Perseverance — Page xix
xviii – the story of al-haj Rashid ahmad american calling. They draw their “tribal” boundaries daring rival gangs to trespass, and advertise their ignorance as if they were the j a hil [ ignorant ] pre-Islamic Arabs. As the Holy Prophet saw unleashed the floodgates of God’s Mercy 1400 years ago, his reflection, the Promised Messiah as would do the same in this age. As God’s decree would demand, the spiritual cure would overpower the malady. Through the healing touch of the Promised Messiah as and his message of redemption, sinners would be washed clean from the clutches of sin and experience a spiritual rebirth. They would relinquish their previous life of sin and, like the early followers of the Holy Prophet saw , they would fly to the ends of the earth, and bear witness to the truth and victory of Islam. Al- Hā j Rashid Ahmad American is one of those witnesses. This is his story… and his story is our history. HIS STORY As a child, I recall the stories Brother Rashid would narrate to us. He resurrected the past and brought to life characters who we had only read about in books. Over the years I had heard him recount the same stories with amazing recollection of detail and accuracy, and I felt it was reminiscent of the manner in which the A ha d ī th were transmitted down to succeeding generations. On numerous occasions I remember people asking Brother Rashid to write a book of his memoirs. I used to do the same. Fortunately, I finally received an affirmative response from him in 2009, but he wanted to obtain the express permission from