1992-August-21

Muslim Journal

Dealing with Money Problems for the Common Person: Part 4

Imam W. Deen Mohammed

Perception

Most of the people who are unemployed are not even bothered, and that is why they are not employed. Those who are bothered by not being employed, in time they are going to be employed. We have to try to reach not only those who are bothered by their situation, but also those who are not bothered by their situation. I believe that many of us who are now very much alive and active and productive were at some time just like many out there who are not even bothered by their situation.

We changed when something came to our awareness in the form of a message. Our whole mental disposition was changed. It gave us a new way of looking at things. That kind of help does not come instantly. It comes over a period of time being exposed to a particular sensitizer. The sensitizer can be the word of God or it may be something else. However, we have to be sensitized by something. The quickest answer I can give for making change, the change that we should be wanting in our lives, is a change in the way we look at things. It requires a change in perception.

The learned say that that perception is all senses operating together. We think of perception perhaps as perceiving or seeing something with our eyes. That is perception, but the more complete meaning of perception and the richest meaning is that one which combines all senses working together. What we need is mental perception, perception to dawn in the mind or to become clear for us in the mind. Many things affect perception, and perception affects all things for the individual.

Faith

Support from faith, that is the answer. We have heard that "faith can move mountains." It means that if you just had faith, you could accomplish and do so much that you want to do. We need a conditioning to favor us having faith. Faith too is not something we can just easily come by. In fact, we say as Muslims and as people in religion say, "No one can give another one faith." Faith is always the Mercy of God. If we have faith, it is because of God's Mercy.

There is plenty support for us having faith. The life style and its burden on the individual person today and the demand on the individual's attention today make it very difficult for any individual to be in a situation to get help. This is a time that is described in scripture in these words: “No soul will be able to help another in any degree.". No matter how much we try to help our friends or our own relatives, it looks like we are just wasting time – theirs and ours - when they are in that bad situation.

We shouldn't feel so let down when we call the community or the public to an address and they don't respond. Most don't respond at home with each other. So why should we be disappointed if they don't respond when we call them? It is the times, and I am predicting right now that before ten years from this day, we are not going to be able to find facilities big enough for the crowd that will respond. Gradually a change is coming about in the people's perception of Muslims. When that change grows and becomes clear they are going to have the situation they need to act favorably. We are going to see a changed society, a changed public in this country. It is coming.