Spiked hair or long hair, dramatic camera stares, lots of spinning around, pointing, music videos, lip synching, concerts and ticketmaster assimilation. Suburban Capitalist Islam brought us the Muslim boy bands and pop stars.
SEVEN8SIX (786) – The group performed as SEVEN8SIX for the first time at the 2002 ISNA convention in Washington, DC. Most of the group’s subsequent public appearances have been at large concert events organized by Muslim groups, including major events co-sponsored in part by the Islamic Society of North America and other community organizations around the United States… This group is working far and wide to please Allah (SWT). As Shahaab says, “We are using SEVEN8SIX as a tool for propagating Allah’s message. (from their website)
Native Deen – Native Deen came about through M.Y.N.A. or Muslim Youth of North America. The project was a gathering of amateur recording artists who’ve written their own work and MYNA featured these artists on the MYNA RAPs’ album.
Dawud Wharnsby – From his FAQ “What Is Dawud’s Reigion? Islam? Christianity? Buddhism? Bahai? Sufism?…. In 1993 Dawud was impacted by the words of Al Qur’an (The Recitation) and has made the best effort, since that time, to privately study and act upon their teachings. Dawud does not however, accept all of what has become connected to Al Qur’an through cultural and traditional interpretations of it. Though Dawud respects the efforts, lives and opinions of religious scholars (those who have studied the Torah, Talmud, Bible, Qur’an, Hadith, etc) he is not devoted to any specific institution of learning, religious school of thought, group, religious movement, teacher, guru, sheikh or saint — nor does Dawud accept a universal system of man-governed religious law derived from any one scripture.”
Outlandish – Outlandish did their first U.S. tour in Summer 2008 with the “Voices for Change” tour hosted by the Muslim American Society – Youth
Sami Yusuf
Girls can get into it also, heartbreak song – Liza Garza and Gritz & JellyButter “Swift’s Song”, featured at the IMAN concert at the Apollo (ISNA’s Mattson and Imam Zaid Shakir’s family were in attendance):
the truth on 
m.a.kidwai,CME/IND.RLY.(retd.) on 
Salam alaikum,
Unfortunately, on my various visits to numerous Turkish homes, I have been exposed to the burgeoning phenomenon of the Turkish “religious” TV channel – and can therefore report that there is nothing particularly western or suburban about the examples listed above.
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Alaykumsalam,
What is western about them is that the first boy bands and R&B groups were Western, the music industry was western. Eastern nations, and Muslims in general, are good at knocking the West off. Mcdonalds in Makkah etc. Cultural hegemony. Imitation is flattery. Kind of the whole point to this series, guess you missed it.
Being a blog, I am naturally reading your posts backwards, in the order they are displayed on the screen. No doubt I will come to the first post in the series in an hour or so, at which point I will be able to laugh at myself and say, ‘O you silly fool, Tim.’ In the meantime, I shall carry on scratching my head, wondering where in Western culture those Karadeniz bagpipes sit.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
As-salamu ‘alaikum,
I don’t know what the purpose of this is. First, you are spreading ill will about those who are clearly on the good (re:your mention of Imam Zaid Shakir’s family). Second, by posting these videos, you may actually make people watch things that are better not watched (sort of defeats your purpose, I would think).
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Alaykumsalaam,
The notes about the attendees of the IMAN concert and the Islamic Organizations which support these acts are there to demonstrate how mainstream such acts are… whatever else you take from it, thats up to you. My goal is to speak about this topic. People have demonstrated they have no idea whats going on. Direct examples are sometimes necessary.
thank for your posts on Am. Islam. the first posts were kinda abstruct as compard to this last one. this really brings your point home. this Daud or davie guy has used these “suburban” Muslims as a niche market. He probably found it convenient to have a name change “Daud and Ali” for his niche market. now that he feels he can Move on to bigger and better things he “believes in higher power” as opposed to Allah. He is a muslim with a small m as opposed to Muslim. Rasulullah(saw) became 7th century prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah. this phrase in which Daud tries to explain why he took the last name Ali when he says ” Inspired by stories from Ali’s early life” strikes me as sort defensive disclaimer. I have never listened to this guy but I thought of him as some kinda Muslim poet. I have also seen him on some community access channel being interviewed by some over-excited brothers with non-American accents as some venerable authority on Islam while he played along. I feel used and Insulted. I recently spent about a year with my shaikh and the brothers of my tariqa in East Africa. the brothers were aged between 14 to 33. some of the youngest brothers were taken to task for sneeking out to see a soccer game on tv. no one was allowed to speak with them for 3 days in which they had to be engaged in doing tawba and awrad. the brothers would look down whenever a girl would walk by. American Isam as shown in these videos would seem alien and shocking to them. I totally agree with you that we are selling ourselves short. Allah and his prophet should not have to conform to any culture all cultures should conform to Allah and the way of his prophet then they would find their best aspects even better as well as their own indentity in the beautiful diversity of Islam. the Ulima should stand up and declare islam whoever needs Islam he is welcome to it and better for it. whoever turns away he is the loser. Islam is like a tall majestic mountain who ever makes the arduous climb to the top gets greatly rewarded with a deep and broad view of reality and a deep and penetratring peace in this world and, Jannah and the beautific vision of Allah in the hear after. those who decline to climb the mountain bows down for no one American or whoever.
wa salamu alykum
Bismillah
Alaykumsalam,
Indeed we are selling ourselves short.. many being duped in the process. This is just a small wakeup call for people to see the direction we heading. Thank you for your heartfelt comment Ali.
-Yursil
Salaam ‘alaikum,
An observation:
Even if one were convinced that there is nothing wrong with having, making or nurturing a new “American Islam”, s/he should absolutely be offended by the inferior product that has come out of this social project.
Just look at the acts to which Yursil linked supra. I mean seriously, even at a purely artistic level, they’re a pale imitation of the real thing at best. If you’re going to waste your time and money on this stuff, at least demand some originality and skill.
And these examples of ersatz pop music are the least of it. Western Muslim businessmen (suburban capitalist Muslims if you will) are nothing if not consistent in their peddling of substandard, high-priced fare.
Whether it’s cheap Moroccan hoods at Ralph Lauren prices, hack comedians touring the country selling us banal izlomic jokes, the producers of second-rate magazines, booklets, newspapers, films, online videos, etc, or your local ‘Halal’ grocer/butcher selling you substandard goods at a significant mark-up.
It’s as if it’s all a big hustle where American Muslims are both the culprits and the victims.
ASA Sidi,
Whn I first read your point, I guessed most people would have completely missed your very deep, subtle, but important civilization discussion. However it is not missed on me, Jazak Allahu khayr for this post, it was a breath of fresh air. You have rightly gone above and beyond the simple point of some music being permitted, and raise a deeper point not about the permissibility of such things but about the sources and ideological framework they operate. You may be surprised to learn that just as many people fail to appreciate and miss the point of many of the words of Taqi-ud-deen Nabhani, who makes exactly the same point you are making in a more theoretical way in his book “nezaam ul-Islam”, chapter 2, called Hadhara wal-Madaniyyah. This is exactly what Tahrir say about many western concepts such as democracy too, and people think they are calling for a dictatorship, when actually they of course accept Shura. It’s a shame they lost their way after their shaykh died. Let me know what you think.