1989-April-14

The Muslim Journal

You Have To Get Prepared To Make It In The Land Of Plenty: Part 2

Imam W. Deen Mohammed

(Editorial Note: Imam W, Often Mohammed made this presentation at Dallas, Texas on March 19, 1989. It was Southern Texas that gave Imam Mohammed proper and due media coverage and recognition.)

(Second Editorial Note: The first paragraph printed here is to correct a sentence from last week's page 15 where the word "not" was omitted in the first line. This paragraph with the correction is the first paragraph here as we begin.)
 
When you are not positioned for functional life, you are subject to take your moral life to an extreme that will take it away from its moral nature. Allah says, if the earth bad been populated by angels, then He would have sent an angel as a messenger.

This is not to criticize or to reject angels, no. For we know that angels are high in the creation of Allah. But Allah has de-emphasized the exaggerated attention that religious societies gave angelic behavior prior to the advent of our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In some respects, some religious representatives are saying, "to become angels without human nature is our highest goal."

The goal for us is to become human and obedient like the angels. But don't become like the angels and turn away from the wife and husband. Don't say, "Well we can be Mends bat no more in the bed! I'm too holy for that!" Don't become angels and operate in the dark. Man is made with eyes to see in the light. So we don't want to become angels and go away from oar human destiny.

We want to pursue our human destiny, and the human destiny is to be functional in this world. It is to be functional for the good of humanity, itself. Allah says of the Muslim community that you are the best community raised up for what? Allan says it, "...raised up for the benefit of all people." And the Prophet, the peace and the blessings be upon him, said "And the best of you is the one who is most useful to the people." Who is best? The one who is most useful to people, to humanity, to the nations.

We know that in the history of civilization and in the history of civilizers, we can find no one that has come with the benefits for humanity equal to that which our Prophet brought, peace and the blessings be upon Muhammad. We are not the only ones with this excitement and appreciation for his great successes. Western writers also write that there is no one in the history that came and did so much in such a short span of time and had so little to work with.

The Prophet came to a backwards people, a people during the Dark Ages who were as backwards or even more backwards than any other people at that time. They were the people called "jahiliyyah of Arabia," The Prophet came with the message of Al-Islam, with the Qur'an and with the excellence that Allah had created in him. And it was the revelation and the Prophet that transformed that backward society. That Arabia was brought up to be the brilliant jewels of this earth in a time of ignorance, savagery, and a time of all kinds of abuses of human life and human excellence.

We know what religion can do. We have it in history. We have a clear history of the successes and power of religion. And we are happy to be in this religion and to invite those who are not in it to examine the Qur'an and to study. We are not demogogues. We are not domineering people. We are not a people who will deprive you of your freedom of thought. We will not ask you to just believe because we believe.

We don't want you to believe because we believe. We want you to believe because you have used your good intelligence and your good virtues and you have looked at its worth for yourself. You have decided upon the test of your virtues and upon the test of your good intelligence that this is the virtuous religion and this is the intelligent religion that you would like to be in. Then we will be happy with you joining us in this religion of Al-Islam.

I receive many letters that I do not answer, as you know. I have explained it before, and I will explain it again. To answer all the mail we would need a big staff of typists and readers to read mail, note the particulars, take dictation and type the answers. It would be too expensive on our M.A.C.A. office. Some people think I am supposed to be able to read and answer all letters. "He didn't answer my letter."

Now as important as I think I am, believe me I have written some people who are important in these United States, and I haven't gotten an answer. However, if the matter is serious enough, you should get an answer. Sometimes you will not get an answer as you had expected it. You may not always get it out of the mailbox.

There are times when I will get a letter and the person will not even be asking for an answer. There is nothing in the letter that says or dictates, "Answer this." Many times those letters are the best letters I get. I have one in my hand now. This letter begins "Dear Brother." He didn't say, "Dear Imam." He didn't say, "Dear Mujeddid." He didn't say, "Your holiness, Imam Warithu-din." He just said, "Dear Brother." What a lovely letter.
It reads, "Dear Brother. As-Salaam-AIaikum. I have just finished sharing this article that you have in the Muslim Journal with a Christian friend. And I felt so good and strong in reading it. I have shared this article along with your December 11, 1988 Atlanta address. Beloved brother, what can be more appreciated than to give praise to Allah." Now look, he had interpreted the articles that I write as praise to Allah. And that should be our whole life. That is the point.

Our whole life should glorify Allah. Whatever we do, it should be testifying to the glory and greatness of Allah and should praise Allah (God). Isn't that what the Christian hymn says, "Praise God with your life. Praise God with everything you do." I really love to receive letters like that.

