September 17, 1993

Muslim Journal

Declaration of Independence & United States Constitution

Imam W. Deen Mohammed

In the Declaration of Independence the herald of our United States and the United States Constitution, we find an identity for man - not all men, for American men, for the citizens of America, we find an identity. And that identity, although expressed in masculine gender is for females also. "We hold these truths be self-evident that all men are created equal." There the Declaration of Independence recognizes a sameness for all people and for all individuals.

"We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator." This most important document is recognizing a Creator, "...are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights." That is with certain rights that should not be violated and cannot be denied as their rights. It goes on to say, "Among these are life..."

The Constitution of the United States does not base itself upon the identity of a race. It does not base itself upon the identity of a nationality. It bases itself upon the common and universal type, the person that all of us are.

I have read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It is not supported by any racial identity and does not give any racial classification for the man (the persons or the citizens) that it is written for. It is not written for a particular racial man or any particular nationalistic man. It is written for the universal man. It is based upon the life needs and aspirations of the universal man, the common type, the person that is in every one of us, the same with no differences.

That is the man (the first man or self) that Allah created. That is the man (and woman) that Allah wants in all of us.

Imam W. Deen Mohammed; Sept. 3, 1989, Chicago