1983-March-4

A.M. Journal

Muhammad Speaks

Imam W. Deen Muhammad

QUESTION:  Are we in America, as the descendents of slavery, ever going to come together as a Muslim community? Does our development parallel that of the people of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in any way?
— Atlanta, Ga.

IMAM:   Yes.   If  we  take  it  upon ourselves to be good Muslims and to follow the example of Prophet Muhammad -- which we should -we will find that our life...what transpires will resemble what transpired in the time of Prophet Muhammad because there are certain factors that are the same.

One, Prophet Muhammad was addressing idolaters, Christians and (Jews, and he began as a minority of one, and then...a minority of two -he and his wife and then a few companions, relatives, joined him. And we find that in a society like America where the majority are non-Muslims, we will have similar experiences.

I think we will see some parallels, but we have to understand that America is much more advanced than Arabia was at that time and much more informed about the Muslim life — Quran and Muslim life. Christians are in the majority here, not idolaters, not heathens, so I think our situation is better.

We shouldn't expect to meet with as much difficulty as Prophet Muhammad met with, and we haven't. We are progressing here, we are growing as a Muslim community, yet we know we have many problems. We have many Americans who don't welcome us, but the majority of Americans see us as having the right of religious freedom just like they do.