Trip 3: Masjid Wali Muhammad
When
I was first asked to accompany the MBB brothers on their trip to Masjid Wali
Muhammad I was very excited. This
excitement however soon turned into a strange uneasiness. This was to be my first outing with MBB and I
was worried that I would just go, pray, eat iftaar, and come back without being
fully immersed into the MBB experience.
As we were driving through Detroit, the signs weren't too promising. The weather was extremely gloomy and slightly
chilly, dilapidated buildings ranked the streets, and this added to my worries
of isolation.
Alhamdulillah,
all of this instantly changed as we were arriving at Masjid Wali Muhammad. Just blocks away from the Masjid, positive
influences of the community were noted by the replacement of abandoned
buildings with sprawling urban gardens, freshly painted houses and most
comforting was the presence of Muslims walking to the Masjid. Before we even exited the car, the brothers of
the Masjid were waiting outside to welcome us.
The first person I met was Imam Garret Jihad who was ready and waiting
to show us into the Masjid. It was
almost Maghrib time and I could still feel the chill but when I entered the
Masjid that changed as well. There were
brothers lined up on both sides of the hallway extending their greetings as
they guided us to the social hall. I met
brothers from all age groups and was
wholeheartedly being welcomed into a community that I had never been to
before. 
When
we arrived at the social hall, I took time to appreciate the beauty of the
Masjid in whole. The warm fluorescent
lighting was in sharp contrast to the coldness of the urban setting
outside. The whole Masjid was covered in
a beautiful and inviting glow from the lights and this amplified the
hospitality of the community. The beauty
of the social hall isn't only aesthetic, so it can't be fully described. The social hall is a bit bigger than half a
basketball court and had maybe 7 or 8 tables occupied by smiling faces. I joined a group and all the brothers took
turns introducing themselves and took time to learn about us. Dates were being passed around and soon
after, the entire Masjid was enveloped by an amazing Athan. We broke our fast and went upstairs to the
prayer area. It was only until I went upstairs
that I realized not only did the beauty of the Masjid continue to ease my
apprehension, but the eloquent voice that made the Athan belonged to a young
man who looked no older than 12 or 13.
We made our Salaat in a prayer hall that looked like it may have come
out of a movie. The prayer hall was not
only pulchritudinous, but it had a distinct feel that cannot be described with
words. When I think back, it felt like
the prayer hall had its own aura but that slipped my mind at the time because I
eagerly followed my brothers back down to the social hall. 
With
the crowd gathering momentum and numbers, we were able to chose from an array
of foods to please our empty stomachs.
Dishes such as amazing New York style chicken and rice, lamb and rice,
baked beans and greens, flatbread pizzas, and desserts that went on for
days! I joined a new group of brothers
to discuss different aspects of life over these immaculate cuisines. I met one of the youth members and was
pleasantly surprised to find that he attended Al-Ikhlas Training Academy since
first grade till his graduation as a senior this year. I thought this was significant because
despite the lack of extracurricular activities at Al-Ikhlas, this brother’s
parents were committed to giving their son a top-notch Islamic and worldly
education.
It
was right around then that my Masjid Wali Muhammad experience changed. During dinner I was looking at the various
designs on the walls. Most were
beautiful ayats of the Quran and the name of Allah (SWT) and the name of His
Prophet (SAW), but there was one specific picture that drew my eye. It was a colorful poster of the plan of New
Africa laid out on a table in the corner.
As I was trying figure out why that seemed so familiar, someone at the
table explained it. The Nation of
Islam. The name itself exudes a power of
its own. While their teachings are
viewed as dismissive to the Muslim world at large, there was no controversy
that the Masjid that we were sitting in was once the original Temple No. 1,
established by Wallace D. Fard in July 1930.
To think that we were sitting in a building that helped reshape the
history of America. While I was coming
to this reality, Imam Jihad went up to give a small speech. He thanked us for coming even though we were
indebted to his community, and he said that it is true that this building was
once a cornerstone for the Nation. The
Imam continued to say that the Masjid and its constituents had followed in the
footsteps of W.D. Muhammad and evolved to the truth of Al-Islam. Then the reality kicked in that El Hajj Malik
el-Shabazz, more popularly known as Malcolm X, was once in this very
building. I feel that many Muslims don't
fully appreciate what Malcolm X and the Nation did for Muslims in America. Though many beliefs of the Nation are of
their own innovations, there is no question that their message was clear -
Blacks and Muslims would not tolerate oppression in America. People would no longer stand silently as
their rights were being violated, rights that the Constitution guaranteed its
citizens. The rest as we know is
history, and Subhanillah, true Islam was accepted by the descendants of the
Nation. Alhamdulillah, our brothers
graced us with their company and their hospitality with no limit. We were granted new perspectives and were
invited to expand their newly created chess club. I enjoyed this experience but it also
reminded me of the many problems Muslims face worldwide, all stemming from lack
of unity and the brotherhood that our Prophet (SAW) stressed time and time
again.
Abu Huraira reported: The
Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “He who relieves the hardship of a
believer in this world, Allah will relieve his hardship on the Day of Judgment.
He who makes easy what is difficult,
Allah will make it easy for him in the world and the Hereafter. He who conceals
the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in the world and the
Hereafter. Allah helps the servant so
long as he helps his brother. He who
travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy a path to Paradise.
A people do not gather together in the
houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying together, except that
tranquility will descend upon them, mercy will cover them, angels will surround
them, and Allah will mention them to those with Him. And he who is slow to good
deeds will not be hastened by his lineage” [Sahih Muslim, Book 35,
Number 6518].
Muslims
Building Bridges has a desire to help create awareness for the isolated,
opportunity for the enthusiasts, connections for the communities and most
importantly, Allah's barakha upon our intentions and the Muslim Ummah. But we understand that we are at the mercy of
Allah's grace as well as the encouragement and support of this struggling
Ummah.
If you have any questions, please feel
free to contact Babar Qadri at bqadri@gmail.com or Mubeen Qureshi at
mubeenq786@gmail.com.
Jazakallah Khair for your time and we kindly ask that you keep us as well as
the communities that we visit in your duas. Next stop, Masjid Mua'th Bin Jabil.
Mubeen Qureshi and
Babar Qadri
Masjid Web Sites
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Masjid-Wali-Muhammad/185259218155647
http://biid.lsa.umich.edu/FM_Masjid_Wali_Muhammad.html
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