Martin Luther King and Malcolm X

Source: Huffington Post

By Sarah Sayeed, Ph.D.: Director of Community Partnerships, Interfaith Center of New York

For the fourth year in a row, Catholics in Harlem convened an ecumenical and interfaith celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., inviting local Christian and Muslim clergy to join them.

Co-sponsored by the Central Harlem Vicariate, The Office of Black Ministry of the Archdiocese of New York, and the New York Support Group of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Non Violent Social Change, the service was held at St. Joseph of the Holy Family Church. Highlights included the powerful voices of the Vicariate choir, liturgical dancers, and a keynote address by Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network, a leading civil rights organization. The Vicariate also invited a Muslim reflection from Imam Al-Hajj Talib ‘Abdur Rashid of the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood, a center that is a descendant of the Muslim Mosque, Inc. established by Al-Hajj Malik Al Shabbaz (Malcolm X).

Commenting on today’s economic and racial inequities, Imam ‘Abdur Rashid evoked Jesus as the Prince of Peace who also stood firmly for justice when he “overturned the benches and chased the usurious money changers out of the synagogue.” He noted that non-violent resistance is “nonetheless, still resistance,” and that “we’re not in the promised land yet.” He drew attention to the significance of an interfaith celebration by referring to shared prophets of the Bible and Quran, including Jesus, and to interfaith supporters of Dr. King, such as Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.

While “Dr. King never had the chance to work in a coordinated, strategic, programmed way with Malcolm X, they worked in tandem and inspired masses of African Americans in the struggle for justice,” he stated. Referring to the “once in a lifetime photograph of those two giants – one a Christian, and the other a Muslim, shaking hands and smiling warmly, modeling love and respect though they differed in some of their theological teachings and strategic tactics in the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality,” Imam ‘Abdur Rashid was sure that “if those two great leaders had lived longer.. and not been martyred at the age of 39…they would have found a way to work closer together.”

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