1985-August-30

Muslim Journal

Muslims Are Contenders

Imam W. Deen Muhammad

(Editor's note: This article is based on remarks Imam W. Deen Muhammad made during a recent address in Camden, N.J.)

IF YOU are believers in God, if you are believers in Allah, in the Qur'an, and in Muhammad the Prophet may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and you have accepted it consciously, and you are serious, and you are not playing — you are a great contender, you are a great foe, you are a great match for the best they have in the world.

Muslims are not to think that our situation is bad. In terms of heaven and hell, it's bad; it's bad because we aren't in heaven — we're close to hell. But in terms of how you can fare in a competition with other men, women and communities, your situation is better than theirs.

ALLAH SAYS He has revealed this religion for the purpose that it may prevail over all the religions, though the polytheists dislike it. Those who worship more than one god may dislike it, But God says, though they dislike it. it's going to happen anyway. And again. God says, if you are believers, then you shall triumph; if you are believers, you shall overcome. You shall be the victors, not the defeated.

God also says that if you help Him, He surely will help you. And He says in His Book, the Qur'an, the Last of the Revelations: "And for all who God helps, there is none to defeat them." So we don't expect defeat; we expect victory.

Just because I lose something from my own personal self, or my family situation is not good — even if the whole community of Muslims is not good, that's no sign that Muslims are defeated. Because it is often in the darkest days that the greatest victory comes.

THE DISBELIEVERS in the time of the Prophet upon this Earth (peace be upon him) were strutting around showing off their superiority, their greater numbers, their greater forces, their control, their power that they had over the Muslims. They were strutting around showing it off and laughing at the Muslims, and ridiculing and treating them as though they were a pitiful laughing stock.

But Allah says in the Book, "Laugh now, weep much later." That came to pass. We're not talking about anything we can't prove. That came to pass. Those who laughed then came to weep much later. So we're setting out with a little more than faith. We have a record of success that if you follow this religion as it should be followed, there is none to defeat you.

DOES IT MEAN you won't have a setback? No, it doesn't mean that. Muhammad the Prophet, peace be upon him and his companions and followers, had setbacks. They had defeats. It was like a battle lost, but the war was won. When we go look at that land now, where the battle took place, it's not under pagans, it's under Muslims.

THEIR MAIN PURPOSE was to deny the public the right to hear the message of Muhammad, the Qur'an. That was their main purpose. They wanted lo persecute the Word of God, and keep it from reaching the ears of the common people. That was their main purpose.

Not only the common people, but other men too -men on high, too. They feared that some of them may receive it and be influenced and change their lives and join the force, Yes. That was their main purpose. So we look now at history — did they succeed? They were defeated!