01/21/1988
IWDM Study Library
Speech at UCLA 
Los Angeles CA

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed
Thank you, and, As-salaam-Alaykum
Audience: Wa-Alaykum-salaam.
That is peace be unto you, I always say that. I never take for granted that people know what we're saying when we say As-salaam-Alaykum. We begin in G-d's name, in Allah's name and we seek His blessings and His approval, and we pray the peace and the blessings of Allah upon Muhammad the last and universal prophet. I have thought about the topic here for some time and very seriously. I have started several times to approach the topic and torn up at least three attempts, I just scrapped it. And I said to myself, "Well, I have some experience on the campuses, and usually I'm boycotted, and people present are mostly the members of our community," I said I'll just wait until I see the audience and the I'll decide the direction I'll take.
Most of the audiences that I have addressed on campuses I would say in circumstances where we were not ourselves, the organizers and the planners for the meeting, I found that the people in attendance, most of them expected a sermon. They thought we were coming to try to convert them to our religion. I want you to know that I would love to give you a sermon, and I would love to convert you to our religion but that's not what we're going to do, what we're going to attempt to do. That’s not at all attempting to convert anybody to our religion and I hope that you'll not be disappointed.
Sometimes I find that the members in the audience are disappointed because I don't come with the religion. In fact, I've had some of them tell me after the address, they say "I've really heard a lot about your preaching and I came to hear you preach." I don't know, it makes it very difficult sometimes for me, I don't know about the rest of the Imams in the community, but for me it’s very difficult. When I come and address audiences on campuses like this, this is a very special opportunity for us here on this very huge campus of 20,000 or more? Yes.
Understand that I don't claim to be a learned person or a wise person. I don't think of myself as that. I don't think of myself as an intellectual or scholar. I would like to be but I don't think of myself as that. I'm fifty-something years old now and I still have a desire to return to school, and perhaps to get a degree, working hard at it anyway, and get a college degree. But as I've said, I don't think of myself as such. But I have great faith in knowledge, real knowledge. And I believe that religious people who are open-minded, they have available to them the sacred revelation, the sacred book, and if you're sincerely studying your sacred book, you will gain insights that most people will not gain, who perhaps are wiser than you in the eyes of the world.
I'm going to first read a statement that I had put together here. A statement that I hope will at least show what our main concern is as African Americans. And after reading this very brief statement, then I want to point to some situations in the African American community, then conclude it and invite questions. I have always understood the members of our race to be one people. And I saw our oneness or sameness or unity, not in the way we have tried to advanced ourselves here in America, not even in the way we feel about ourselves here in America. But I saw that unity coming from the conditions that all of us have behind us. And that is the condition of slavery.
We are children from a time of slavery here in America. And no matter how long we live, we will always be a people who had their beginning here in America in slavery. Together we share a beginning with slavery in America, we share the deep hurt of racial abuse and knowledge of its effect on men of all nations and the tendency on their part to look down at us. Though in this hurt, we are one united race our differing perceptions, and perceptions conditioned attitudes hold us in a state of ethnic nakedness.
Now, I'm sure I'm going to get some questions. In one view is the core to our dilemma as I understand it, that is fragmented perception of community life, its nature, its involvement and how it should progress. The worst effect being the alienation of ethnic-racial value. If it wasn't for this condition, I believe we would be a viable community, a viable social group, holding its own in America's race for the blessings of liberty. By the blessings of liberty, I mean, all the things that people expect to have and enjoy in this land of opportunity.
As a people, we are held down by an alarming measure of disharmony in the life of our values, or in the context of our values. Generation after generation, what should be the unity in our diversity seems to have escaped us or escaped our notice, generation after generation. Unfortunately, we are the single body in America's ethnic plurality having little or no group instincts for finding social harmony and promoting it. By social here is meant really the beginning of social life, the family, family values. Family life and family values, but I don't mean to limit it to that circle of social life, but that is the main recognition here.
While Muslims would be joyful if our racial lot would come to unity in the matter of religion. Our knowledge in religion binds us to extend open invitation, we call dawah, open invitation and work to lift up the best examples of Muslim life and its excellence, or with its excellence. Then where is the focus of accord, or unity despite our diversity as a people? Maybe this key element, to focus our unity is not presentable, not reachable. Maybe we have to bring help to the social perception of the common people of our race. At any rate, we are convinced the difference in social perception among the lot of us will not prevent us from growing all together into a harmony of basic social values.
