1981-November-6

World Muslim News

Muhammad Speaks

Imam W. Deen Mohammed

QUESTION: Why have you stopped the 4th Sunday hookup? The Muslims miss the contact.
— Detroit, Mich.

IMAM: Yes, it was serving many in a good way and we appreciated the service, but it was also causing some problems. Some of the people would get restless because they were only hearing a voice.

Many of the Imams are very excellent speakers and for them to have to just sit and listen to a voice over a telephone connection was not something I particularly liked. I went along with it for a long while because I felt that most of the people in the community needed a few years, needed time, to get acquainted with the new directions and changes that we have in the community.

But as I came to believe, two years ago, not just recently, that we didn't need this service anymore, that people should come to their Imam and we should know the strength of our regions. If we have good Imams, we want to know that. If we have Imams who are not good enough to attract a following, then we want to know that too.

QUESTION: Is your leadership shared by your wife?
- Chicago, ILL.

IMAM: Yes. My leadership is shared by my wife. And I believe that all wives share the burden as well as the dignity, fame, popularity or whatever, that comes to their husbands. I believe all women share that and my wife shares it. She also shares my concerns for the community, for the people, and she has devoted herself to a life of selfless service.
She is the president of the Clara Muhammad Educational Memorial Foundation, and she and sisters who joined her from the very start are giving their time daily, free time and free work, asking for nothing except that they be appreciated by those whom they are serving for what they are doing. And I think they have that appreciation from our own community. We appreciate them and they are happy with that life. So my wife shares my leadership, my leadership burden and my leadership concerns.