1978-May-5

Bilalian News

The People Of Truth

Imam W. Deen Muhammad

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

As-Salaam-Alaikum

(Excerpts from a Khutbah delivered by Emam Wallace D. Muhammad at Jumah Prayer, March 24, 1978)

I would like to begin the Khutbah today with a reading from the second chapter, of the Quran. The verse on righteousness:

"It is not righteousness that you turn your face towards East or West; but it is righteousness to believe, have faith in God, in the Last Day, in the Angels, in the Revealed Books and the Messengers.

"And to give, spend of your substance, your earnings out of love for Him on your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer."

That means the person who is out of doors and has no place to stay. A person of the road. We have heard the expression, "child of the road."

"For those who beg, who are poor, poverty stricken and have to beg."

We don't know if you have to beg or not, but if someone comes to us begging we are not to turn them away unless we know they are dishonest. We are not to turn them away without knowledge that they are dishonest.

"For those who ask or beg and for the freeing of slaves, and to be steadfast in prayer.
"And to practice regular charity, to fulfill the contracts (agreements) which you have made.

"To be firm and steadfast while suffering pain and adversity or difficulties and throughout all periods of panic, such are the people of truth, the God-fearing."

(Quranic quotes from Arabic translations by Maulana Abdullah Yusuf Ali—See Quran Ch. 2:177.)

MUSLIM LIFE PART III
(excerpts)

"THE PEOPLE OF TRUTH" The Muslims are people that live truthful lives; they are the truthful people. They have established a life on truth.

It is something to claim righteousness, but to keep faith from being void, we have to establish a life of good deeds, of obedience to God, of faithfulness in the religion, of service to the needy, to the just cause, to the good cause. To be an all-around Muslim, not a part Muslim, is what establishes you as a person worthy to be treated as a good doer, a righteous person.

The righteousness is not in rituals or formalities. The Muslim cannot live just the life of show, the life of form, or formalities. He can't merely step or gesture like a Muslim and be a Muslim.

The Muslim should never put more importance on physical form than on the form of his conscience, his deeds. The conscience has to be right and the deeds have to be right.

It is not enough just to take on the outer looks of the Muslim, to say As-Salaam-Alaikum, AI-Hamdulillah, Inshe-Allah. But what's behind that? It's not enough to wear a fez or some head wrap, a beard and come in and make Salat and go out and live the life that is not the life prescribed for us in the Quran. We have to live the life prescribed for us in the Quran.

There is no religion to equal or to be compared with this religion. This is the best religion. If anyone wants to be right, all they have to do is live the Quran. That's all you have to do, and you will be the best people.

In fact, Allah, the Most High, says in the Quran: "Let there rise up a community out of you (the followers of Prophet Muhammad) inviting to all that is good and resisting all that is wrong." He says that this is the community that will be successful. Allah refers to the community of the Muslims, the followers of Prophet Muhammad as the best community raised, not just for themselves — "raised for humanity." Allah tells us in the Quran that He has made us the best community. That He has made us best not just for our own good, not that we should be a selfish group of people, boasting in our superiority over Christians or Jews, but that we should serve humanity. As a witness, as an example.

If my life is an example to non-Muslims, then my life is an inspiration to non-Muslims. My life is nourishment to non-Muslims. But if the non-Muslim never sees my good
Muslim life, what good is my preaching?

People just don't want to hear talk. People will listen to your talk, but as soon as they hear your talk, they start to observe your actions.

What is their work? They talk good; what are they doing in their community? What kind of life are they establishing? What are they doing for themselves and other people? How do they treat each other and how do they treat other people? That's what people want to know. How much good are they doing in their communities?

Are they just talking or are they doing good works? We know they say they don't lie; they don't steal; they don't commit crimes; they don't live wasteful lives; they don't dissipate their lives in vulgarity or in filthy kinds of activities; they are not lustful; they are not lewd people.

"We hear this," they say, "but is it true?"

Somebody may say, "Well, I know some that are lustful, criminal, lewd, not trustworthy, don't pay their bills, have a bad reputation for failing to meet their commitments, have a bad reputation for failing to fulfill their promises. They sound good, but I can't trust those people.

Who is hurt? The propagation is hurt; we lose faith in this community. The people say they are nothing but people who give lip-service.

Allah tells us in the Quran that you will not be accepted by merely giving lip-service. You have to produce the deeds to back up what you say. And all through the Quran, Allah, the Most High God, says, "Those whose faith is not without the substance of righteous deeds (works)."

Those who have faith, they have pledged the faith, and they back it up with good works.

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