In celebration of the month of Ramadan, the Muslim-American musical group “Native Deen is visiting Cairo and will perform concerts at Al Azhar Park and at the Sawy Culture Wheel this weekend. Their music seeks to inspire young people to keep their faith amid the pressures and temptations of modern life.
Rapping with Muslim themes wasn t a conscious decision, band member Joshua Salaam said in an interview with a Washington, DC reporter. Growing up Muslim and black in America, those were our experiences. That s naturally what came off our lips.
Native Deen consists of three young men – Joshua Salaam, Naeem Muhammad, and Abdul Malik – who were born and raised in America with Islam as their faith. They met in their early teens at Muslim Youth of North American (MYNA) camps. Years later, they emerged into a leading Islamic hip-hop group based out of Washington, DC. The group uses the Arabic word “Deen in their title to signify religion or way of life.
Aside from their melodic voices, the band only uses percussion instruments. “Many Muslims believe that wind and string instruments should be avoided in Islam. The Quran does not specifically mention musical instruments. Some scholars say that if the lyrics of the music is Islamic, then any type of musical instrument is permissible. However, there are others that say only percussion (drums) instruments can be used. We cannot please everyone, but using only percussion instruments allows more Muslims to enjoy our music, the band members explain on their website.
Their music, which calls to the remembrance of Allah (God), has resonated with Muslims and non-Muslims throughout the world. Native Deen has spread the uplifting message of Islam by performing throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Together, they have filled some of the world s most distinguished auditoriums and performed alongside artists such as Yusuf Islam, Sami Yusuf, Zain Bhika, Raihan, Dawud Wharnsby and 786.
“When we perform in Western countries, people see a positive image of Islam, said Salaam in a USINFO web chat February 1. “When we perform in Muslim countries, we are also promoting tolerance because some people believe that every person in the West is bad. There are a lot of good Muslims living in the West – and good people in general.
Native Deen has received accolades during previous musical tours of the Middle East. In Dubai, Native Deen won the 2006 Mahabba Award at an event showcasing musicians, artists and filmmakers who are inspired to convey the message of Islam through art.
The feedback the group gets from young fans is especially gratifying, Salaam says. People come up and tell us how a song helped them get through ninth grade or inspired them to do different things by reminding them of their faith and that God is there – and in a hip way.
With Native Deen, Muslims in the United States also feel like they have something of their own, he adds. They say now we can have entertainment at our events, and it doesn t have to be in Arabic. Our music is American, it s hip, and it s something everybody can be comfortable with.
After their Cairo tour, the group will return to Jerusalem and the West Bank, where they previously performed in 2006.
Native Deen performances in Cairo:
Friday, September 28 at Al Azhar Park, Salah Salem, 10 pm.
Saturday, September 29 at Sawy Culture Wheel, Zamalek, 9:30 pm and 12:00 am
Native Deen audio clips, song lyrics and other information are available on the group’s website at http://www.nativedeen.com/
