10/01/1995
IWDM Study Library 
William Patterson College

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed
Peace be on you. Praise G-d. We praise G-d the Lord Sustainer of all the Worlds and we salute with the traditional salute. Muhammad the Prophet, the Prophet of the Qur'an, the Prophet of Islam, the last Prophet, Prayers and Peace be on him and what follows that traditional salutation or salute to the last Prophet. We are very pleased to be here, here on this campus, Wiiliam Patterson State College and to be your guest here. We're grateful to those who sponsored this occasion, Muslim Student Association on the campus and the various Mosque and Masjds of the State of New Jersey. I would like to just present what I think is resemblance to ideas that we have in this country. Maybe not perfect resemblance, but a strong resemblance to ideas that we have in this country. The idea of democracy, free enterprise and democracy. I think that most of us hear the word democracy, we think of fairness. We think of representative government where the people's will and wishes are respected. Involvement by the people. Participation by the people and power with the people. I think that's what we think about when we hear the term, the word democracy in America. And when we hear the expression Free Enterprise system, I think we readily see the picture of business in this country participating for the market.
That the market is open to everybody and anyone who wants to invest is free to do it. But it's a competitive system. Competitive system. The competition, it's very high competition, it's very great. I think that's what comes to our mind when we hear the expression Free Enterprise system. Now to some of us, other things may come to mind. The negative things that we experience in this economy, in this business world of America and for democracy. Negative things will also come to our mind. The minorities, the suffering of the minorities, the plight of minorities and how minorities have to struggle to get recognition and to get fair treatment. All of this may come to our mind and it would take a lot of time to just address those negatives and I'm not intending to address those negatives. I'll simply say this, those negatives exist, but this idea that we have of democracy and a fair or just economic system is real. And all we have to do is look at the history of minorities in America and you'll see that minorities in America have been making progress.
If the system was not a system designed to protect the rights of all of its citizens, then minorities wouldn't have this record of progress. Our minority up from slavery, using the language of the freedom fighters, our minority up from slavery and the women minority and also the other minorities in this country now who are benefiting from progress that was made by the Civil Rights struggle or the Freedom struggle of our people here in this country and those who are benefiting from the struggle of the women in this country to get their right to vote and to participate fully in the system. So we have on the one hand ugliness in the history of this country's system, but on the other hand we have truth that the system does invite competition and encourages competition and is designed to protect the citizens of this country. So what we have is what is called in the language of this country's political idea or science is an elastic, an elastic constitution. A constitution that's not rigid but it's elastic. If it doesn't have what you want in the dimension that you see it in now it's elastic. It can stretch to accommodate more.
And I find a lot of satisfaction in the statement by the Founding Fathers of the system that anytime this system does not work for the people, the people are empowered to make alterations on it or to abolish it completely and bring in a new one, a new system. So this is a very special kind of idea, a very special idea that we have called the American idea. It is a very special idea. It's peculiar, yes, but it is a very special idea and the intent is to have everyone be treated fairly and get their fair share in competition with each other. In competition with each other. This is a free society. Now let's quickly look at Islam. I hope I've made it clear what my attitude is toward this country's basic essential ideas. I think I quickly made that clear what my attitude is. Now let's look at Islam. The economic system of Islam is influenced and actually conceived or perceived in the teachings that was revealed to a man. Allah says of him, a man just like us. That's what, that's what G-d says to us in our Holy Book that was revealed to a man just like us. Mean just like all people. A man, just like all people in humanity.
A man without education. A man, not like the students of Aristotle, or Plato, or any of the brilliantly inspired religious men in our history, but a man who was not a student of any person, not a student of any institution. He was not a student period. A man who had no formal education, no training in education, no training in the scriptures. A man with common sense, a man whose strength was his common sense. That's Muhammad the Prophet of Islam, the last Prophet, a Mercy to all the Worlds. He was a man whose strength was his character, his human character, his model human character, and his common sense. And he is identified also as being a citizen or a member in a group who prided themselves too and their ability to appreciate and recognize and act upon common sense, although they were people in ignorance, they were a backwards society. The citizens of Arabia at the time of the birth of our Prophet Muhammad and the life of our Prophet Muhammad, Prayers and Peace be Upon him, they're called the unlearned people, the Ummi, the unlearned people. And our Prophet is called the Ummi Prophet. The unlearned Prophet. So here we have a Prophet and a people that were not part of the enlightened world. They were cut off from it. They were not a part of the educated societies. They were cut off from it and G-d chose him we believe. That man, that man, that special man who had that special human character and who appreciated so much of common sense. G-d chose that man to be the last Prophet, the seal of the Prophets, a Mercy to all the nations. To all the Worlds. Let's look at the influence of Islam. I should say not only the influence but the influence and the respect that we find in Islam for promoting a role in society, a great role in society for the common sense person or for common sense in the history of the revolution that took place on this continent. We know one of the promoters of that freedom had a great role in promoting that freedom because of his position that he took upon common sense. Pain is his name, yes. He published this book later on common sense and his book had tremendous influence for advancing the revolution, getting more support for the revolution. So don't underestimate the role of common sense.
