1978-May-12

Bilalian News

The Five Principles Of Islam

Imam W. D. Muhammad

(Excerpts from a Khutbah delivered by Emam Wallace D. Muhammad at Jumah Prayer, March 10, 1978—Continued from a previous issue.)

With the Name Allah (in the Name of God), the Gracious, the Compassionate.

As-Salaam-Alaikum

God has revealed to Prophet Muhammad the 'Five fundamental Principles of our religion.

They are the correct worship of God and the correct way to view God's prophets. Not that he's God or a partner of God, he's a Messenger of God.

Man should pray. You can become strong like Muhammad Ali or Atlas, with the world on his back, but we never become so strong that we don't have a cry in our nature.

There's a crying in the human being's nature. He's born crying and he cries all of his life. He goes out crying because he knows he needs help from his God.

The Muslim prays five times a day. A Muslim shouldn't wake up with his business on his mind—to make more dollars.

A Muslim should wake up and remember his prayer, and say "Al-Hamdu-lillah, who gave me life." As soon as he opens his eyes, he should say "All Praise is due Allah who gave me life after I was dead."

Weren't you dead? Yes! Before He gave you life, weren't you a dead, inanimate thing? Yes!

Alright! Then, He gave you animate life. Then He gave you religious life.

We need Allah's help so we pray. When we wake up in the morning the first thing to do is say, "All Praise is due Allah who has given me life after death."

Then go make your ablution. Clean yourself up, make your morning prayer.

Call Adhan even if you are the only person in your house. Don't you know you hear and speak at the same time? Call your Adhan. There's somebody giving it and somebody listening. That somebody is you, so make your Adhan.

Rise up in your home and say your Adhan. Then sit down for a moment and make Th'kir. Th'kir, remembering Allah. Remember Allah by reciting His Divine Name and reciting Kaalimah.

"Glory be to God who's perfect above all things. All thanks and praise is deserving to only Allah. La-illaha-illa-Allah, nothing is worthy of worship nor prayer except Allah."

Allah is bigger. Allah is greater. Allah is more significant. Allah is more important than what? Than everything?

These are the Kaalimahs. Recite them for a few minutes and get yourself in the right frame of mind. Let your soul be soothed, then stand up and face your God in the best manner.

Not hastily, or being impatient. If I go to see the President, and I'm acting impatient, what do you think he'll do?

When we turn to God, we should turn to God controling ourselves. If there's something disturbing our peace, we could cry out to God and tell Him. I am unpresentable. Something is disturbing my peace.

"Oh Allah, help me quiet my soul. Bring peace to me. Free me of my anxiety, of my fears. Free me of my weaknesses, so I will be more presentable to you."

Go to God in the best manner. If you're short of something, ask God to give you what you're short of and take away those things that are hurting your image and hurting your life.

I hear that some Muslims think that they ought to stay away until they are presentable. You don't stay away from the water when you're dirty. You go to the water when you're dirty and . .. You go to the water to stay clean.

Some say, "Oh, I'm too dirty to go. I'll be around to see you all when I get myself straight." What do you need to get yourself straight?—Soap and water. We have soap. Soap and water? We got it, it's here.

The Khutbah is soap and water. The Salat is soap and water. Yes. The Quran is soap and water. The Hadith of Prophet Muhammad is soap and water. And where are you? You're staying away from the soap and the water and you say your problem is that you're too filthy? Come to the soap and water.

Then there are some that say they don't want to come around, because "I'm too wicked. My mind is too evil."

But where is the power to turn the mind right again? It's in the guidance of God, and you don't find the guidance of God in the society with the wicked—in the streets with the wicked.

Don't stay out there with them even if you wake up this morn ing and say, "Oh Allah, I wish I had never come to Islam."

As soon as you can get yourself into a better frame of mind, and the least thought of goodness comes to you, say, "God, forgive me for what I said. I'm on my way out to the masjid."

Go to the masjid. If it's not open, get the Quran and read. Begin with Al-Faatiha, say "Ameen." Then read the first verses of Al-Bakhurah and read and read and read. You'll be guided. You'll be saved. This is our salvation.

(To be continued)

Peace be to you
Vour brother in service to Allah,
Wallace D. Muhammad