Pastor Frederick K.C. Price, the Los Angeles "prosperity preacher" who commands one of the nation's largest predominantly black congregations, is distorting Islam in an inflammatory series of sermons and setting off conflict between African American Muslims and Christians, area Muslims charge.
Price, concerned that racism among Christians has turned off blacks and sent growing numbers to Islam, began his controversial sermons contrasting the two religions about five months ago. The sermons have been broadcast to a national audience of 33 million on his Sunday morning worship show, "Ever Increasing Faith."
Among other things, Muslims say, Price is mixing up the racist ideology of Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam (God is black, the devil is white) with the egalitarian message of orthodox Islam now followed by the majority of black Muslims.
Price, critics say, has also offended Muslims by saying that Allah and the Christian God are different. This violates one of Islam's pillar beliefs in one God and the validity of all prophets of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths, said Imam Saadiq Saafir, religious head of Masjid Ibaadillah in South-Central Los Angeles.
The ensuing national furor has touched off brawls between black Muslims and Christians in prison, affected interfaith projects in the inner city and fueled family divisions, said Muslim activist Imam Najee Ali.
"We view this as a massive campaign of hate," said Saafir. "We demand him to stop misrepresenting Islam. . . . The people deserve to hear about Islam from Muslims," Saafir said.
Price, in a statement, questioned whether critics had actually listened sequentially to all 23 sermons on Islam and Christianity. "If they have, it will answer every one of their allegations and prove each allegation unfounded," the statement said.
Saafir said he has all 23, but has listened so far to about 15. "The more you hear, the madder you get," he said.
But Price has made clear delineations between the ideologies of orthodox Islam and the Nation of Islam, said spokeswoman Corliss Williford. In preparation for the lectures, she said, he read the Koran and 4,000 pages of hadith, or written accounts, of the life of the prophet Muhammad.
"He respects everyone and their right to their own beliefs," said Angela Evans, president of Price's 18,000-member Crenshaw Christian Center. But, she said, Price believes that his sermon series, which began in 1997 as a look at racism in the Christian church, is an "assignment from God."
