Religion

Introduction – Islam on 116th Street

Religion on 116th can be summed up in two words: Islam and Christianity. The vast majority of the people follow one of the two religions. Most of the immigrants on 116th St. are from francophone West Africa and are Muslims. Though many of the American-born are Christians, there are also many African-American Muslims. The focus of our research was the Senegalese community, so we will focus on the Islamic community.

For the general investigation, we did research on the Senegalese neighborhood by taking individual tours and by getting acquainted with the Senegalese Association, churches, and mosques. However, since we were non-Senegalese intruders, it was hard for us to initiate immediate field research. Therefore, we decided to learn about Senegal through the Senegalese Association.

The times spent at the Senegalese Association were truly fun and inspirational, since all the members treated us like a family. Everyone welcomed us, and while we were enjoying ourselves at the Senegalese Association, we had a privilege of interviewing Mr. Abdou Diaw, who is regarded as a person who is very familiar with religion in the Senegalese community. (He holds religious sessions on Thursday from 10 to 11 PM at WPAT 9:30 AM– Mgontal Mame Diarra, which stands for Evening with Mame Diarra).

History of Islam

The Masjid Malcolm Shabazz Mosque

Mr. Diaw told us that more than 95 percent of Senegalese are Muslims, and that the churches in the neighborhood are mostly for African Americans. He said that Islam, the fastest-growing religion in the world, began in the 7th century in current day Saudi Arabia from the teachings of Muhammad. The name “Islam” means total surrender to the will of God. While Muslims believe in all the Jewish and Christian prophets such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, they say that their teachings have been corrupted over time. They believe that Muhammad’s word is the final and complete revelation of the truth.

Islam states that Muhammad is God’s final and most important prophet, sometimes he is called the “seal of the prophets”. He was in born in 570 AD in Mecca, a thriving merchant city at that time. In 610 AD at the age of about 40, it is believed that he started receiving revelations from the archangel Gabriel, at a cave known as Mount Hira. At first he was afraid but soon started preaching the revelations, urging people to accept his religion. He gained many converts but as he became more important, he was persecuted by the rulers who thought he was becoming a threat to their authority. Facing persecution from the religious rulers in Mecca, Muhammad left Mecca and went to Medina and gained a large following there. When he was strong enough, he came back and conquered Mecca in 630 AD. He fell ill and died on June 8th, 632. By this time Islam had taken a stronghold on the Arabian Peninsula and had smaller communities in the surrounding areas.

A Deeper Look at Islam

While Muslims look up to one prophet, Muhammad, Senegal has several Sufi brotherhoods. Sufism is a mystic path of Islam that teaches people how to reach God. It is “a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inner self from filth and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits.” Those who belong to a tariqa, or Sufi brotherhood,follow a specific teacher. For example, the Mourides are a very popular tariqa in Senegal and also among Senegalese immigrants on 116th street. They follow Cheikh Amadou Bamba, an important resistance leader in Senegalese independence from the French in the early 20th century. Cheikh Amadou Bamba preached messages of nonviolence and hard work, something his followers take very seriously, in order to get closer to God. This message of hard work has greatly helped his followers here in New York.

Other brotherhoods in Senegal are the Tijanes, the Layenne, the Khadir, and the Niassene. While all are Muslims, the members of the brotherhoods obey the spiritual leaders of their groups, and form tight-knit communities within the larger Muslim commuity.

Islamic Practice

Traditional Clothing

Muslims pray fives times a day, which is called fard salat. The five daily prayers have specific names and designated times. Every Friday, Muslims go to the mosque to pray, not unlike how Christians go to church on Sundays. On 116th Street, there is Masjid Aqsa and Masjid Malcolm Shabazz Mosque. In New York, prayers are held in English, Wolof, and Arabic. Mr. Diaw emphasized how Islam was based on trust. Charity is necessary, since giving is considered an act toward God - if a Muslim gives money to a street beggar, it is also considered that he is giving his money to God.

Since many people living on 116th Street are Muslims, there are shops to satisfy their religious needs. At the religious stores, they can buy many things related to Islam, including the Qur'an, incense, tapes and DVDs of Islamic prayers, and special Islamic calendars. (These calendars are used by Muslims around the world to know the proper time to celebrate their holy days. The Islamic calendar consists of twelve lunar months, which is about 354 days in a year.)

Etiquette

In streets and stores along 116th street, while unintentionally eavesdropping to conversations one often hears, “Salam Alaikum” (“Peace be upon you”), answered by “Alaikum Salam” (“And peace be upon you, too”). Members of each group can sometimes be identified by specific forms of behavior or dress. Mourides have a special handshake that displays their respect for other Mourides. (They take the partner’s hand and touch the back of it to their foreheads).

Diet

Meat & Poultry store

Shop for Religious Needs

The restaurants on 116th Street provide halal meat, which is made of meat slaughtered according to a specific ritualistic way. Mr. Diaw said there are various rules that Muslims must follow, such as “You are not allowed to drink alcohol, take drugs, or eat pork. You must consume only halal food." However, with globalization and migration, he said, young Muslims sometimes drink, though not enough to affect their judgment.

Polygamy

Mr. Diaw said that a Muslim is not allowed to have a relationship with a woman who is not his wife. Polygamy allows Muslim men to have up to four wives. An interesting point is that Muslim men can marry non-Islamic people and convert them to Islam but Muslim women are not allowed to marry non-Muslims.

How Islam Affects the Community

In Islam, charity is necessary, since giving is considered as an act toward God. Our primary informer, Mr. Abdou Diaw, who holds religious sessions on Thursday from 10 to 11 PM at WPAT 9:30 AM, told us a personal experience that he had at the site of the Bronx fire, which occurred on March 7, 2007. The fire nearly destroyed the 100-year-old wooden building, where 22 people from immigrant families resided. Mr. Diaw, who was at the site at the time of fire, saw a woman running out of the building almost naked. Upholding his value of charity, he took off his coat and handed it to the woman.