Mahmoud Andrade Ibrahim was born in N.Y.C. in the month of  Rabi Awwal, 1371 AH (1951) to Cape Verde-West African  and Black-American parents. He converted to Islam in 1388 AH (1968) and began his activities in America's largest  Muslim Revivalist Effort, The Dar ul Islam Movement (1962-1983).

During the years of 1970-1975, Mahmoud was an Assistant to the Amir of Daw'ah (propagation), Photographer of the Movement's publication, Al Jihadul Akbar (The Greatest Struggle) and a Dar ul Islam Prison Committee Chaplain.

Mahmoud's professional career includes positions as a Medical Ophthalmic Photographer and the Business Manager for the Department of Ophthalmology at the Cabrini Medical Center, NY, 1975-2006.

He was also a Radio Producer and On-Air personality for WBAI 99.5 fm NY from 1983-1999.                                 

In 2008, Sh. Mahmoud founded the DAR UL ISLAM HISTORY PROJECT along with Imam Khalil Abdul Khabir, Sh. Salahuddin Luqman Abdullah and Dr. Kamal Hassan Ali. The Project is responsible for two books: The Dar ul Islam Movement: An American Odyssey Revisited by himself and Dar ul Islam: Principles, Praxis, Movement  by Dr. Kamal Hassan Ali.   In 2012 the DUIHP, with the assistance of Sis. Aisha al Adawiya, founder of WOMEN IN ISLAM,   made contributions of archival materials from the Movement to the  BLACK RELIGIOUS HERITAGE PROJECT of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City. 

 Mahmoud is the father of five children and lives with his wife in Manhattan. He completed the Hajj in 2003.  

Sh. Mahmoud Andrade Ibrahim al Amreeki

Sh. (Sheikh) a prefix used to distinguish age and experience. Al- Amreeki (the American) is the suffix used to emphasize and locate Mahmoud's nationality within the context of the broader Muslim trans-national reality.

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“The Sunnah of our Beloved Prophet is Honesty, Truthfulness, Pondering, Reflecting and Thinking.” Sh. Hassan Farhan al-Maliki

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إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابَّ عِندَ اللّهِ الصُّمُّ الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ

Indeed, the worst living beings in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use their reason. (8:22)

الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىَ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ

Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the creation in the heavens and the earth. (3:191)

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُوا الْأَلْبَابِ

A Book which We have sent down unto thee, full of blessings, that they may mediate on its Signs, and that men of understanding may receive admonition. (38:29)

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Orientation- Contemplationist :  Contemplation (muraqaba) is the source of Islamic spirituality. Contemplative spirituality is actualized through a thinking or reflective process rather than the cessation of intellectual activity. This spirituality is arrived at by contemplating Allah’s Magnificence in the creation of our universe and our own realities. By prioritizing spiritual growth, ethical conduct, and community engagement, we are able to navigate the complexities of our society while adhering to our religious values. Our position is based on many ayahs of the Qur’an like the three above.

• There are 6,236 verses in the Qur'an

• Only 260 verses address legal matters

• 750 verses advise and encourage the Believers to reflect on matters and use their reason for successful outcomes

  The Role of Aqala - Connecting Ideas:

  Within the pages of the Qur'an, one frequently encounters the verb "aqala," which translates to "to connect ideas together, to reason or understand an intellectual argument." This verb appears about fifty times throughout this sacred text, highlighting its significance in encouraging rational thought processes among Muslims.
  

  Guided by the principles of Faith and Reason, الايمان والعقل , a Contemplationist Muslim is one that  believes that the Shariah (Divine Law) can be both binding on the individual and subject to contemporary interpretations in an ever changing world and we reject all notions of imposing any interpretation of Islam as a 'political architectural construct'.    

Contact by e-mail: theblackamericanmuslim.com@gmail.com

Click here for more on CONTEMPLATIONIST THOUGHT

‎المسلم المتأمل

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Islam is a spectrum of thought and practices, not a monolith !

I personally reject the notion of hegemonic Islam, which is the idea that ‘normative Islam’ is MENA (Middle Eastern/North African) and that no other expressions of Islam are valid, this is ‘religious-cultural imperialism’. This position devalues Black American Islamic expressions and is therefore ‘racist’ in nature. Racist ideologies, by way of Students that have studied in Middle Eastern / North African religious institutions (MENA)  have often represented Black Religion ( the way we do things, i.e. marriage ceremonies, social gatherings, akikahs, etc.) as a deviation, illegitimate, or even heretical compared to mainstream religious establishments. Such marginalization has undermined the control and authority of Blackamerican Muslims over the definition of Islam, potentially increasing their vulnerability to external influences.

HEGEMONIC ISLAM: Many Middle Eastern and South Asian Muslims view Arab culture as a proxy for Islamic authenticity, thereby denying the legitimate spiritual expressions of others. Against the racial context in the United States, it’s not difficult then to see how this intrafaith racism and implicit bias against black Muslims persists. After all, as historian Vijay Prashad explains, “Since blackness is reviled in the United States, why would an immigrant, of whatever skin color, want to associate with those who are racially oppressed?”

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Ignoring or devaluing these contributions through the lens of hegemonic Islam not only denies the uniqueness of black American Muslim experiences but also propagates a form of cultural erasure. Black American Islamic expressions have their roots in the United States, influenced by African, Caribbean, and indigenous traditions. These expressions bring new perspectives to the faith and contribute to the richness and diversity of global Islam.

The mainstream perception of success in America can often be closely tied to white cultural norms and values.

As immigrants arrive in the United States, they are often confronted with societal expectations and pressures to conform to existing norms that prioritize whiteness. This assimilation process further perpetuates the belief that aspiring to whiteness is a prerequisite for achieving upward mobility and accessing greater opportunities.

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Intelligence tells me that as Black American Muslims, we are pretty much on our own !