It’s Our Time
IT WAS LATE JUNE 2007 and on this sweltering near 100-degree summer afternoon, Michelle Obama paid a visit to Harlem, NY. Addressing a few hundred gathered at a non-profit after school center, she touched on her husband’s plethora of accomplishments, civic responsibility and the sacrifices personally made by her own family - specifically by her father.
As I sat in a humble designated press area at the back of the gymnasium, I was taken aback by her honesty, gravitas, intelligence and sheer ability to connect with a room full of mostly women and children. And as Michelle continued emphasizing her responsibility to carry on her father’s legacy and lead every moment of her life only in a manner that would make him proud, I was literally drawn near tears as I reflected on the loss of my own father two years prior.
Fast forward a year and half later and Michelle and Barack’s vision is in fact transforming into reality in the most unprecedented and historic way possible. Not only will the first African American family lead a White House that was constructed on the backs of slaves, but the world will finally take comfort in a President that epitomizes unity and global interconnectivity.
As the guide to global Muslim culture, we here at Elan felt compelled to honor the 44th President of the United States via this special inauguration issue. Barack Hussein Obama not only possesses a keen understanding of the complexities of society but has demonstrated his willingness to engage in discourse and seek amicable solutions even with our opponents.
Let me be clear, we are in no way identifying or even juxtaposing Obama as a Muslim, nor providing fodder for his challengers. We are instead celebrating and honoring our next President who, by his very nature, experiences and principles truly does represent hope for the millions of Muslims - and non-Muslims alike - on this planet. Hope that our country’s fundamentals of civil liberty and freedom will remain intact; hope that together we can collectively eliminate social blockades and work effectively towards unifying us all.
In this inauguration issue, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Muhammad, civil rights leader and President of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN), shares his personal history working with Obama on the South Side of Chicago and the immense impact his candidacy has on Muslims both at home and abroad. Malcolm X’s middle child, Ilyasah Shabazz, pays homage to her father and explains why he would be ecstatic over this moment in history. Elan’s founder and publisher, Moniza Khokhar, takes a look ahead as she highlights how Obama’s international upbringing may positively influence his future policies. Hear from everyday Muslim Americans as they weigh in on our new President, while an intricate world map pinpoints Obama’s precise relation to the world - and you might just be surprised by a few of these.
Back in August of 2008, as I stood on the floor of Invesco Field nearly 15 rows away from the stage at the Democratic National Convention, I watched with utter pride and amazement as Barack Hussein Obama accepted his Party’s nomination. I was struck not only by his eloquence and elegance, but also by Michelle’s. Attempting to digest how it all went from a small gymnasium in Harlem to 84,000 people at Invesco Field, I could only think one thing: how both of their parents, whether they were physically here or not, must be beyond proud.
We hope you enjoy our special inauguration issue ... and stay tuned, Elan is just getting started ....
As Salaam Alaikum.
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