1986-September-26

Muslim Journal

We Must Project The True Image Of Al-Islam: Part 8

Imam W. Deen Muhammad

(Editor's note: This is the final installment from Imam W Deen Muhammad's July 20 address at Cobo Arena in Detroit.)

I thank God I've never given my whole soul to the United States of America. I give my whole soul to Allah and to obedience to His Word and to following His Prophet, Peace be upon him, and his Sunnah end pattern of conduct. That's what I've given my whole soul to.

And because I'd give my whole soul to that, I can live in America and survive the life of America. I can live in America while America is disappointing, crushing and working vehemently to see my life end. I can still live in America with hope, because what I have will outlive America. What I have is bigger than America, and I invite you to join what I have.

What they fear will happen among us is that we will come into an independent vision that will direct our lives and hold a purpose for the whole race; a vision that will hold for us the purpose that all men's lives were created for. They fear that-independently we will come into such a vision.

Now here is the sad truth: Not only does the America white man, but also many of our Muslim brothers and sisters in Muslim lands fear us coming into an independent vision. They will make us think that we are being racist when we support one of our own as our leader. They will make us feel as though we are un-Islamic in some way, because we say, Imam W. Deen Muhammad is our leader.

They don't want us to address race issues. They don't want us to address the long, tiring problem of the African-America man. They don't want us to address our people's dilemma. They say, "don't talk about that, just tell them what the Qur'an says, and tell them what the Sunnah says."

That's great, but that's medicine. I've got to apply medicine to a sickness. Don't tell me not to use medicine and not to address a sickness. Yes, the Qur'an and the Sunnah is the medicine, and my people are the sickness. I'm going to address the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and Fm going to address my people.

They are afraid that we will find the cause bigger than blind obedience, money, sex and being popular. A cause so big that it will give us the desire to compete with every nation on this earth.
That's in me, and I'm not alone.

There used to be a time when we were targeted to be made fools, and they made us fools. Most of our people fell to their influences and became nothing but a race of fools. Some of us stood in our dignity, but the majority of us became a race of fools.

But times have changed now, and they fear so much that they will lose their secured position of power and dominance to circumst­ances that will get out of control. One of Western society's greatest fears now — and has been for some time — is population growth.

Before all of these pills and contraceptives were manufactured, they were busily alarming the intellectuals to the great threat of population growth. But once they got all the evils lined up to exter­minate the ignorant overload in the population, they stopped talk­ing about population growth. It stopped being a heated issue for them. Why? Simply because you are being sterilized, exterminated and eliminated by crime life, narcotics, vandalism, self-destruction and self-abuse. Its doing away with you. They don't have to worry about controlling the population anymore.

And teenage girls can now take their parents to court, if their parents stand against them in getting an abortion. Youngsters are threatening their parents telling them: 'I'll have you arrested for trying to discipline me.' They are brought into a situation that they can live with. Now they don't have to fear a population explosion that much.

Rut is it a situation that the victims can live with? No. We must open our eyes and under­stand that, we can be righteous good people who are better in our morals than the people who are running this country, but that if we don't have some in­sight into what they are doing and some knowledge of the sys­tem, and its tactics and spans, our virtues and morals won't save us. The good will go down with the bad.

You may say ask: Will God allow that? No! Allah always makes it possible for the victims to have a representative. And I'm not saying that I'm the only representative. There are many. I have a book right now — these people are doing a wonderful job — called "The Black Leadership Family Plan."

It gives a plan of action 'to save the black community. Our families direct our spirit, ener­gies and keep us alert for our life, property and future.

Reverend Walter Faunteroy, the District of Columbia's non­voting Congressman, is one of the representatives of this plan. So is Ossie Davis. I think he's the one who initiated it and many of our political leaders are supporting it.

I believe Tony Brown, the gentleman with the television program out of New York, also is promoting such a plan.

If you would read this book and see what they are advocat­ing as our mission, you will see nothing new. I've been preaching what's in this book for ten years.

But not only have I been preaching what's in this book, others have been preaching too. But we few are seldom heard by many. It takes people whom the media or the government, have made popular to reach the mas­ses of the people.

So, I congratulate them and support this plan, and will do my best to cooperate with what they are doing. But, I want you to know that we had this before they made it. And we are not giving it. up. If things happen like they have been happening in the traditional life of the Afri­can-American, this will last only for a short season, and will be put down and forgotten.

Right now I see tendencies to commercialize it, and it's just in its embryonic stage. So how long can it last?
I don't think it will die fast though. I believe it's going to be around for a while, because there's a strong, urge in our people today to live, survive and come into a better life.
Don't let any appearance, or deficiency in us and in our efforts set you back. They may set us back dollar, real estate and even number-wise, but when it comes to our spiritual commitment, and our will to see our life through, they will not — and Cannot — set us back.

A great leader—a man who stood on the other side of the line when it comes to strategy for success in this country, but nevertheless was admired by many of Muslims and still is admired by many Muslims be­longing to my history—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, once an oppressed people rises up there's no stopping short of full freedom. I believe that.

So they can work against us, use their courts or whatever to unjustly set us back, and take our material and financial pow­er in hopes of breaking the spir­it and will of our community to keep going and realizing its objectives, but they will be­cause what we have is perma­nent. What we have is bigger than the world. It's an attach­ment to God's purpose, and God's purpose is even bigger than this world. Thank you. As-Salaam-Alaikum.