In Islam The Prophet said, Prayers and Peace be on him, "Every one of us is a common sense person." Now understand that this language was not back then. This is English reading. He said, "Every one of us is a rai, a rai." A rai means common sense person, A person who has the sense that G-d created them with you. Common human intelligence. That's exactly what it means. That every one of us possess common human intelligence, our common senses. And the Prophet gave a role to that common sense. He said "Everyone is to be respected for having common sense, for having common human intelligence and everyone is to cherish his intelligence, respect his own intelligence and to make decisions with that instrument." Use that tool to make decisions when other stronger information or stronger tools are not available. And your common sense is always supposed to be working for you even when you are being invited to Islam. Islam is not a religion that asks us to shut down the operation of our minds and listen.
No. Islam's a religion that invites us to keep our minds alert. Turn on your minds, turn the machinery of your intelligence, your common human intelligence common senses. Turn that machinery up and let it look at Islam. That's what Islam wants. So Islam respects common human intelligence and gives it a role in society, a great role in society. The idea we call Khalifa, Khalifa is actually the common sense man. The story of the Khalifa in Islam is really a picture, a picture of the respect and the attention that we should give the senses, the intelligence that G-d created for all people. In all people.
That this is not something we should just dismiss or something we should take lightly. We shouldn't look at people that have not been educated in the world and dismiss them as ignorant people. Maybe they're just people who haven't been given a chance or who've been denied the circumstances. Muhammad and his people were in the dark. They were unlearned and G-d selected Muhammad and revealed to him the Qur'an, the Qur'an. The Qur'an means that that is to be read and recited. The Qur'an. G-d revealed to Muhammad that from Himself, that is to be read and recited by the people of the world. The Qur'an. G-d revealed to Muhammad the Qur'an. And Muhammad is identified as a person of the unlearned people who could not read. But G-d didn't say, I got to find me a reader to give my Qur'an to. G-d selected a man who could not read to give His reading to, that He wanted to be read to the worlds. Not one world. To the worlds. And He wanted it to be recited by the world and He gave it to the man that couldn't read and then didn't entrust to his intellect. But because his intellectt was not yet strong enough to bear, He entrusted it to his heart.
He said that we entrusted it to his heart, We revealed it upon his heart. That's the common sense man, common sense man being given a great mission, a weighty mission, a heavy mission that he has to present to the worlds and he himself not educated for it. But G-d, the Creator of his nature, the Creator of his brain, the Designer of his brain, the Creator of his intellect saw him to be the worthy vessel for that great revelation called the Qur'an. Now, the Prophet as a leader in Islam had the power to be a dictator. He had the power to force his judgment on everybody, but he didn't do that. He respected the intelligence of others in his association so much that he, even as Prophet wouldn't make judgments without inviting men to participate in the judgment or in the decision making. He invited them to participate in the decision making. What is the answer here? What decisions should we come to? What do you have to say Khalid? What do you have to say Abu Bakr? What do you have to say Umar? What do you have to say Lady Aisha? What do you have to say Khadija? He consulted his wife on occasion. His wife.
This is the man who made such impression for participatory democracy that long after he was gone women could be heard and they were recorded, challenging rulers who made public statements that didn't in their opinion agree with or couldn't be supported by Islamic logic. And they would call the attention of the ruler to his error and the ruler would submit to a woman in the audience and correct his statement or change his position because of the pressure on him from a common sense person and even a female in his audience. This is Islam. This is true freedom, true democracy. The Prophet, when he was defending the following and the new nation, the new government in Medina from it's attackers as the General of the army, he didn't make all decisions by himself. He invited those who had training or experience and skills and intelligence to contribute to the conclusion that they wanted to come to, that they were looking for. This is participatory democracy, Islam. And G-d set the rule Himself. G-d says in our Holy book to us that judgment, or establishing rules, honoring, commanding the people. If we want to present an order, if we want to command the people, if we want to arrive at a ruling, have a ruling in a matter, G-d says it is by consultation between the Ummah.
