America's Other Muslims: Imam W.D. Mohammed, Islamic Reform, and the Making of American Islam

America's Other Muslims: Imam W.D. Mohammed, Islamic Reform, and the Making of American Islam explores the oldest and most important Muslim community in America, highlighting the intersection of the Africana experience with race, religion, and Islamic reform. It highlights the emergence of an American school of Islamic thought, created by the son of the former Nation of Islam leader, who rejected his father's teachings and embraced normative Islam on his own terms.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2022
Publisher: Lexington Books

America's Other Muslims: Imam W.D. Mohammed, Islamic Reform, and the Making of American Islam delves into the oldest and arguably the most significant Muslim community in America, whose story has received limited attention in the contemporary context. Muhammad Fraser-Rahim explores the life and contributions of American Muslim Revivalist Imam W.D. Mohammed (1933-2008) and the influence of Islamic thought by indigenous American Muslims. The book intricately details the intersection of the African American experience and its encounter with race, religion, and Islamic reform. Fraser-Rahim highlights the emergence of an American school of Islamic thought, founded and established by the son of the former Nation of Islam leader. Imam W.D. Mohammed departed from his father's teachings and embraced normative Islam on his own terms, while simultaneously blending classical Islam with his lived experience of Islam in the diaspora. Similarly, his interpretations of Islam were not limited to America but also embraced modern and responsive global trends in Islamic thought. His interpretations of Blackness extended beyond American borders, encompassing diasporic and pan-African perspectives.

Fraser-Rahim's exploration of Imam W.D. Mohammed's life and thought is a valuable contribution to the study of American Islam. His work sheds light on the complex and multifaceted nature of Muslim communities in the United States, highlighting the contributions of both indigenous and immigrant Muslims to the development of American Islamic thought. The book also provides a critical analysis of the challenges and opportunities faced by American Muslims in navigating the complex terrain of religious identity and cultural integration. By examining the life and work of Imam W.D. Mohammed, America's Other Muslims offers a rich and nuanced perspective on the history and future of American Islam.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781498590211