1990-August-3

Muslim Journal

“Islam” The Solution For America: Part 3

Imam W. Deen Mohammed

(This address was given by Imam W. Deen Mohammed at Masjid Al-Fatir on Sunday, March 30,1990. It has now been prepared by Imam Mohammed for Muslim Journal's Readers.)

PLEASURE OF SUCCESS AKIN TO PLEASURE OF QUR'AN

A Muslim can go into politics and aspire to be the Mayor of this City, or the President of these United States, or the Governor of Illinois, or a member of Congress, or a Senator and be not burdened by a spiritual-world-material-world contradiction. When the Muslim obeys the Religion, the pleasure of success on the job is akin to the pleasure of reading Qur'an.

What do I mean by that? I have no fear when I read the Qur'an that I am doing the right thing. Allah gives this Qur'an to us. I know this is what Allah loves. I know He loves that I read the Qur'an. I know He wants me to love the Qur'an. I know He wants me to put it in my heart and in my head. I know that. Allah wants it to go into my soul and into my spirit.

I should be likewise at ease when at work in my field of endeavors as an obedient Muslim. Allah says, "He made to be utilized by you (man) whatever is in the skies and in the earth."

ALLAH CREATED POSSIBILITIES FOR MAN

What I am saying is that you can go into any field of endeavor that Allah approves. And Allah approves everything; the wrong use we make of things is what Allah disapproves.

Allah created the skies and the earth and everything between them and also man. (Qur'an) He created all the possibilities for man, and He says that He did not make men or jinn except for His worship. Allah says "Certainly, I created men and jinn that they only serve (worship) Me."

As long as I serve Allah in science and in religious rites, there is no contradiction. If I am serving Him in spiritual matters and in material matters — no contradiction. Allah loves me. If I make one billion dollars in the business and print one billion Qur'ans or one billion science textbooks, Allah loves me. There is no contradiction.

I can go and join the army and become skilled as an officer. I can become a Captain, a General, a Five Star General, and as long as I am respecting what Allah wants of me in this religion ("Islam"), Allah will give me credit now and in the Hereafter for being a great General. I will find other soldiers there in Paradise saluting me and I, them; "As-Salaam-Alaikum.''

AL-ISLAM IS COMPREHENSIVE – MAINSTREAM RELIGION

Allah says He made this "religion upon the original pattern upon which He made man." This is the religion of the original pattern in the nature of the universe. Allah says that He patterned man on that natural pattern.

Are we getting the idea of what is meant by "comprehensive religion?" And now you can understand why today's writers say in news articles that this religion is "mainstream religion". As for AJ-Islam ("Islam"), I do not want to be in anything but "mainstream".

AMERICA'S MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM IS CONFUSED POWER

Let us shift gears again, When we look at the problem in America, the most serious problem is of confusion. There is a lot of innocence with the confusion. And there is hunger for image and power. Power has become the preoccupation of many activists and rival groups. We are not talking about power per se, but power realized through something.

There is economic power. Protestors have stopped talking about power in dollar possession or capital possession. It is now "economic power". This power means 'the one who has capital wealth also has power'. There is now talk about homosexual power. This is confusion. Homosexual power means voters' power of homosexuals. Homosexuals have now formed a special protest group. Homosexuals have political "power".

Let us read this definition of power from the West by way of television media. "Power is the ability to influence behavior or attitudes of other persons and groups."

For those who want money, I have power with them if I acquire great wealth. If any want my money, then I have power where they are concerned. So it goes for anything else having a potential for power

This definition of power goes on to say, 'The most felt power is institution based." That means government. Government is a great institution, and that power held by the government is a great power.

There are schools which also make up an institution. Therefore, the System of Education holds great power. Businesses, the commercial world, banking, and trade are alt having power and are part of a great power (the system). There is the media (newspapers, radio, TV, etc.), which is great power. There is entertainment (theaters, movies, songs, records, videos, etc.), which is great power.

POWER DEFINITION INCLUDES RELIGION

This definition also includes places of worship. Religion is great power. A society is most often held together by the Institution of religion. We know that in our religion we have many institutions. There is the institution of Zakat (Charity), the institution of Prayer (Salat), and on and on. These universally supported institutions represent the most powerful basis for power. We may say they represent the most concentrated and the most influential power.

Let us look at our religion, Al-Islam. How did it start? Our religion is not a pre-history religion. It is a religion that had its advent during the time that men were recording history. Our religion in the proper concept began — and I say "the proper concept" because our Holy Book tells us every man and every woman was created a Muslim.

DEFINITION OF MUSLIM: PURSUING ALLAH'S AIM

Moreover, every man and woman pursuing the aim Allah put in their nature are today Muslims by nature. We know that adverse interest pulls on us and we are taken from our inherent Muslim aim. Foolishness can take us away from the Muslim aim in our human nature.

Immorality, crime, oppression, hardship, and cruelty can take us away from the inherent directional aim of human nature. Such loss means being off the human course that Allah created us for. But this does not mean that Allah made us to behave against ourselves, Allah did not make us vipers or tigers or pigs or rats or dogs, Allah made us humans. That aim in our nature, as long as we consciously obey it, will keep us Muslim.

All prophets were Muslims. All human beings were Muslims. Prophet Muhammed, the Prayers and the Peace be upon him, said: "Every child born is born a Muslim, and the circumstances make... a non Muslim." Everyone is born a Muslim.

If we look at that broad definition for Muslim, we have to say, even though a Christian may be worshipping Jesus the-Christ Prophet more than he is worshipping God (Allah)f he or she may be Muslim in their spirit. They may still be Muslim, though the orientation has now dominated their Muslim urge.

HUMAN MATURITY

The person carrying a heavy cross may be a Muslim inwardly. So it is for a Jew. So it is for a Communist. So it is for a Buddhist. So it is for a Hindu. You will find many of them inclined in their nature to follow the best direction in their human nature towards their human goal of maturity.

Allah created us for human maturity — not to mature as a dog or rat or beast. He created us to mature in human form. If all of us are seeking that human maturity, we are Muslim in that particular behavior and spirit. I want to guarantee that the majority of the people are Muslim. I don't care what they call themselves, and I do not care for the many labels.

THE WEIGHTY WORD

I want you to know that this religion (AJ-Islam) started very small with only one follower — that one follower was Muhammed the Prophet. He received the revelation (the Qur'an). It was so heavy on him and so disturbing for him, for he never before had any knowledge of an experience like that, He did not come up in Judaism or in Christianity to know about how prophets came into their prophethood.

At his experience, Muhammed was confused and went to his wife (Um Khadijah). She told her husband she knew of a person, and she referred him to that person who could give him some help to understand what he had experienced. That someone was grounded in the Christian prophecies and scripture. That old man told Muhammed, "You are the promised prophet."

Allah continued to inspire him and to open up "his breast" for the revelation of Qur'an and the heavy responsibility of carrying the Message. Allah told Muhammed, "I am going to give you a Weighty Word." And we know our Prophet came to bear the Weighty Word. (To be continued)