Shura Banayhum. Not just consulting but inviting others to make a contribution to the discussion so we have more qualified learned people contributing to the final conclusion or the answer or the ruling or the judgment or the command. Then we can command. Then we can command after we have concluded that yes, this position stands in the Qur'an, it stands before Muhammad the Prophet. It had been tested by the informed people in our association and they have agreed that this should be the ruling. That's the way it's done. This is democracy for want of a better word. I don't think that term is Islamic, democracy. It's not Islamic, is not an Arabic, term is not a term in the Arabic language, it is not a term in Arabic. It is not a term in Islamic history, the history of Islamic law. Democracy is not a term. What is the term? What is the expression for us? The expression is justice. Islam promotes justice, fair dealings. The recognition of every individual respect for every individual. Just practices, honorable practices, decent practices, ethical practices, that is Islam. And respect. I repeat for the intelligence of the common person, common human intelligence for the common senses.
I would go so far as to say that our religion alludes to, to strongly alludes to the role of the five senses in society. The Prophet was asked, "What is Islam? He said, "Buneey Al Islam Wal Kamsa." Islam is structured upon five essentials.
And you went on to give the five essentials. And most of us in Islamic studies or in the community now we know the five essentials. To witness that there is One G-d and Muhammad is His Messenger. That is one. To make the Salat, two. To pay and to contribute charity that helps the society become what we wanted it to be to help also those in need et cetera. That's three. To fast. during the month of Ramadan, the month that the Qur'an was revealed in is the fourth. And to make Hajj, visit to the house that built by Prophet Abraham and his son, Peace be upon them, is the fifth. That's the pilgrimage to the house in Mecca. That's the fifth. So these are the five essentials. He said "Bunyee Al Islam Al Kamsa" and then he gave those. Now what does G-d say in the Qur'an? G-d says that this religion is the religion of the original nature, the original way for man. The way that he was created for. The nature and way that he was created for that this is the religion of that. Says and that this religion is patterned upon, that this human being has been patterned upon that. The human being himself, he has been patterned upon that that G-d designed, G-d created G-d designed. The religion of origin and then patterned him upon that and patterned him after that.
And what does the Qur'an say when it questions our stupidity, our ignorance, our stubbornness, our refusal to recognize good sense? It says "And they have no hearing and they have no seeing, so they have no speech." Five senses, right? Five senses. Here two of the main five senses mentioned. Hearing is one of the five senses. Seeing is one of the five senses. And we know smell and taste and touch are the other three, right? And we know from scientific studies.... Professor Bell, Dr. Bell would support me here. We know from scientific studies that man could not have evolved to become enlightened if he didn't have the tools we call the five senses. That's right. And they have a great role in the sciences, a great role in the sciences. If you don't appreciate your five senses, you are not ready to become a student of Dr. Bell.
Yes. So let us not be blinded by spiritual attraction. Spiritual attraction. To think that the religion is all about spiritual things and spiritual nature. No, that's just part of it. That's the beginning of it. The first part for us is a spiritual life. That's the beginning of our life. But then G-d didn't want us to stay spiritual. That's why He told the man, "Get down from here into the earth where you'll find the things that you need, where you'll have your livelihood, where you'll have your challenge and where you'll find your destiny. Where you'll be able to prove yourself worthy of coming back into this highest of heavenly standards. But you have not yet formed. Get down their in the earth so you can be formed. You're nothing but an ethereal body up here. You have no body, you have no form up here. Get down there and mix with people.
Be a part of a human society. Meet the challenges out there in this world, in this material world for human community and then grow and evolve to the community of man, the community of man. Yes. And the five senses play a key role. They play a key role, key role. Now we know that the five senses also can be trouble for us. That if we don't respect the intelligence, the five senses can destroy us. There are people who just love to do nothing but use their nose. They just smell the smell until they become big freaks.
