1992-May-15

Muslim Journal

Excerpts from Al-Islam: Unity and Leadership, pages 148-152

Imam W. Deen Mohammed

Let Us Not Forget

About one hundred twenty-five years ago our African American fore-parents were freed from the current form of slavery in world history. Let us not forget our fearless ones: Nat Turner and the other examples of the African rare (raw) courage. Let us not forget Frederick Douglass. It was our proven raw courage and virtuousness and wisdom that served us so well to attract to our cause and to our side the necessary support from those of a better mind in the racial family of this once racist Nation (the South and the North). In times of the worst circumstances, something great was working in our hearts to win the opposition to our side.

However, better times could not come without great sacrifice and great suffering. It came because of a minority with a strong moral will to insist that the United States treat its minority outcast as humans. Let us not forget what endeared better Americans to our side. When we talk about the majority, we have to say that the majority were savagely cruel to-ward us for our claim on humanity. Had we claimed nothing but employment (jobs), "whites" bitterly and desperately selfish would have made sure we stayed employed.

Some body of individuals have made racism and racial minorities prey for their convenience-for economic exploitation, divisiveness, and for transferring and redirecting both surfacing and potential hostilities. We are making great progress with Christians and Jews and Muslims working on these problems of race and religious bigotry. But do not forget that the Frankenstein, the Vampire, and the Wolfman groups are not all healed. Some still wait to be shocked and go about like they are fixed to a jig. Some still invite us to join the living dead. Some still can't open the eye wide to the mystic night without going wild.

Muslims, let us not resurrect these bad-times mutant creatures. Without human excellence for mental, moral and social maturity, in a thickly populated heavily loaded rapid-fire world, there will be those who go to the unreal, where the needed support of knowledge is missing, for escape under the covers. Our religion stands up and presents us in the light, not in the shadows.

Al-Islam is the religion that has been established by the Last Revelation from Allah, the Qur'an, which is intended for all people on this earth and for all times until judgment. Allah has said to us in the Holy Qur'an that "He is going to make this religion the most prevalent religion on this earth, though the rejecters detest it."

You who stay abreast of the news media are aware of prediction that by the Year "2000" Al-Islam will be the second religion in the United States, second in the number of adherents only to Christianity. If the situation is changing as most are inclined to think it is, I will say we can expect that Al-Islam will be first in America not too far in the distant future.

I cannot speak for others, but I do not owe my soul to any except to Allah. And indebtedness to Allah is indebtedness to decency and uprightness. Allah does not obligate me to indecent people. I owe the committed criminals nothing. I owe the self-committed immoral people nothing. I owe the haters of righteousness nothing. I owe the ruthless and arrogant people nothing.

I am thankful to Allah and I feel good while conscious of being an American. What Allah allows me should be allowed in America. What Allah does not allow me should not be allowed in America. When I look at an American value and find it compatible with my religion, I thank Allah for the situation and I feel overjoyed. I want to be a good citizen of this country: I want to work honestly and openly and sincerely for the good of the United States and for all people of this country.

A Muslim is obligated first to live his Muslim life as Allah revealed it in the Qur'an and as demonstrated in the life of our Prophet Muhammed. Al-Islam was before the United States and will be after the United States. Believe me, African Americans do want to grow up more. We have to latch on to something bigger than the United States. Latch on to something that has more permanence than politically formed systems. Latch on to something that has a higher principle, a higher value than political systems. Do that and we will become the best citizens, the best citizens of the United States are those who have a high principle ruling over their behavior. Such people live in worlds bigger than geographical boundaries.

Our established religious values make for a bigger world. Worldly values change with the winds of pop culture. Those with their behavior mold established for them in established religion belong to a life bigger, more meaningful and more lasting. Those nations are stronger and better preserved that are blessed to have such citizens in large numbers. It is a good feeling knowing you belong to those precious numbers: "I am a Muslim. My life is before this world in the dimensions of time and my life (Muslim life) survives to out live pop cultures and even nations."

Nothing offers the African American what Al-Islam offers. Al-Islam offers a situation for us to immediately leave the image of inferiors. Al-Islam ("Islam") immediately establishes us with or above all others. Al-Islam offers the African American an opportunity to get rid of the identity problem mothered by racism. "Al-Islam gets rid of that right away.

"Any Means Necessary?"

The point is that in wars with ruthless armies of the West Muslims' hands were tied. The hands of the West were not tied. If the West wants to achieve a thing, then nothing is barred. "All is fair in love and war," a western quote. Want to talk about "by any means necessary?" Then look at the Conquering West. The Muslims couldn't engage the use of cruel weapons invented by and mass produced by the West. The character of the wars conducted by the West took the spirit for war out of the Muslims. The Turks tried "firepower" and they couldn't hang in. The last great Muslim government (Nation) to fall to western domination was that of the Turks. At any rate, the Turks were brave soldiers and fought with novel weapons. But still their hearts were not conditioned for engaging the West in what was to come in the form of war-regulated economies.

Again, the point is it was not Allah's intention (the Qur'an and Allah's Messenger's Life) that the Muslims compete with the West for territory and global dominance. "Allah will not give paradise to any who wants a dominance or a corruption upon the earth." (Qur'an) The Muslims today own more than fifty per cent of the natural energy resources. The resources with Muslims also include gold, diamonds, and other precious minerals. So did the West really win what it fought for? The West has another side, that I acknowledge.

Behaved savagely, put a lot of people in misery, occupied their homes, and before you were ready for it, Allah's justice came. The unjust will have to get out of those homes, give up territories, and behold sand once laughed at, underneath is more wealth than the gardens the unjust gloated over. Recently discovered for Saudi Arabia is another oil deposit that might make past oil deposits look small. Also recently Saudi Arabia has discovered gold. Allah's Mercy is not only coming to the Saudis, it is also coming to other Muslims. Libya and the Gulf States and other Muslim lands are discovering they too are not poor but rich.

It is granted that there is a problem with this comparison. On my own perception I am saying there is a possibility that a sign of Allah's Plan for relief to the Muslims is here given. Allah has said, for the faithful are "Gardens" not depending on rain (watering). There would be rivers flowing under them. A little rain would suffice. (Qur'an reference.) I have no authority for this analogy except my own excitement. However, one thing is certain, under the sands are reserves of oil, energy, and amassed wealth. The money from those reserves has put gardens on the sand. I saw gardens.

In February of 1990 our fifteen-member delegation to Saudi Arabia observed astounding new and often what appeared to be ultra modern developments. I saw a man cutting a lawn where before there was only sand. We saw beautiful flowers where sand was. A man-made lake is now in Saudi Arabia. In this, one might fear that the Royal Kingdom has forgotten its religion. In Saudi Arabia there is a factory for mass production of Qur'ans. Every several minutes Qur'ans are coming off the press. There are cassette tapes of the Qur'an also being mass produced rapidly. Only the superior recitation by reciters, editors (checkers), and high quality production are accepted at the site for this large scale printing. The machines they were using are produced here in the United States. I may say the factory in Saudi Arabia is really "rolling" with Roland. The best machinery available in the United States is run by Saudis at the Qur'an printing factory.

I wish not to say that Americans are uncivilized. We have some of the best of civilized people contributing true human character and excellence to the history of America. But we know that when we look at the character of this people of the West in their quest for control of the global community, on the human behavior side the "West" is shamefully void. When we look at the whole history of our country's presence in other lands, we are looking at something awfully ugly in the eyes of most Americans and the world.