GOATMILK: An intellectual playground edited by Wajahat Ali

Naeem Mohaiemen breaks down hip-hop’s Islamic roots

Originally published in FORUM: http://www.thedailystar.net/forum/2008/june/fear.htm

(Amin) Pray Allah keep my soul and heart clean
(Amin) Pray the same thing again for all my team

– Mos Def, “Love”
(Black on Both Sides, 1999)

Camoflouged Torahs, Bibles and glorious Qurans
The books that take you to heaven and let you meet the Lord there
Have become misinterpreted, reasons for warfare
We read ‘em with blind eyes I guarantee you there’s more there
The rich must be blind because they didnt see the poor there

– Lupe Fiasco, “American Terrorist”
(Food & Liquor, 2006)

JOURNALIST Harry Allen once called Islam “hip-hop’s unofficial religion.” This theme is echoed by Adisa Banjoko, unofficial ambassador of Muslim hip-hop, who says: “Muslim influence was at the ground floor of hip hop. Hip hop came from the streets, from the toughest neighborhoods, and that’s always where the Muslims were.” (more…)

A PROMISE

An old man looked at himself in a mirror

and saw a young man become old

He thought he could just hop away like a

cricket and join the other forest dwellers

There’s a star for each one of us

in a heaven ordained for each of us alone

Getting there is half the battle

arriving there is the gift of love

I once saw a man on a bicycle

ride through a doorway into sunlight

He’s gone from young to old

and old to young in a second

The universe turns with majesty

around a center that is nowhere

You can hear the dawn lifting

its million tiny feet

God has made a promise

we’ve been made to fulfill

–––––––––––––––––––––––– 

11/28/07 (from The Fire Eater’s Lunchbreak, in preparation)

Visit Daniel Abd Al- Hayy Moore’s excellent website for more wonderful poetry: www.danielmoorepoetry.com

Wajahat Ali

Because Everyone, Else is Doing it

I’m also gonna try an’ become a poet,

Be Like Musa, take my stick, and throw it.

In the Palace -

right in the Middle

In front of the Charmers

who diddle with their plastic fiddle.

(more…)

WAJAHAT ALI

The Alliterate Illiterates idolize illustrious illusory idols

Intimately.

The PhD Politicians pontificate ponderous porous philosophical policies

Prematurely.

The Erudite Egos expand endlessly eradicating eminent elegant erudition

Effortlessly.

The Shiny Spiritualists sell soulless spiritual stocks saving sold souls

Superficially.

The Hippocratic Hypocrites heal holistic hostile handicaps honoring HMO’s

Honorably.

The Legislative Lawyers legislate laughable laws laudably licking Lexapro Lollipops

Lividly.

The Worrisome Writer winces wrenchingly wasting worthy words

Worthlessly …

Appraising Admirable

A-literate Ill-iterates.

Wajahat Ali is a Pakistani Muslim American who is neither a terrorist nor a saint. He is a playwright, essayist, humorist, and Attorney at Law, whose work, “The Domestic Crusaders” is the first major play about Muslim Americans living in a post 9-11 America. His blog is at http://goatmilk.wordpress.com/. He can be reached at wajahatmali@gmail.com