1987-September-18

Muslim Journal

New Medina: Part 2

Imam W. Deen Muhammad


(Editor's note: This is an excerpt from Imam W. Deen Muhammad's address in New Medina, Mississippi.) 

Just as we need good role models in our homes, we need good role models in the whole of our life. We need a role model for the whole of our life. Men are born to be skilled men in science, some are born to be skilled in the preaching of the word, in art, others in other fields. We need a model of excellence that is universal that all of us can look to and say, there is the complete man, there is the complete human being, acting out his inherent excellence. Many came before with the same seed, but that was not the time, that was not the situation and it was not in God's plan for them at that time, and in no small situation, to demonstrate the universal excellence inherent in man.

However, as I have said, Peace be upon Muhammad the Prophet, He was the one, at the time in the situation to have that excellence acted out, demonstrated in a spiritual way, but more importantly, in a practical way — so that all people could look at him and see what God intended for all people to be. To see what God intended for all men to be. You may say, well I am a musician, I play a flute. How can Muhammad be a model for my interest? He does not have to be a flute player to be the model for your interest. Study his principles, study his temperament, study his rational balance, his truthfulness and most of all his appreciation for God who created everything as well as yourself and your talents.

Study his appreciation for God the Creator, his respect for God's purpose in creation, study his sense for what is excellent arid what is inferior and you will be motivated in your role, by the role of Muhammad, the Prophet, to move on towards greater excellence as a flute player.

It will be Muhammad's role, Muhammad the model, motivating you to excellence. You are important. You are the most important people of this Earth. If you are truly Muslims — you are the most important people of this Earth. Allah created the Earth, He created the people and He intended, it was His will and purpose, that people be Muslim. That they be what He created them to be. He created them Muslim and it is His purpose that they be Muslim. Now if you are the Muslim you are the most important people on this Earth. If you are Muslims, the possibilities for future excellence is greater for you than for any other people on this Earth, If you are really Muslim. I WANT TO REPEAT THAT: Know that if you are really Muslim, the possibility for future excellence is greater in you than it is in any other people. Now, if we were not understanding from the very beginning, I think we can understand now. When we said Muhammad is a mercy to all the world. He is a Messenger to people, to all people and he is sufficient as a leader, sufficient as a model for all people.

I think you can understand that a little better now, if you did not before. Whoever comes to me and demonstrates what God intended me to be, is enough for me. Whoever conies to me and demonstrates what my final role, my characteristic role, my essential role, my inherent role should be in home, in streets, in institutions, everywhere, is enough for me. Whoever comes to me and shows me the way to my final development is enough for me.

Muhammad, God says, is enough for all the people. My soul has hungered since I was a boy, my soul has hungered for the religion that would satisfy it. I was born the son of Elijah Muhammad, who was before called Elijah Poole, but when I was born his son he was not called Elijah Poole. I was born in 1933 and he had been for 2 or 3 years called Elijah Muhammad. Some people say, oh where did you get that name from, say you know you did not get that name from your father and, Clara Muhammad, his wife, my mother. I was borne to those two. And they told me to be a good Muslim from as early as I can remember.

They said, "Wallace, be a good Muslim. Wallace that is not becoming of a good Muslim." That is how they talked to me. They did not hold before me any other image with the importance that they placed on that image, the Muslim image. They could have told me, Wallace live up to what is expected of you as a Negro. That is what we called ourselves when I was a boy. Wallace, live up to what is expected of you as a Black man. That is what we called ourselves in the 60s. But they did not, they never told me, Wallace live up to your Black excellence. Wallace live up to your Negro excellence. They never told me that, but they always told me live up to what is expected of you as a Muslim.

So the identity, the image for me that was impressed upon my mind by my father and my mother and those around me was Muslim. I never was a racist. I was always a Muslim. And my aspiration was always the aspiration of one wanting to be more true, truer to the true image or the right concept of Muslim. That was my aspiration, that was my hope, that was my ambition, that was my dream. And I never, never, never have felt comfortable like I feel now, never before did I feel comfortable like I feel now. And I feel comfortable like this, because Muhammad has directed me to my destiny.

Muhammad has represented for me my destiny, my excellence. You say well, are you there? No, but I see where I am to go and I hope that I will be traveling in the direction of my excellence until I die. I hope I will die, still in movement toward my excellence that God intended for me. I thank Allah, that he sent Muhammad, created him and sent him and established him and made it clear to us, that this religion and this model is for us, Muhammad, the universal model for all people.

What has this got to do with NEW MEDINA. Now, dear beloved people I am going to approach my subject from another direction now. Man has sought a place, a situation, a physical location or a condition that would favor his coming into the great purpose that they perceive God intended for them.

A classic example of this hope in man is given in the life of Moses, Peace be upon Moses, and his people. They were under the oppressive forces of ancient idolatrous EGYPT. But, God did not intend for them to remain in that state, He intended that they be free to live and serve Him as He intended. So He raised up Moses, from among them. And He missioned Moses to lead them out from oppressive Egypt. In one point of their movement away from oppressive Egypt — Moses had to address them on the problem of placing values, placing their values improperly, incorrectly.

(To be continued)
