Saturday.
* Mcmurray, Anaya. ““Hotep and Hip-Hop: Can Black Muslim Women Be Down with Hip-Hop?”
* Miller, Paul D. “Unbound Sound”. The MIT Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts. London, England
* Moussly, Mona. . “Rappers replace gang life with Muslim life”. Al-Arabiya newspaper. Thursday, 19 March 2000
Comments
You are very insightful. I am very glad to know you and to have access to your blog.
Martha (a friend of Nouf AlJ)
thats why i wrote Part ONE, the second part of this article is about the negative side to it, ive tackled both sides of the matter, since opinions are so extreme when it comes to it. thanks for reading much appreciated!