Thugs in The Masjid

Salam,

I thought you guys would find this article interesting, it’s by a journalist named Adisa Banjoko.

It was originally published in www.illumemagazine.org. I always hear two sides of the story as far as which rappers have really reverted to Islam and what their beliefs are. This article cleared up some misunderstandings I had. I agree, some of these rappers actions are not in accordance with Islam but alot of Muslims are like that. Whether they are still Muslim or not is up to Allah swt ultimately. The point is they have took their shahadah. Freeways responses really surprised me.

Hip-Hop was born out of the ashes of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. The messages of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali and other Muslim activists arose naturally into the lyrics of Hip-Hop from day one. Today, there are Muslim rappers in every major metropolitan city. Many are outspoken, but others are more quiet in their practice. For some reason, the Islamic faith has always appealed to the some of the streets coldest and boldest characters. Its no wonder then, that Freeway, Benie Siegel and The Jacka came to Islam. Each of them were building a legacy on the block before they began to praying to the East. Each of them, learned to humble themselves through prayer and studying the Qur’an. In cities coast to coast, thugs in the masjid give thanks and praise, seeking better days. This interview was conducted several one ago. It was lost and recently found on an old audio file.

Adisa: How did you come to Islam. Were you born Muslim? Or did you first take shahada (the profession of Islamic faith)

Freeway: I took shahada at a later date. My father was Muslim, moms was Christian. When I got to the age to know what the right thing is, I took shahada. I think I was 14.

Adisa: What compelled you to come to Islam at such a young age?

Freeway: As you know, Allah (God) makes the Muslims. The ones He guides no one can misguide. The ones he does not guide, no one can guide. Basically, its up to Allah who becomes Muslim. Me studying and growing in understanding, once you are at a certain age- you are a man. So, there are certain things you have to do in regards to religion.

Adisa: What are some of the books you have read and who are some of the people that inspired you as a Muslim over the years?

Freeway: I’m inspired by The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. I read books by the students of Islam. Other than that, there is no person that makes me wanna do what I do.

Adisa: A lot of dudes, get deeper into Islam, and then they wanna stop rappin’. This is because music by many is considered forbidden. I know you’ve wrestled with that. When does the conflict hit you the most?

Freeway: There is nothing really to balance out. There is a right and there is a wrong. Music is definately haram (forbidden). We’re not supposed to be doing it. But we’re all sinners, and we’re supposed to repent. Even though I know what I am doing is wrong, I ask Allah for forgiveness and I know whats in my heart. My intentions are good.

Adisa: One of the things that has struck me about Islam, is that is always touches the hearts of the hardest dudes on the block. It don’t matter if I’m in LA, NY, Boston- many of the hardest cats turn to Islam. Why do you think Islam appeals to so many brothers from the streets? Be it Malcolm X, a crip from South Central Los Angeles- or y’all.

Freeway: Islam is real. You can tell its the religion that people are supposed to follow because its so simple. It ain’t no mystery about it. Its plain and simple.

Beans: If you gotta person who is just lawless…I mean real lawless. You seek for that governance within yourself. I think that is the only religion that governs every aspect of life. There is nothing that is just because. Everything is for a reason. A lot of people think its a harsh religion. Its got too many rules. “Aww man, I can’t do this, I can’t do that”. But if you understand it. Just with the covering up with women. If you have a woman going down the street in tight jeans. Or, even with loose clothing, but shes all done up…It will cause the nature of a man, within us to stare at her- ’cause thats what it is [the carnal nature of man]. But if you see a Muslim sister in garb, dressed to a T. The respect level is high. It can stop a lot of harassment and the temptations wont be there.

Adisa: Beans, you’ve had a hard life. With Islam, the gems of it are always reflected in your music. With all that you endure, how do you ensure that Islam stays in your heart and in the music you make?

Beans: I have one rap where I say, “I’m a Muslim by nature, gangsta by circumstance”. Islam is my nature. That’s whats in me. A gangsta by circumstance. I say that not to be fly. The circumstances that bring something into existence, will also give a thing its nature. I came into existence in poverty. I came into existence in the street life. The hood, the gamblin’ the drugs, the guns. Knowing that music is haram, I have to…If there is something I can say or do that someone can get some good out of- then I will always incorporate it. Thats just something that I have to deal with personally. Some people might judge me for that. But I look at that in the sense of “When I’m no longer here, the music will still be around”. A lot of people may not fully understand. When you die, your just in another state. You dont get judged by Allah until the Day of Judgment. Imagine when you die, you are in your grave. You in the place between this world and the next. Imagine The Day of Judgment ten thousand years from now. I’ll still be collecting sins. Because that music is still gonna be around when we’re gone. If any bad comes outta that. I’m going to get the punishment. I’m gonna have to answer for that even when I’m not here.

