Islam: The True Faith, the Religion of Humanity: The Works of Hajji Shaykh Ahmed Faisal

By Daoud Ahmed Faisal and Muhammed al Ahari

Shaykh Daoud taught Islam from the Great Depression until the seventies as a religion that was the true light of the Civil Rights Movement. This father of American Islam paved the road for the Dar-ul-Islam, Jamil al-Amin, the Fuqara, Imam Isa and the Nuwabians, and Brooklyn's Masjid Farooq through his Islamic Mission to America. This work Islam, the True Faith, the Religion of Humanity is the first collected work from his pen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781257370924

Book preview

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ISLAM

The True Faith,

The Religion

Of Humanity

The Works of Sheikh al-Hajj Daoud

Ahmed Faisal

Vol. I

Edited & Reorganized by

Muhammad Abdullah al-Ahari

First Edition

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

Copyright © 2006 by Magribine Press

Cover design & layout: J.L Abiba

Magribine Press

5333 W. Rosedale Ave.

Chicago, IL 60646-6539

Send all Correspondence Attn: Muhammed al-Ahari

www.al-ahari.com

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Introduction by the Editor

Sheikh al-Hajj Daoud Ahmed Faisal, one of American Islam’s unsung hero’s, was born in 1891 purportedly on the Caribbean island of Granada. He came to the United States as a young man and in 1920 married an African-American woman named Khadijah. Over the years she became a dutiful aid to his Islamic work, efforts that ranged from the founding of the Islamic Propagation Center of America in 1928 (at 143 State Street in Brooklyn, NY) to the establishment of a commune known as the Madinah al-Salaam near Fishkill, New York in 1934 (which lasted until 1942).

Sheikh Daoud was a pioneer in all his endeavors. The work he carried out, as in his being America’s first Muslim representative to the United Nations, has no equal. He was active in propagating Islam and trying to clarify misconceptions about Islam in order to present the faith in a form palatable to the American people.

Little is known about his personal history except for that which can be gained from his writings, given that he was more interested in propagating Islam than in self-promotion. A passage from one of his writings tells us something about his family background:

It is very encouraging indeed to know that at last illiteracy will be a thing of the past in a very few years for Morocco and the people of Morocco, which was denied our people for the past seventy-two or more years during the French rule. Personally, I have every reason to be proud and joyful. Because my grandfather, one of Africa's great Chiefs and one of the wealthiest was a Moor, and so was my father, whose mother was an East Indian, born in Mauritania. We are of the Bambara tribe. Known as the Riff night-riders, who fought the French from 1865 until 1890 with Samory Toure who was eventually betrayed by his own officer, Murryba Kita and was captured while at prayer in the early hours of the morning and was taken to the Congo, where he died in 1898. Leaving besides many wives and children in Africa. There were two who were taken to France where they lived for many years.

Yet such a claim to an illustrious ancestry did not go uncontested. One detractor, an Arab-American academician, Nadim Makdisi, asserted that Sheik Daoud's claims to West African and Moorish origins were pure fantasy. Makdisi writes,

"The Islamic Mission, headed by Sheikh Daoud Faisal, is a controversial character who claims to be a Moroccan but judging from his features, language and mannerisms is an American Negro. At his home in downtown Brooklyn, which is used also as a club and house of prayer, Sheikh Daoud, an affable and charming person, impressed the writer as a sincere but an unversed propagator of the Islamic faith. Sheikh Daoud founded the Islamic Mission Society in 1934, and ten years later was incorporated for ‘the propagation of al-Islam, the religion of mankind’ (in the words of the application). Sheikh Daoud, who boasts of having converted 30,000 Negroes to Islam, even advances the fantastic theory that most American Negroes were originally Moslems.

The truth to Sheikh Daoud’s origins may never be discovered. Others, such as Noble Drew Ali made similar claims of illustrious ancestry for themselves and their followers, but this must be seen within the context of a developing Muslim American (particularly African-American) identity. Sheikh Daoud passed away in February of 1980.

