1989-June-30

Muslim Journal

Sincere Religion

Imam W. Deen Mohammed

Dear Beloved People. I want to see, as many Muslims want to see and included are Christians and other good people of this American society, we want to see our people live up to the excellence in the ideologies and religions we claim. We want to see the members of these societies and religions live up to their excellence! And if we live up to our excellence, we will be motivated by charity just as good Christians are motivated by charity.

Muslims should not live in America and work only for their individual and selfish needs or selfish personal dreams. We must take into account the needs and the dreams of all America. If we do that, we will come into the spirit that Allah wants for us. We will come into the real Islamic spirit of charity. We cannot accomplish that or be successful at that, unless we first of all understand that our main purpose for existing is to serve Allah.

Also understand what is meant by the expression "to serve Allah." Understand the broad implications there, People will rise according to the things that are influencing them and their lives. It can be something happening internally or externally. But there must be something influencing their lives. There is nothing more powerful to influence the rise of life than Allah. Himself. The only reason why people who think they are close to Allah, who think they are completely devoted to Allah, and who think they are sacrificing for Allah's sake totally — the only reason they are not producing and not advancing and not accomplishing in the world is because they do not see right in their religion.

You can love Allah with all of your extreme emotions, but if you cannot see right, you are not going to be consistent. You will not be productive, you will not be advancing in a consistent way. You may be willing to be satisfied with nothing. These are many people who will say, "I need nothing but Allah." That is to say, their love for Allah has made them choose poverty. Allah does not want poverty for us.

Allah's wanting us to choose poverty before we choose sin does not mean Allah wants poverty for us. Allah wants growth for us. And I am speaking from Allah's Words in the Qur'an. Allah wants productivity for us. Allah wants us to grow into situations where we are not dependent upon society, but where many of the members of society can come to us when in need. Allah wants us to grow out of dependency where we can help those who are in situations of dependency. That is what Allah wants for us.

The Prophet Muhammed, the peace and the blessings be upon him, said, "The hand that is giving is better than the hand that is receiving." This is to motivate Muslims to want to give and not be the ones always receiving charity.