Adisa: Jacka, a lot of cats in the street take what you do seriously. My friend works in the prison and the inmates always say “You know Jackas Muslim”! What do you want young men who are incarcerated to know about Islam and what Islam means to you?

The Jacka: I just want them to know that its the true way of life. I want them to know, the same way that I was taught. I was taught to give thanks and pray. I took my shahada about twelve years ago. I was a teenager.

Adisa: Who taught you about Islam first?

The Jacka: The Nation of Islam. Yusef Bey. I was in the 4th grade. I saw the brothers in their ranks. You know, where the littlest ones were the back, the biggest ones in the front. Ones of the dudes I used to know was messin’ with them. When I saw that I was like “Thats dope! I want in”.

Adisa: There are so many Muslims in Hip-Hop. All of y’all are Muslim, Everlast, Mos Def, Lupe Fiasco, One Be Lo, Brother Ali, Saafir, Tajai, Chali2na and Akil from Jurrasic 5, T-KASH, Popmaster Fabel- the list goes on. It appears to have had the strongest global impact within Hip-Hop compared to Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism etc. Why do you think Islam has been such a natural fit inside Hip-Hop?

Freeway: Its not just confined to Hip-Hop. Islam is one of the fastest growing religions right now. If you read the Qur’an and the authentic hadiths (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) you can get the answers to any question. Its beautiful. If you ask a Christian about their religion. The Father, Son, Holy Ghost thing- they can’t really give you no answers. In Islam the answers are right there. They come to you with proof. They are not just telling you something. They are backing it up with proof.

Beans: Free summed it up. Its not just Hip-Hop. Its the world.

The Jacka: Our generation, we’re not stupid. We see the lies in everything. Its also the first thing that we could grasp that wasn’t forced on us. We had to learn what it was. We’ve been told lies for so long. We really want the truth.

Adisa: Tell me a day inside of outside of Hip-Hop when Islam got you through a trial.

The Jacka: One day I got caught up in a high speed chase. I had to hop out the car, run, with my shirt off- everything. I kept saying “a-oudu billah min esh-sheytan nir rajim“. They let the dogs loose on me. “I was like, I got nothin'” The dogs came out, but they never attacked…It worked.

Beans: I dunno if Freeway remembers, be we had a conversation a while back. I was telling him something that was messed up for me. Free was like, “You can’t think like that. Sincere prayer is the only thing that can change your fate in whatever you do”. It stuck with me, until the day that I read it for myself. It made me feel better. It was taubah (seeking repentance). I came into Islam through the Nation of Islam. I did not follow 5%, but I read everything. I could not wait to read and talk to anybody who knew. It made me feel so good.

I was on my way to do something that was haram. It was three other brothers in the car. It was me, a younger cat who I introduced to Islam. My brother, Omar and Malik B from the Roots. We was on our way out to do something. I think the only one who really was on the Sunnah (following the examples of Prophet Muhammad) was Malik. The route we were taking was NOT the normal route that we would take to do what we were going to do. I remember riding, and lookin’ at the masjid…I was like, “Yo, pull over man, I wanna take my shahada).

When I came into Islam, with the Nation, you had a write paperwork. Write a letter to the T, you had to follow….It wasn’t right.

I started being around other Muslims, who taught me how to pray correctly and everything. But I had not taken my shahada. After I took my shahada, I think it was the end of 1996. I took it on the Masjid at 15th and Crystal- south Philly. I pulled over. Took my shahada. We wind up not even going to do what we was gonna do. End up talking about Islam all night. The next day something happened to a close friend of mine. I asked Allah, to please give me something else to do to make money. I saw where it got one of my friends, he was paralyzed one of my best friends. I call him my brother. After I took my shahada, three days later I met this cat Murda Mel. A few days later I met Jay-Z in the studio doin’ Resovoir Dogs. I was in a position where I had things goin’ on. I shut it down and I meant it. I didn’t even let other people take the stuff over that I was doing.

Freeway: Islam is perfect. Its the only perfect religion that God sent for us. You know as a Muslim you are supposed to think five times before you do anything. It keeps me grounded. Its a beautiful religion.

Adisa Banjoko is a leading authority on the relationship between Hip-Hop & Islam. He has lectured at Harvard, Brown, Dickinson and other universities and penitentiaries on the subject.

I added this video from Imam Abdul Malik called “Thugs in the Masjid”

You can listen to the rest of them here