Most of us belong to religion or identify with religion, that is, the African-American people. And most of us identify either as Christian or Muslim. There is more ground for unity and cooperation than I believe most of us realize, that is for Christians and Muslims. We share essentially the same basic values. I believe if there was a coming together of representatives of these concerns from our side and the Christian side, and even those who don't choose to come under the identity or label of religion. There is opportunity for us to recognize common interests and work on improving the perception of social life and basic social values for all the members of our race. We look at the activity in our life as a people, and we see more energy being spent on the things that enlighten people in religion considered to be frivolous, of little value, of little meaning to the real essential life of a people. That is, in terms of how they should be directed, what should be the lasting interests.
The social life is affected, as you know, mainly by material involvement, spiritual involvement, political involvement, cultural involvement, entertainment. It seems that our race is a race that is alienated internally, not only the group but individuals also. Individuals lack a perception of what should be the unity of their life and what should be working to preserve that unity. Individual spends his earning on weekend pleasures and not realize, week after week, that he is wasting his earnings. The family will be neglected. He will be neglected. His community will be neglected and he will never be aware or he never cares about it. He's just happy to enjoy what we call frivolous involvement. The race when we look at our race as a whole, our race has been depicted as entertainers, singers, dancers, entertainers.
When I look at most of the Christian activity that I see, most of the church activities that I see, when I look at most of the rallies that I see, African-Americans come together for political concerns or whatever, I see too much of this entertainment in us. Now we've been criticized for this by outsiders. If it's true, real help comes when we criticize ourselves, when we criticize ourselves. And Muslims, more so than most of us, have been the most willing, I would say, to look at ourselves and criticize our own selves.
I was talking to an acquaintance of mine very recently and he told me that on the holiday of Martin Luther King, a person that we all benefited from, or was benefited by and respect. We greatly and highly respect him though we didn't buy his philosophy and I don't buy it. But I respect it and I admire it and I appreciate what it accomplished. This person told me, he said, and this is what I would call a black activist, told me, said, "Well, it’s good you didn't get in touch with me yesterday. I was at a party." Now, I don't know. I wasn't able to follow that up and see what was the nature of that party. But I imagine that it was just a party. And that the highlights of the evening, was dancing, drinking and having fun.
We should seriously look at our situation. Some of us because of our experience and our training our education, we will look at the African-American people and we say, "Oh, we have to improve the political life of African-Americans." Others will say we have to improve the academic life of the African-American. It just goes on and on. I used to think we have to improve the moral life of the African-American. And these are very serious needs, all of them. Business, morality, education, all very, very serious needs and concerns, especially for us. However, I came to the conclusion that we need to improve the social conscience of the African-Americans. And that's where the problem really lies. That's the key factor. That's the core of the problem. And if we improve that sensitivity, we will have less wasting of our resources. We'll have less of this silly behavior on our part. We'll have a more serious African-American person and a more productive African-American people. Thank you very much.
Host: Brothers and sisters at this time Do you have questions? Those of you who have questions could you come over the side here to the microphone. We'll take questions for the next 10 or 15 minutes perhaps. If you have questions. If you would give your name, we'd appreciate that as well. Thank you. Could you check that mic to see if it's working for her? Please go right ahead.
Questioner: 
IWDM: Well, I'm very sorry. We found over the years that the best way to handle our itinerary, the best way to keep our itinerary, and a good way that we can manage it well and have no problem is for persons who have outside matters, matters outside of the purpose for our presence here. If they would try to get an audience with me before the scheduled occasion it would be much better. Sometimes I accept to speak with someone like yourself or who come to me as you have come to me here tonight. But I don't like to do that. Really, it’s hard for me to really answer you or respond because I don't know what the matter is, you know that you want to bring to me. I have no knowledge at all. I don't have the faintest idea of what it could be. So, I would appreciate it if you would find some good brother or sister that is in touch with me to bring that matter to my attention. And I'll get right back to you as soon as I can.
Wa alaikum salaam
Host: Are there any other questions? Yes, here coming up. Those of you who have questions, you don't have to wait till someone leaves. You can go up that way we can move on a little quicker.