Sheikh Daoud’s written legacy was his important work of 280 pages, Islam: the True Religion of Humanity (Islamic Propagation Center, Brooklyn, 1965). It was the first attempt at sifting out Sheikh Daoud’s writings from his books. Other writers’ compositions fill almost two-thirds of this massive work. These other contributions vary from a Saudi Government hajj instruction booklet, to a prayer handbook by Hosny Gaber, as well as a few articles from Minbar ul-Islam. I have not included any of these. Furthermore, Sheikh Daoud possessed a propensity to be repetitive in many of his writings, and therefore I repeated most of the things he wrote only once. I have also rearranged the order of some passages so that similar topics are under the same chapters. His favorite verse from the Qur’an was Truth shall endure forever and falsehood shall pass away. (Holy Qur’an 17:81). He repeats this numerous times in his work. I have given the verse number only at its first occurrence.

An earlier edition of this work dating from 1950 was only 195 pages long. This 1950 work, the 1965 work, and several letters and pamphlets have been collected below.

-Muhammed A. al-Ahari

June 21st, 2006 CE

Jumada I, 25th 1427 AH

INSTITUTE OF THE ISLAMIC MISSION OF AMERICA FOR THE WORSHIP OF ALLAH (THE ALMIGHTY GOD) AND FOR PROPAGATION AND DEFENSE OF ISLAM DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC RELIGIOUS INFORMATION

Ismail Ahmed Idris, Director

To whom it may concern:

This is to certify that due to numerous persons in the United States of American birth claiming to be Muslims and of Islamic Faith, and also many so-called Muslim organizations whose principles and laws, social order, and personal conduct are not in conformity with the principles, the laws, the culture, the ethics and the social philosophy of Islam, and the teachings of the Holy Prophet and the Hadith, which is misleading, dangerous and are causing much confusion, misunderstanding and disturbance.

Therefore, the Institute of the Islamic Mission of America for the worship of Allah, the (one) true Almighty God and for the perpetual propagation of Al-Islam, the Revelation which contains His Holy Commands and Sacred Laws, as the Religion of humanity, and as the laws for our government and guidance, and as a protection from evil, begs to inform the government of the United States of America and the officials, and the people in general that the Institute of the Islamic Mission of America has issued certificates of Identification to each and every Muslim person of the Muslim community of the Islamic Mission of America.

We also wish to state that the Islamic Mission of America is not responsible for the philosophies and the social order of these organizations nor the conduct of these so-called Muslim who belong to these organizations and their social policies and philosophies. Muslims of the community of the Islamic Mission of America of American birth and those who have accepted Islam through the Islamic Mission of America are in strict accordance with the principles, the laws, the culture, the ethics and the social philosophy of Islam and the Hadith of the Holy Prophet and they all carry identification of the Islamic Mission of America and acceptance certificate of conversion to Islam bearing the seal of the Mission and the Signature of Shaikh, Daoud Ahmed Faisal, the spiritual Head and National Director.

Thank you.

Shaikh, Daoud Ahmed Faisal,

Religious Head and National Director

143 State Street Brooklyn, N. Y., U.S.A.

Muslim Certificate of Community Identification:

To whom it may concern:

This is to certify that the bearer [name] is a Muslim and a member of the Muslim Community of the Islamic Mission of America for the Propagation of ISLAM, and the Religion of ISLAM, Defender of the Faith and the Faithful in good standing and who is contributing the sum of $5.00 weekly for the maintenance of this non-profitable Religious Institution.

This certificate also entitles the bearer to the following privileges: Full and complete Islamic education, such as Arabic reading and writing; Qur’anic reading and reciting correctly; True and correct teaching of the Religion of Islam, as revealed by ALLAH, our Lord, the Almighty God, Lord of the worlds. The Religion of His Prophets and all believing humanity. Islamic Laws, Principles, and Culture.

Signature of Authority

ISLAMIC MISSION OF AMERICA FOR THE PROPAGATION OF ISLAM OF BROOKLYN, N. Y.

CERTIFICATE OF HERITAGE

For people of African-Asian slave ancestors of American birth

ALL PERSONS OF AFRICAN-ASIAN ORIGIN, BORN IN THE UNITED STATES OF SLAVES ANCESTORS, OR DESCENDANT OF PARENTS OF SLAVE ANCESTORS. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT THE ISLAMIC MISSION OF AMERICA INCORPORATED FOR THE WORSHIP OF GOD AND FOR THE PROPAGATION OF ISLAM. A DEFENDER OF THE FAITH AND THE FAITHFUL. STANDS READY TO ASSIST YOU IN ALL MATTERS STATED IN THE FOLLOWING . . .

