RadioRawDeen.com

I am Jamaaluddin al-Haidar...currently on hiatus from 13 years of teaching science in the Islamic school and coaching youth basketball.
I am also the founder and current commissioner of the Muslim Youth Basketball Association (MYBA) www.mybausa.org
My primary focus now is on carving out a niche in broadcast media.
As CEO and Program director of Radio Raw Deen www.radiorawdeen.com I am striving to establish an alternative source for news, knowledge, and information on the Internet from a more progressive and Islamic perspective.
My love of music as more than mere entertainment, but as a creative artform that bridges all cultures, is what inspired me to include music in our broadcasting plan. Although the flagship channel will be exclusively news, talk shows, and commentary, three additional channels are being added for the following genres:
(1)Conscious Rap/HipHop & Spoken Word,
(2)R&B/NeoSoul
(3)Jazz/World Rythyms
Mission Statement
“Radio Raw Deen is a listener-supported independent forum for the dissemination of knowledge and information, the exchange of ideas, and the promotion of healthy dialogue that empowers people and encourages activism. Insha’Allah (God-Willing), we hope to achieve this end by utilizing all feasible means and venues of communication to project what we feel is an Islamic perspective on the issues that communities are facing all over the world."
Insightful news, provocative commentary, Interviews with news makers, activists, daee, and scholars as well as Muslim-inspired Jazz, R&B, Hip-hop and Spoken Word are the "vehicles" that will drive this mission.
Goals & Objectives

To be a major hub for the movement to bring consciousness, integrity and goodness back to music and art.To be a hub of socio-political consciousness. To be a forum for challenging the community of artists to realize their potential to organize and affect real socio-political and economic change in the world by putting conscious words into the kind of organized group actions that focus on solutions. To shine the light of encouragement on non-Muslim artists and others who are upon this movement as well.

Clarification of our Islamic Perspective
We want to develop fraternal bonds between progressive Muslims and non-Muslims; for we are all sisters and brothers of the human family and children of the same father, Adam (peace be upon him). We only ask that our non-Muslim brothers and sisters try to understand the fact that Muslim artists tend to face much more opposition to their music from their communities than non-Muslims do from theirs. This creates an additional burden and poses obstacles that are above and beyond those typically faced by other Indie artists.
This is one of the reasons that Radio Raw Deen will generally give more space to Muslim artists in terms of website coverage and airplay. However we will not place substance over quality. I believe that steel sharpens steel. If you want to be counted amongst the best you have to stand and deliver like the best. Without pointing fingers it's obvious that although some of us may have something meaningful to say, the skills or resources that are essential to packaging and delivering it in the best way can be sorely lacking at times.

At the end of the day, we are still Muslims. We make no apologies for this fact. We do believe Islam to be the truth. We do believe that Prophet Muhammad (saws) was the last in the line of Prophets and Messengers sent by Allah and whose coming was foretold by both Moses(as), and Jesus (as). We do believe that the Quran is the final Revelation. We do believe that this Revelation is the only one that Allah promised to protect and that He has delivered on that promise for up until this very day, the Quran is the only Revelation from God that hasn't been changed, revised, or otherwise tampered with by man.

To optimize its chances for success, any movement must have a sound, sturdy foundation that is solid but flexible. We believe that it is these unique properties that make Islam most-suitable for all people and for all times. Islam is more than just a religion. It is Deen (a complete way of life). Unfortunately today we have many who put their own spin on Islam and take it to extremes in all sorts of directions. Islam is Deen ul Fitrah. The way of life that is in accord with the creation...in balance with nature. This fitrah is what every human being was born under. You can take the phrase Deen ul Fitrah and shorten it to one word...Islam. Everyone is born in this state. Everyone is born Muslim. Everything in nature submits to itself to do the will of the Creator and to live in harmony with His Creation. The plants and animals remain in this state of submission. Human beings on the other hand have the free will to accept or reject this state of submission. Our parents, our environment, the society, etc. change us from this state by introducing man-made principles that are contrary to the natural state in which all life is created. We want Islam without "His"-lam. We want Islam out of the "Spin-Zone"....back to it's essence. This is 'uncooked' Deen....this is what we call the Raw Deen.

We want to be as inclusive as we can be and still stay within the limits of our faith. With this understanding, I would like extend a personal invitation to Muslims and non-Muslims to join the Radio Raw Deen family. Come let us build a movement that stands against injustice and bigotry in all of its forms. Come let us build a movement that recognizes individual creativity and individual liberties but respects and protects the best interests of the collective. Come let us share our talents and support one another emotionally and financially with the understanding that none should be forced to carry undue burdens or endure hardships alone. Come let us learn from one another, so that we don't continue to make the same mistakes and so that we may increase our chances at prosperity in health, in business, in education, in our personal dealings with others, and most importantly in our relationship with the Creator.
Peace & God Bless to Those Who Struggle inward with spiritual purification and outwardly against tyranny, oppression,and injustice in all of its forms.
Jamaaluddin al-Haidar
Founder,Program Director www.radiorawdeen.com