“When you hear that sound you know Brother Hodari’s comin’ round with “Freedom Sounds!” As-Salaam Alaikum! Peace & Blessings!”
So opens a radio show here in Washington, DC hosted by community activist Hodari Abdul-Ali that is growing in popularity and is rapidly becoming a vehicle and voice for the Muslim community.
“Freedom Sounds with Brother Hodari” airs each Wednesday morning from 5-8am on WPFW, 89.3 FM, a 50,000 watt radio station heard throughout the DMV (DC, Maryland , Virginia) area, as well as Baltimore, W. Virginia and live online at www.wpfw.org. It is part of the Pacifica national Network of stations based in Berkeley, California with affiliates in Los Angeles, Houston and New York.
WPFW is unique because it is a non-commercial, listener sponsored, community station. Its theme is “jazz and justice”, and features Amy Goodman’s award-winning “Democracy Now” news cast each week day morning from 8-9am.
Best described as an audio magazine, “Freedom Sounds with Brother Hodari” combines “spiritual and cultural music” with interviews and information designed to uplift and inspire the listener. Abdul-Ali has hosted the program on a regular basis since January 2007, and been affiliated with WPFW off and on for over 14 years since 1981.
A graduate of Howard University’s School of Communications, Hodari Abdul-Ali has also hosted and produced talk shows at the station over the years, including “The Voice of Freedom” and “The Struggle Continues!”
“Freedom Sounds is quite suited to the very real concerns of the listening audience and it’s my opinion that it’s very much needed. The program is delivered in a very succinct and loving manner”, said Hassan Abdul-Malik, a regular listener.
Special programming during Ramadan has increased the ratings within the Muslim community, according to several believers who have recently “discovered” the station and the show.
“I love it! Media is a passion of mine”, said Brother Hodari. “InshaAllah, it is an opportunity for dawah.” In addition to the Muslim community, “Freedom Sounds” has a broad appeal to those who love African history and culture as well.
Recent guests have included Imam Talib Abdus-Samad of the Islamic Research and Humanitarian Service Center of America in Capitol Heights, MD; Attorney Talib Karim, Chairman of the Muslim Democratic Caucus of Washington, DC; Television Producer Zarinah Shakir; Educator Salahuddeen Abdul Karim, also of Al-Mizaan organization; and Imam Tariq Najee-Ullah of Masjid Muhammad; and Preacher Moss of the “Allah Made Me Funny” comedy ensemble.
“This is a unique opportunity for our Muslim Community” to network even more with each other, and more importantly, with the broader community in general”, said Brother Hodari, who also serves as the Chair of the Social Justice Task Force of MANA, the Muslim Alliance in North America.
“When the listeners in the [DC region] hear Muslim voices that are articulate and intelligent, that is dawah right there,” he added. “And when we engage even more with others on social issues that we agree upon, everybody wins.”
Brother Hodari was excited when he spoke of a special one hour talk show he hosted for the station August 27 on “Muslim Issues in the U.S.” that gave voice to activists such as Mahdi Bray, Dr. Kaukab Siddique, Enver Masud and Khalid Abdus-Samad. “I can’t think of any other show that would have had such strong and varied perspectives on at the same time”, he said. “Alhamdulilah, we got a lot of positive feedback, and InshaAllah will be able to do more such programs in the future”.
When asked about future plans for the show and the station, Brother Hodari said that he projects doing more in the public affairs side and being able to work more closely with other Muslim media such as The Muslim Link, and area organizations such as the Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations. “The potential for doing dawah is great” he said with a smile.
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