The Islamic Mission of America incorporated in the name of Allah, the Almighty God and by the laws of the government of the United States of America and in accordance with the laws of Islam, perfected and revealed unto the holy Prophet Mohammad (Peace and the Mercy of Allah be on him) as the religion of humanity in which to worship, praise and to glorify the holy name of God. Now stands ready to defend Islam and all faithful believers, make the following statement:

To-with. That the Emancipation proclamation act by the congress of the government of the United States America in 1863, granted all slaves the right to reclaim their heritage which includes the right to reclaim the names of their slave ancestors prior to their enslavement by the Christians in the United States America. Also their freedom to exercise their human rights, their dignity, their property rights, their religion, their religious worship and their rights to self determination in any matter pleasing to the Almighty God.

That, the government of the United States America, due to the proclamation of the emancipation of the slaves in the United States had legally assumed all responsibility of resettling, educating, rehabilitating, renaming and financing all freed slaves. And as such the government of the United States of America is still indebted to all people of slave ancestors. Therefore, you have the legal rights to reclaim any name or names you so desire without due process of law. Providing it is given by an authorized Institution that has the religious status to do so.

The Islamic Mission of America for the propagation of Islam has the status to Baptize and to rename you and teach you the religion of Lord which your ancestors had worshiped in. There are prepared forms to be filled out for this purpose at the office of the Islamic Mission of America for the purpose of all who have accepted Islam. There are four forms to be filled out for this purpose. One to be presented to any United States court by the petitioner. One is his or her certificate of the acceptance of Islam. One is the certificate of reclaimed of names and the other is a certificate of identification of name, the third is a small certificate of a Muslim person of Islamic faith of the community of the Islamic Mission of America.

These forms are now available to all converts to Islam of person of slave ancestors of American birth.

Text of Muslim Missionary Certificate:

Muslim Missionary Certificate for the establishment and propagation of the Religion of Islam, the Perfected Religion of Humanity, in which those who believe in Allah, the One True Lord, Originator, and Sustainer of the Heavens and of the Earth, shall worship Him.

Issued by the Islamic Mission of America, Incorporated for the Propagation of Islam, Defense of the faith and the Faithful to the Islamic Mission of [name] affiliated.

This is to certify that the Islamic Mission of [name] is an affiliated Mission of the Islamic Mission of America, Incorporated for the purpose of the worship of ALLAH (the One True Lord) and for the propagation of the Religion of Islam, for those who believe in Allah, the (One) True Almighty, Originator, and Sustainer of the Heavens and of the earth, and who believe in His revelation, His Prophets, and in the Hereafter.

The Regency of the Mission of [name] is charged to maintain the five Principles of Islam, and the Pillars of Faith, Its Principles and its working Laws must be in accordance with the laws and the Principles of Islam, and in conformity with the HOLY KORAN and the Hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

Therefore, in conformity with Islam and its Scared Laws as revealed in the HOLY KORAN and in conformity with Religious Corporation Laws of the United States of America and the State of [name] and by the power vested in me, I have hereunto affixed my signature and placed the seal and have caused this certificate to the issued on this [date]

Reverend Sheikh, Daoud Ahmed Faisal

Spiritual Head and National Director of the Islamic Mission

of America, Incorporated for the Propagation and Defense

of Islam the True Faith and of the Faithful

Al-Islam The Religion of Humanity

Gratefully Dedicated

to

the service of Allah, the Almighty God,

the Lord of the Worlds, as a service to Humanity

By

SHAIKH, DAOUD AHMED FAISAL

Spiritual Head of the Islamic Mission of America

Mosque and Institute Y 1950 A. D. (1369 A. H.)

Published by the

Islamic Mission of America

143 State Street

Brooklyn 2, New York, U. S. A.

