Unlike many rappers who claim they are Muslim, but seem to follow none of Islam's teachings, Mos Def actually applies the noble religion to his every day life. Right at the very beginning of his debut solo album Black On Both Sides, Mos Def says in Arabic "Bism-Allah-ir-Rahman-il-Rahmeen," meaning "In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate," a declaration that all Muslims say when they are about to perform any task.
The entire album, and many of Mos Def's songs on other albums, are littered with praise to Allah and Islamic references, namely:
"(Ameen) Pray Allah keep my soul and heart clean/ (Ameen) Pray the same thing again for all my team" -Love
"I got alot of things I got to do/ But Insha'Allah I'll be back to you" -Travellin' Man
"This once in a lifetime like a Halley's comet/ Yo, we bring it to Medina like the Prophet Mohammed/ Peace be upon he, and, we MCs" -Fortified Live
"Allah has gifted me/ With great ability/ To speak to my beloved/ And make em all love it" -Shinjiro
"Allah is the king of the world/ We're just subjects/ Allah is the king/ Allah is the king" -Shinjiro
"If anybody hears anything that's useful from me, or sees me doing something positive or productive, it's from Allah. And if people see me falling short, or they see my deficits, then that's from my own shortcomings. And I hope that Allah will make it easy for me, have mercy and give me strength and encouragement to do what's right." -Interview with The Fader
"Don't play me like the next man/ I don't eat ham or swine/ All I do is rock fly lines" -Westwood Freestyle
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow/ I fear no man because faith is the arrow" -Know That
"When brother's right, Muslim right and compose self" -On My Own
Mos Def's song All Praise Due is entirely themed around praising Allah. Also, in his "Thank You" message inside his CD booklets, he takes an entire paragraph (an essay, almost) to thank Allah for everything He provided Mos with.
On other songs, where Mos Def doesn't directly mention Islam, it is obvious Islam's teachings inspired some of the themes. On "Got", Mos Def talks about people who value material possessions, and who use these to show off, something that Islam frowns upon. On "Fear Not of Man", he talks about fearing no one but God. He also says that money and looks don't make someone valuable, but the fact that Allah created each and every one of us is what makes us valuable. In "Umi Says", Mos Def highlights the fact that we can die on any given day, and that we should be righteous in the present, because we may not live very long. On many of his songs, Islamic influence appears directly and indirectly.
But Mos Def also lives out what he talks about. At his concerts, he doesn't allow alcohol to be sold to the audience. He is also married with children, and marriage is the cornerstone of Islamic life. He tries to be righteous at all times, and gives alot back to the community as you can see from the Benefits section. In his music videos, he doesn't portray woman as objects as many rappers do. In his songs, he doesn't swear senselessly, and the subject matter is always appropriate and in good taste.
To read more about Mos Def and Islam, click here http://www.mosdefinitely.com/islam.htm where you will find an interview with Mos Def about Islam.
The entire album, and many of Mos Def's songs on other albums, are littered with praise to Allah and Islamic references, namely:
"(Ameen) Pray Allah keep my soul and heart clean/ (Ameen) Pray the same thing again for all my team" -Love
"I got alot of things I got to do/ But Insha'Allah I'll be back to you" -Travellin' Man
"This once in a lifetime like a Halley's comet/ Yo, we bring it to Medina like the Prophet Mohammed/ Peace be upon he, and, we MCs" -Fortified Live
"Allah has gifted me/ With great ability/ To speak to my beloved/ And make em all love it" -Shinjiro
"Allah is the king of the world/ We're just subjects/ Allah is the king/ Allah is the king" -Shinjiro
"If anybody hears anything that's useful from me, or sees me doing something positive or productive, it's from Allah. And if people see me falling short, or they see my deficits, then that's from my own shortcomings. And I hope that Allah will make it easy for me, have mercy and give me strength and encouragement to do what's right." -Interview with The Fader
"Don't play me like the next man/ I don't eat ham or swine/ All I do is rock fly lines" -Westwood Freestyle
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow/ I fear no man because faith is the arrow" -Know That
"When brother's right, Muslim right and compose self" -On My Own
Mos Def's song All Praise Due is entirely themed around praising Allah. Also, in his "Thank You" message inside his CD booklets, he takes an entire paragraph (an essay, almost) to thank Allah for everything He provided Mos with.
On other songs, where Mos Def doesn't directly mention Islam, it is obvious Islam's teachings inspired some of the themes. On "Got", Mos Def talks about people who value material possessions, and who use these to show off, something that Islam frowns upon. On "Fear Not of Man", he talks about fearing no one but God. He also says that money and looks don't make someone valuable, but the fact that Allah created each and every one of us is what makes us valuable. In "Umi Says", Mos Def highlights the fact that we can die on any given day, and that we should be righteous in the present, because we may not live very long. On many of his songs, Islamic influence appears directly and indirectly.
But Mos Def also lives out what he talks about. At his concerts, he doesn't allow alcohol to be sold to the audience. He is also married with children, and marriage is the cornerstone of Islamic life. He tries to be righteous at all times, and gives alot back to the community as you can see from the Benefits section. In his music videos, he doesn't portray woman as objects as many rappers do. In his songs, he doesn't swear senselessly, and the subject matter is always appropriate and in good taste.
To read more about Mos Def and Islam, click here http://www.mosdefinitely.com/islam.htm where you will find an interview with Mos Def about Islam.