I have another letter here. These letters are very encouraging. This one is from a Sister who is way up in age. I could take her as another wife and would not shake the house. She calls me "dearest," and I love her. She says, "Dearest, please continue propagating in these worried times. Thank you. A check is enclosed." Those letters are really nice, aren't they?

We have to appreciate working for the pleasure of Allah. Because when you work for the pleasure of Allah, you are working for the maximum good of self and others. Now what makes us sometimes ineffective? You will say, "I don't see any results." The reason is we are not prepared to get the results. We have here in Imam Yahya, a young Imam or young leader, who has never been satisfied with his preparedness. He always wants to become better prepared.

Now with brothers like Imam Yahya Abdullah, we do get results. And the proof of it is in the way that the media has addressed and presented us last evening and this morning at 10:00 to 10:30. Their success here in Dallas, Texas encourages us to encourage you brothers and sis-tere to never be satisfied with your preparedness. Always make an effort or at least desire better for yourself with the next opportunity.

If it is for something real, do not lose the desire and nourish the desire. Love the desire, and in time "the power of the desire" will bring about the right action. Do not be satisfied with your state of preparedness. Prepare to do better.

"Our society does not value children, and does not value parents." That is a quote. That is not my saying. I am quoting Dr. Barry Bazelton, who was on Public Television, TV Channel 11 hosted by Bill Moyer. That was the first time I heard it put that way. I have felt that and have complained myself. Now, can obedience be expected of children, when parents are discredited? All of the principle respect and credit is taken away from parents. It seems to be an intentional effort to break the respectful bond which holds parents and children in a natural working (socially functioning) relationship together.

The establishment will address the children on matters as though the children are grown and independent. From positions on the school campuses and on the television they will be speaking to youngsters and telling youngsters that they have to do something to protect themselves. "You have to buy condoms. You have to get sex education." The establishment has gone so far to push children to disobey parents' wishes.

Again, I have witnessed the establishment changing the behavioral spirit of children by telling them, "If your parents deny you something or speak too harshly to you—they do not have to beat you physically, but if they are guilty of just verbal abuse, you can report them to the law." That is not the way to solve America's social problems. You must have a meeting with parents first. You must try to educate parents first And if you can't educate parents, and those parents defy your every attempt, then you tell those parents, "Now we are going to tell the children we respected the parents and asked them to address blind abusive reckless irresponsible sex behavior to save children for graduations and for happy marriages. Parents would not help."

But even at this sad stage in the matter, still respect the parents and tell them, "We are going to do the best we can to keep your children respecting you. We will word our language in the best way we possibly can. We hope that they will still respect you enough to come in the house and not defy you." That is the way. Even then it is not necessary to go that far. There are always enough heedful parents in cities to answer a call by the establishment requesting that parents form a parents' front for calling the children of the city to accept the social role of sex.

Our religion teaches us, "Never go in by the back door. Go in by the front door." Never call on the house and not address the adults. You must address the adults. Members of the public do not speak to children and the adults are away. You have to respect the adults of the house. This is what our society has not done. Therefore, our society does not value children. Our society does not value parents. It is because too many Americans have lost good senses of respect for established roles and established values. Allah established the way when He created us. He established parents in their parent role of dignity and respect. Creation treasures Allah's way.

Also the children are to be respected. Our religion does not leave us without proper regard for children. Religion, however, stresses obedience in children for their parents. Allah, Most High, says in the Qur'an, "If your parents contend with you to get you to believe in other than God, to reject belief in Allah, do not obey them. However, keep good relationships with them in this life,"

That the establishment would think our religion is a religion for fanatics irks me. Our religion is a religion for rational people. Now before us is Allah, the Lord of the Worlds addressing us: How many of us in our positions of authority, power, and leadership could say, "Child, if your parents do not accept my leadership, then don't follow them in that. But still keep good relations with them," How many of us could say that?

Most of us big rabble rousers, fanatics with power and leadership, if the child comes and says, "My parents say that you are to be rejected." Our response would be, "You have to arm yourself against your parents." Isn't that typical of revolutions? Today, I am not pointing to any country. I don't want to do that.

Muslims have a revolution. Do you think that Al-Islam is not a revolution? It is the best revolution and the most civilized revolution. That is Al-Islam. We are not asked to go out and kill parents and fight parents because they tell their children to reject Allah, or Muhammad, or Al-lslam.

Allah says, "If they try to get you to reject Allah, don't follow them. But, however, try to keep good relationships with them in this life." Why has "Islam," with that balance and that kind of' regard for the parent-child bonding and family tie sensitivities made people afraid? Muslims are not to be fanatics. Muslims are to be peacemakers. "Be not aggressors." And "if those who fight you incline towards peace, incline yourselves also." Qur'an.

(To be continued)