07/18/1987
IWDM Study Library
Radio Interview Meadowlands NJ

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed
Interviewer: We have Imam W D Mohammed; we're going to conduct a live interview with him. Brother, Iman, we would like to welcome you to this area, to the city of Newark and to the state of New Jersey. It's an honor to conduct this interview with you, Salam Alaikum.
IWDM: Alaikum Salam and thank you.
Interviewer: Imam, we would just like to ask you how are you enjoying yourself so far since you've been in the area here with the Muslims in the north east part of the United States.
IWDM: Just delighted and very pleased with what I'm witnessing out here.
Interviewer: All praises be to Allah. Brother Imam, how do you feel about this effort that is being taken place here today at this beautiful, prestigious Meadowlands arena today.
IWDM: First, I would like to make a comment on the effect of this effort not for the day, but for days, months and years to come, on the spirit of Muslim. Whenever we gather like this, it does so much for our spirit as Muslims, that really, we can't plant any monetary value on it. We can't really estimate its value correctly, because there's so many benefits we're going to derive because of gathering like this. Personally, as families and as a community.
Interviewer: Yes, sir. All praises be to Allah. Brother Imam, is there anything you would like to say, because right now we're hooked in to about 26,000 television sets in the city of Newark, which represents the viewing audience of over 100,000 people. Is there anything that you would like to those residents back there in the city of Newark?
IWDM: Certainly. I always want to tell Muslims, that we are in an excellent situation, no matter where we are in the world. If we are really Muslim, we are in an excellent situation. Because if we are really Muslims, we're going to benefit from the Quran, we're going to benefit from the life example of the Prophet, peace be upon him. And we're going to benefit from the fact that we are Muslims and from other Muslims who are around us, that a true to the content of the Muslim life, we're going to benefit from them.
That puts us in an excellent situation. Being in America, I said anywhere in the world, if you're a Muslim, it puts you in an excellent situation. Being in America, I'm convinced and maybe sometimes I'm a little over enthused in encouraging this kind of hope and this kind of faith in the situation for us in America. But I'm convinced that the best of what America's idea of democracy, America's idea of human excellence, the best of what that idea stands for is not only in agreement and compatible with the similar excellence that we find in our religion in the Quran and in the teachings of the Prophet, peace be upon him. But it is really a sister to that teaching. So much so, that I wonder sometimes if they weren't reading the Quran, when they were formulating their ideas.
Interviewer: All praises be to Allah, brother Imam and you're listening to a live broadcast here at the Meadowlands arena and we were bringing you W. Deen Mohammed, live and just stay tuned, because we will be bringing you the theme sacred life connections also. Also, brother Imam, I understand about a year or so ago, you were appointed to the prestigious council of- the supreme council of Masajid. Which represents the Rabita in a Muslim world. Can you briefly tell us something about that position, brother Imam?
IWDM: Yes, as you know, Rabita is based in holy Mecca, in sacred Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. For several years now, Rabita has been actively trying to seek ways to lend assistance and make a positive contribution to the effort of Muslims in the West, in America. As you know, Rabita has made a lot of contributions to Muslims overseas, like in neighboring countries, in the vicinity of Arabia and in Africa and even in Asia. But many people are not aware that for the last few years, Rabita has been very aggressively trying to find ways to make pure and sincere religious contributions to the efforts of good Muslims in America.
They have lent their assistance to us, since I became the Imam. We received Qurans from them and they paid for a very excellent Islamic publications that we all benefited from, that were printed over here and distributed over here. Now, they have included me in the leadership, representing World Council of Mosques or Masajid as one of the representatives in the West, in America. I think they're two, myself and then there's another person.
I've met for the first time with the leaders of the Majalis, of the Council. We hope to have another meeting this is September. What I'm trying to say is that this is new area for me. I have to myself, feel my way and find how best I can serve. I have a strong desire to help this council of Masajid, council of masjids or Mosques to assist. All that we are we just is a servant body, seeking ways to assist the efforts of Muslims in America and the council throughout the world, for the council throughout the world, but for myself in America, you see. I think a lot of good is going to come out of it.
We have great intellectual minds in the Islamic world. This council is a situation for bringing a lot of those excellent minds together to address the problems, the local problems of Muslims. I think about meeting together and sharing our ideas and sharing our insights and observations and being benefitted through the concept of Shura, mutual consultations. That in time, I expect a lot of good help, a lot of good and excellent help, to come from the Majlis, from the Supreme Council to the Local Muslims of America.
When I say Muslim, I mean Muslim. Any group identified as a Muslim, we're not to judge them. Any group that identifies as Muslim we won't judge them. That's not our business to judge them, we accept them. If they say they're Muslims, we have to accept them. If they accept our assistance, which is advice, not money. It's advice, Islamic advice. Rabita lends also some financial assistance, but that's not my role in this at all.
Interviewer: Yes, sir. All praises be to Allah. You’re listening to a live interview being conducted here at the Meadowlands arena. And we are interviewing W. Deen Mohammed who is an Islamic scholar and he is internationally known here in the United States and the world. Brother Imam, is there any advice you would like to give to the Muslims here in this area, all Muslims?
IWDM: Yes, as Prophet Muhammad said, peace be upon him, live with the idea, with expectation that you're going to be on this earth forever and live with the idea that we can go the next moment. Be ready for G-d and the judgment, but be ready also to work hard and make progress and establish yourself on this Earth.
Interviewer: Yes, sir. All praise be to Allah. You're listening to our live interview being conducted here at the Meadowlands Arena and we are interviewing W. Deen Mohammed. We will be shortly hearing from. And his theme will be sacred life connection. W. Deen Mohammed, brother Imam, I know you have been all over the country with the theme sacred life connections. Will you be continuing that theme as you go around the country?
IWDM: Yes, I do believe so. I do believe so. It's possible that we may at some time in the future change the theme, but I don't think we going to change the focus of our interest. This theme permits us to address the possibility for the individual as a Muslim and as a member of a democratic society. The possibilities for the individual and to address all other needs by means of this kind of focus. That is focusing upon the individual. The possibilities for society if individuals get the right opportunity for themselves.
Interviewer: All praise be to Allah. Okay. Brother Imam, we would like to thank you very much for granting us this interview and we hope that you will continue to enjoy your stay with us here in Newark, New Jersey area and in northeastern part of the United States. As Salaam Alaikum.