Questioner:
IWDM: Yes, a sense of organization for one's social life, family life, an understanding of the role of family life in society. How good organized families account for industry, health, progress, et cetera, in society. Poorly organized families are usually the reasons why there is not that kind of activity and growth in the society. That's mainly what we mean, to have a healthier perception of family, its meaning for each of the members of the family and its meaning for the society.
Questioner: As Salaam alaikum.
IWDM: Alaikum Salaam.
Questioner:
IWDM: Thank you very much. Tell her I'm going to try to follow her lead. Congratulations.
Questioner:
IWDM: Dubois, and before him Frederick Douglass, they brought to our attention concerns that we're not political as much as they were just human concern. Dubois, he said, our race will fare well or advance in the measure that we are willing to teach our children to think. I don't think we can answer that question satisfactory without coming back to the need for re-education. Those great men before us they called our attention to the need for re-education. And that need is still here, no matter how much we learn in these fine institutions, or these great campuses of giants, that education is specialized. I haven't seen a specialized course yet in African-American problem that's worth anything. I've seen some great writings, but I haven't seen a course yet that's worth anything. I'm talking about Black Studies.` I would say, they should be aware that this country is now being populated by people of the third world. There are numbers here in this country are growing. This is a country of freedom and opportunity and competition. More and more, we are going to be in competition with more than just white folks. Even the white folks here have to realize that they are going to be in competition with non-whites. In fact, they already are and I'm sure they realize it. More of us need to realize this, that there's a big price for this freedom in America. It's the greatest freedom perhaps, in terms of how far you can go, how much of your own imagined the idea of life you can realize. It is in my opinion, the most costly freedom, there's no freedom that is bought at a higher price than the freedom of American people. Maybe if they are told that, they will think again, I don't know.
Questioner:
IWDM: That's Not just a problem for us that's a problem for Americans. I don't know, when they clamp up tight enough is then you can say to them. They turn you off and tune you out, there's nothing you can say. And you have to just keep an eye on them the best you can, and hope that you will be around to stop them, or prevent their destruction in an emergency situation. Sometimes our continued desperate efforts to call them back or to turn them around drives them more in the direction that they're going. You reach a point where you're not helping at all you're hurting by even addressing their situation. I don’t know.
I think this has to be left to the heart of each person, each father, each mother, the family, it has to be left to the heart of the person that's suffering this. And the best we can do is just help to them. There is a good media program on Television, maybe they'll accidentally wake up and the right discussion will be on TV, maybe that'll turn them around. I don’t know.
But our people shouldn't be vulnerable that much to the influences in the society. I don't blame it on the family. I don't blame that behavior on the family. I blame it on society, mainly on society. Families have a role in it, but I blame it mainly on society We live in a trendy world, a trendy society. And there's the season for intelligent behavior, and a season for foolishness. And when the season for foolishness comes around, if you haven't gotten your life grounded, in an ideology or religion or some discipline of religion, church life, mosque life that’s masjid life or something, then you're going to be wiped out.
I can imagine it was maybe 10 years ago or more, I heard this guy that started the disco dancing, he was a great influence as a personality in getting that disco thing just going, to sweep America and a world now almost. He said, "We are going to knock their lights out." Now, I don't know whether he aware of what he's saying or not, but that kind of thing has knocked their lights out. We should work on strengthening the traditional life that has accounted for our strength, health, and progress, whether it be church people, Muslims, or any others, we should work on strengthening that traditional life. If we do it sensibly, and don't try to pretend to be more than what we are.
A lot of times our children turn away from us because we consciously, or without knowledge presented ourselves as being bigger than what we really are. I make a point of letting my children know that I don't know everything and I have problems too. Sometimes I bring my children problems, daddy got a problem and he's in trouble. If they see you just as human beings and they know you love them, and you let them know that your strength is not limited to you and your little small circle, that your strength comes from something bigger than you. Then you have less problems with them. When they run into trouble, they even may come to you.
Questioner:
IWDM: Well, thank you sir. Well, maybe you've done everything that you can do. Just make sure they are aware of what you're doing, what you are all about. Make sure that they're aware. Find some way to circulate the information. And be highly selective. Because a thousand nothings representing nothing.
Speaker 8: We're having a conference this Saturday at Islamic Center at 11:30. The topic is Peer Pressure. We'll talk about some dress code, drugs, dating, teenage gangs and entertainment. 11:30 to 3:00.
IWDM: Thank you.


