1988-November-11

Muslim Journal

"Respect For Concerns Of All People" Jeopardized By Muslim Heretic

Imam W. Deen Muhammad

(Editorial Note: This alert was issued in the early part of Imam W. Deen Muhammad's lecture in Philadelphia, Pa, On Sunday October 23rd, 1988. All believing Muslims, and especially the American Muslim communities who live among a majority of Christians and other non-Muslims, will understand the need for the concern given here.)

With Allah's Name, the Merciful Benefactor, the Merciful Redeemer. Praise is for
Allah, Lord of the worlds, the One Lord Unique and Most High, Who alone is Creator of all things, for Whom is worship and the glory. Our prayers and the best salutations for Muhammad, the Last Prophet, on him he the peace- and the blessings of Allah, and all of what follows in our formal salutation. As-Salaam-Alaikum.

I wish it to be known that the Office of W. Deen Muhammad is plainly an office of a Muslim representative with the hope of serving Muslim Americans of every community and national origin. In addition, I wish it known that I belong to the international following of Muhammad, the Prophet, and truly for only that sacred simplicity and as readily grasped by one who sincerely approaches the reading and study of Qur'an and the accurately preserved life works of Allah's faithful (Left: Independence Hall, Philadelphia). servant, Muhammad, upon him be the prayers and the peace.

Faithful Muslims will not .support a priesthood among Muslims and will not support a priesthood among Muslims. The sky is the roof over the inviolable masjid or mosque. It is called the Masjidul-Haram— The Inviolable Masjid (mosque) to which all Muslims are directed under the obligation of five daily prayers.

Among the most powerful elements, and hence among the most productive ideas for us in the religion is the idea of religious freedom in Al-Islam. Mind you the freedom referred to here is not the freedom of a free floating dreamer. It is that historical first and sacred, freedom of man - the freedom of human conscience with that nature-patterned mind and intellect which is the same for all people. That is, this creation and this great resource is not a property of one people but a property of all people.

Muslims are today gasping for the breath of religious freedom. I believe there is a true hunger for religious freedom to the Muslim society of the world - in Asia, in Africa, in Europe, in the Islands, in America, and in everywhere. What are we being given to answer this hunger for religious freedom in the Muslim International body? What are we given from "self-styled" Islamic authorities?

We are given a cruel "WAMY." In a recent publication which attempts to highlight today's concerns for Muslims, a spokesman for the Saudi-based "World Association of Muslim Youth" appears to want to alarm both Muslims and non-Muslims with his seemingly HERETIC assertion on Allah's proclamation in His Majestic Book, the Qur'an, stating, "The religion with Allah is Al-Islam," and further, "should anyone choose a religion other than Al-Islam, it will not be accepted from him in the Judgment. "And in addition here is another quote, "It is Allah Who has sent His Messenger with the Guidance and the true standard of religion, that it should gain prominence over all nations."

This 'suspect of heresy' claims to induce and to establish from the Proclamation of the Most High Lord a belief which labels non-Muslims as "kaafir," which is to say "rejectors of faith." With this article, this WAMY spokesman targets Christians and Jews for death under Islamic or Quranic authority, unless they — while facing the execution in the final moments of their life—the non-Muslim recants or retracts the statement of his belief and profess our Islamic creed."

Whereas the rebuttal to expose his deceit no doubt may satisfy the many in this audience, I prefer to have the established Islamic scholars clear the air for us. In the Minaret, a Muslim publication by a newcomer to America, Dr. Fathi Osman's article, "The Meaning of Jihad" is featured. The date for this article in this issue of this magazine, the Minaret, is Spring, 1988 edition. This scholar writes, and I will begin now quoting him:

"The Qur'an indicates clearly against whom the Muslims could fight. They are precisely those who fight against you, because of your faith and drive you forth from your homeland or aid others in driving you forth. Qur'an. Chapter 60,
verse 9,".

It continues, "Cordial relations based on kindness and fairness should be developed with others who are not involved in such aggressions whatever their faiths may be. The history of Islam shows that the Islamic State, however extensive it might be, had so many non-Muslims among its subjects with different beliefs and temples, that coexisted with the Muslims and WERE NOT forced to embrace Islam."

Further it says and I am still quoting this publication and this scholar, Dr. Fathi Osman, "The Qur'an never encouraged permanent conflict with any non-Muslim group. On the contrary, during the time of bitter hostility and conflict, the Qur'an warned the Muslims against any unfair generalizations. The people of the Book are not alike. Among them there are upright people who recite God's messages throughout the night and prostrate themselves before Him. They believe in God and the Last Day and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbids the doing of what is wrong, and vie with one another in doing good works. And they are among the righteous. Whatever good they do, they shalt never be denied the re-ward thereof, Qur'an, Chapter 3." Further Dr. Fathi Osman writes, "The Palestinian people have been facing both killing and oppression for decades. Islam cannot be accused for inspiring a struggle against an Israeli occupation and oppression. Islam will never be against Jews or other Non-Muslims as such."

I think that is enough to establish very strongly and clearly that it is heresy, a crime, for any Muslim and especially for one claiming to be knowledgeable in this religion, an authority, to tell anyone in privacy, not to mention making such public, that today because of certain revelations from God, "Christians and Jews are to be regarded as kaafir or as rejectors of faith and are to be given the opportunity to accept our religion or to declare our creed – la illaha illallah, Muhammadan rasullullah, that there is but One God and Muhammad is His Messenger – and if they refuse, they are to be killed.” That is what I have just read recently in a publication by one so-called Muslim authority” claiming to be spokesman for WAMY World Association of Muslim Youths.

I was so heated up inside, when I saw what he had written, that I wanted to right then go myself to Saudi Arabia and protest in a very strong way about that person having that kind of opportunity and privilege to speak for our religion and to represent a great Muslim Youth organization based in Saudi Arabia.

These concerns to me are more serious than any other. It is because we are Americans. We live in a majority Christian country, and we have been trying to live up to the best image from the Qur'an and from the life of the Holy Prophet, himself, the sunnah of the Prophet. It is not easy.

When I began now about fourteen years ago as the leader for many of you, most of the people believed that that kind of attitude was truly the attitude of Muslims. That the belief that I call heresy that this author of that article passed on to many readers of the publication was thought to be the belief of all Muslims by a great majority of the American people.

But after so much hard work and many good immigrants coming into this country from countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, India, and from many other places, we have been able to get recognition from the major newspapers and magazines for the true projection of the image of Muslims and what we believe in. And for something like this to come out, to me, justifies my feeling that he should be brought forth and labeled a kaafir, and if anybody should be killed it should be him.