05/18/1997
IWDM Study Library
Al-Islam Unity, Diversity, Inclusion-Harlem

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed
We are very happy, pleased filling our hearts, have been blessed to be here to witness the address to this gathering here in Harlem, New York in the United States of America by a very special creation of G-d. This great leader of the Focolare people who is now leading also members of different religions, not only the Catholic community and the Christian community, but now, she is leading even members from the Muslim Ummah, the Muslim community.
I always believe that if we recognize good and support good, we can get nothing but good from it. It wasn't surprising at all for me to hear that a Muslim who had benefited from association with this Focolare group and their movement have become even a better Muslim and decide to practice the five principles that they weren't practicing before. That's not surprising to me at all. In fact, I have from my own experience-
Narrator: Imam Mohammed continued by sharing his experience of growing in the knowledge and understanding of Islam. He explained that motivated by his faith, he was lead to embrace what was good wherever it existed in humanity.
Imam W D Mohammed: and I finally saw that it wasn't good for us to not embrace the good and appreciate the good and support the good that we find in others, whether they belonged to your religion or not. Whether they have your color or not. Whether they are of your nationality or not. If they have good that's benefiting the whole humanity, acknowledge that good, and if you have an opportunity, even support that good. Encourage that good and support that good.
This idea that is in the Focolare Movement is something that our souls, our human souls knows, our soul knows that and our soul wants that, our souls are hungering for that. For that reason, I have embraced them as my friends and I admire them greatly and I believe in their movement, and I consider myself a person who's open to their influences. I'm not closed, I'm open to their influence.


Narrator: Imam Mohammed expressed his conviction that now is the best moment in history of humanity, that it is a new era, not only for Islam but also from many cultural and religious perspectives.
Imam W D Mohammed: It is a great day for us, and let me tell you something. History is being made here in Harlem, New York in Malcolm Shabazz, Malcolm El-Hajj Malik Shabazz mosque right here in Harlem. History is being made. This great lady, I hope that you all will get more literature on the Focolare Movement and read about her, because you should-- Especially you Imams, you leaders, even you business people. All of you leaders. You school teachers. You should know her life story. Al-Islam is a religion of unity.
It begins on that principle that G-d is one, His creation is one whole, is a whole. That there is one universal law for all matter, for all the material things and that everything is related.
Everything is related and G-d has made things different, and human beings too different because he wants that unity to progress. The diversity is to provide the unity with legs, with wheels, with movement so that we can have more movement and more progress.
G-d says that He has made us humanly different by color, by nationality and to encourage us to want to get acquainted with each other. If we get acquainted with each other, we're going to find benefit in you that's not in us. We're going to find help in humanity in you that's not in us. And G-d wants us to bring all this good help together so that humanity will get where G-d wants it to go. Thank you very much. We welcome this great lady. We welcome this great lady and we will keep her in our hearts. As Salaamu-Alaikum.

Narrator: Chiara and Imam Mohammed briefly met again before departing pledging to work together for peace and unity.
Imam W D Mohammed: G-d is my witness you have me as your friend and I will support you. I believe in your leadership.
Chiara Lubich: And I believe in you.


