Native Deen’s ‘Ramadan is Here’ – (Video Review)
Written by Laura El Alam
If there is one tune that is the quintessential song of Ramadan for American Muslims, it is “Ramadan is Here” by Native Deen. The song’s catchy, upbeat chorus, wholesome message, and lively beat (using percussion only) make it a delightful celebration of Muslims’ holiest month. While nasheeds sung in Arabic are popular in the U.S., Native Deen’s tunes have a distinctly homegrown vibe that sets them apart and makes them uniquely ours. American Muslims see our own experience reflected in playful lyrics like:
Get yourself up, you’re about to miss suhoor
Turkey bacon on the plate but I’m beefin’
I’m upstairs sleepin’ while they down here eatin’
With its cheerful montage of images, the music video deftly represents the diversity that is the trademark of the American Muslim community. We see practicing Muslims of every color, ethnicity, and age. From boys in jeans and football jerseys to men in thobes or suits, to little girls with pink hijabs and women in flowing pantsuits or abayas, we can see the numerous ways in which Muslims in the United States express their identity. The congregants’ unity as they clap and point to the moon is a visual representation of the ummah at its best: diverse, unified, cooperative, positive, and vibrant.
As much as all American Muslims will see themselves in this video, it is also uniquely reflective of the African American Muslim experience. After all, the three musicians who form Native Deen — Joshua Salaam, Naeem Muhammad, and Abdul-Malik Ahmad, are black, and their musical style can be described as Islamic hip-hop.
Watching the video reminds me that we are blessed to have African Americans in our faith community because they offer a perspective that is unique, rich, and deep-rooted. After all, the first Muslims to live in this country were not from the Middle East, Pakistan, or Indonesia. They were from Africa, and many arrived in chains but maintained their faith despite countless hardships, cruelty, and attempts to force their conversion. “Ramadan is Here” is a song that celebrates Islam’s holiest month, but it also should remind us that black Muslims continue to be among our most devout, talented, and influential brothers and sisters. Our American Muslim experience would not be the same without them.
In my family, we listen to “Ramadan is Here” every single year as the holy month approaches. It’s the first song on our play list as we hang up Ramadan decorations. It never fails to get us in an upbeat mood, ready for the joy, worship, and community bonding that Ramadan brings. It wouldn’t feel quite like Ramadan in our house without this lively nasheed.
Laura El Alam is a prolific writer whose work has been published in various magazines. She is the founder of Sea Glass Writing & Editing and creator of The Common Sense Convert, a Facebook page dedicated to supporting Muslim women.