1950

AUTHOR’S NOTE

As a service to Humanity, in the name of Allah I present this book to the Islamic Mission of America in grateful appreciation to my Muslim brothers and sisters whose contributions have enabled me to publish this book. Whatever revenue derives from the sale of this book shall be used exclusively for the improvement and support of the Islamic Mission of America, so that it may better be able to serve Humanity and the Muslim people in particular who are propagating and teaching The Laws of Islam, the Religion of Humanity. If it must be sold, it must not be sold for a profit exceeding the limitation of the Laws of Al-Islam dealing with such matters. Handling and distribution must be taken into consideration as cost.

In grateful appreciation to my faithful and devoted wife Khadijah, without whose help and inspiration this book could never have been written, and for her I ask Allah’s blessings and eternal guidance. To my faithful friend and brother, Ghalib Mohammed, who stood by me through difficulties and hardships in maintaining the Islamic Mission of America and Mosque, when practically everyone doubted my sincerity, my integrity and my devotion to humanity in the service of Islam. I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and appreciation and may the peace and the blessings of Allah be his constant guide. To my dear sister Hanem Salem for her assistance in proofreading, and to brother Sardar Mohammed of Pakistan, an art student at Parsons School of Design, New York, who designed the cover of this book, and to brother M. A. Faridi of Iran, a student at New York University, who counseled me on various Religious matters I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude. I pray that the Peace and the mercy of Allah and his blessings shall always be upon you all and all Muslim brothers and sisters who have been instrumental in the publication of this book.

In the end I wish to acknowledge my heartfelt thanks to my dear brother Bashir Ahmed Khan of Pakistan for his writing the preface and giving me invaluable suggestions from time to time.

PREFACE

Sheikh Daoud Ahmed Faisal in this book is not pretending by any means as the reader will discover for himself, to introduce any new faith to mankind. The world in fact is not in need of any such new faith. What the world needs right now is a force capable enough to unite all the diverse disintegrating nations into a united humanity. Such a force was supplied to the world, by the will of the God at the most momentous hour in the history of mankind. The experiences of the man of Our Age, especially during the past few decades have convinced him that no other force can succeed in providing a lasting panacea for the ills of ailing humanity. It is now becoming increasingly evident that even Christianity which ambitiously aimed and desperately struggled to create a New World Order has ultimately confessed its miserable failure. The existing world conditions, it is important to recognize, by their amazingly close similarity to the conditions of the time when the actual advent of Islam took place makes it tremendously necessary for the modern man who is vainly groping in the murky darkness of the materialism of his age, to save his soul from destruction, by obeying the Revealed Laws of the Almighty the Religion of Humanity, The Spirit of Truth. Islam, now more than ever, is the only hope for mankind. Sheikh Daoud throughout this book has endeavored to bring to the realization of the reader this exceedingly important truth. The book therefore is bound to fulfill a great need in so far as it is a summing up and reinterpretation of the fundamental principles of Islam, not just a dry-as-dust collection of essays but a carefully arranged handbook capable of serving a useful guide for every seeker of Truth, above all coming at a moment so surprisingly similar to the one when the Religion it seeks to interpret had itself descended upon humanity. Thoughts embodied in the book can be rightly appreciated only if the conditions of the two worlds are taken into account. J. H. DENISON, a modern historian of civilization describes the state of human civilization at the advent of Islam as follows:

It seemed that the great civilization which it had taken four thousand years to construct was on the verge of disintegration, and that mankind was likely to return to that condition of barbarism where every tribe and sect was against the next, and law and order were unknownY The old tribal sanctions had lost their powerY The new sanctions created by Christianity were working division and destruction instead of unity and orderY Civilization like a gigantic tree whose foliage had overarched the world Y stood totteringY rotted to the coreY Was there any emotional culture that could be brought in to gather mankind once more into unity and to save civilization?

The book therefore should serve as a good curtain riser and an effective eye-opener to humanity which is passing through the trial and tribulations of much the same nature than confronted it immediately, before the advent of Islam.

The author has been at pains throughout the book to show that Islam struck at the very foundation of the old static view of the God and the Universe which was so widely in vogue at its inception and inculcated instead a living, working and dynamic creed of life. This dynamic view led to the contribution made by Islam in establishing a Universal Brotherhood which is without parallel in