We know that today. But if they are in touch with the community and it's destiny, they wouldn't use that nose to that extreme. So to me, respect for five senses in our system of education and respect for the freedom of the individual, the rights of the individual in our system of government. To me this is Islamic. I don't see any foreignness here. There's no foreignness here. The one is not foreign to the other. They are similar, very much the same. And when the Prophet said "Take charge of five before five be your undoing", he was simply saying, use your five senses in an intelligent way or they will be your undoing. And we know that if you don't use the five senses as an intelligent person, your five senses will destroy you. Your five senses will bring you down. Your five senses can erase all the good that you've accomplished If you don't respect to use them intelligently. And the way the Prophet explained what will save you from all that was nothing but intelligence. A demonstration to us that you are supposed to be intelligent and display intelligence. Appreciate intelligence and display intelligence. Don't just live with no thought of hat's going to happen tomorrow.
Take care of your properties. Take care of your belongings, take care of your health today so you won't be sick tommorow. Be decent in your life so you won't be a sinner in the judgment. Just use your intelligence. That's what the Prophet was saying. Use your intelligence, use your common human intelligence so that your five senses won't be your undermining, won't be the thing that undermines you or defeats you, or defeats you. This is Islam. Let's look now at the business. Some of the business advice that's given to us in Islam. The Qur'an of G-d gives advice to the business person and from the advices that G-d gives us in Qur'anfor our business and for our business concerns. The students of the Qur'an, especially those who are students of economics or students of finance, students of business, they can extract from these advices a logic. A logic that serves as a basis or as a blueprint or as a skeletal design for Islamic economics, Islamic economics. And we have presently in this time, 1995, we have institutions that are devoted to perceiving what G-d intends in the Qur'an that our economic system be. Many of you have heard of the Islamic bank, Islamic Bank, the Emirates, and now there I think two or three Islamic, big Islamic banks, very big Islamic banks in the world. I'm sure you're aware of these Islamic banks that is banking according to Qur'anic advices, Qur'an advice or Qur'an advices and the practices of our Prophet Muhammad, Prayers and Peace be upon him. Yes.
G-d says, when you have a business transaction, see that you put it in writing and have witnesses to it. We know this is a good practice in modern business, isn't it? That's good practice now today in businesses, in modern business, that's good practice, business practice, but is an advice that came to us, to the Muslims, by way of revelation to the Prophet, the unlearned of the man, 14 centuries ago just about. 1,400 years ago this came to this Prophet, the Messenger of G-d to do that. The Qur'an goes on to discuss wills and goes to protect those who are entitled to inherit from their parents. The women weren't at that time recognized as being qualified to inherit from the father, from the parents. The Qur'an addressed that unfairness and by bringing to the Muslims what the treatment of the woman should be as a child of the parent with rights to inherit the parents' wealth. Not only that, this economy and this democracy, we know that what makes it great is this belief, this theory that if you promote production, growth, you're going to have a strong economy. If you promote growth production. To promote growth and production, you have to promote invest, investing, investing, investing. Another term for investing means spending is to say, pardon me, spending, you have to put emphasis, strong emphasis on spending for the growth of the economy. Spending on the growth of the economy. We know this is what make the Western economics strong. Is that not true? That's the one factor that's mostly responsible for the strength of Western business society or Western economy. Investing the emphasis, the heavy emphasis on investing. The government regulatory system. It is designed to protect the system from hoarding and to encourage more investing, more spending, spending, spending, spending. Now we know here is a danger too, right? Because spending can be a danger if you're not spending in the right way or spending for the right purpose. Spending can be an evil. It can be a terrible evil if you spend with no thought of how your spending should benefit you and others. That kind of spending can be a situation for Satan to advance his way. And believe me, we constitute as a people, millions of us, 25, 30 million of us alone, we constitute a market or a community, African-American community of consumers. Consumers who spend their money for quick pleasures, for perishable goods, for luxuries, for the weekend relief, the party, the liquors, the dance, whatever. The music, whatever. The show. So our money is spent on consumer goods, perishable things that benefit the commercial interest but doesn't benefit the consumer who's doing the spending. So we end up being a consumer market, a market of consumers, and also a field of free exploits for Satan and his disciples. Yes, they're all feed on us. They all feed on us because we are just spending and spending heavily. I don't think there any bigger spenders. When you look at the percentage that we spend. I don't think there are any bigger spenders on the face of earth than African-Americans. When you look at the percentage that we spend, we think everything we got is to be spent. And I mean spent at the grocery store, spend at the liquor store, the liquor store, spent at the party, spent at the mall. Yeah, we think that's what it's for. Insurance man come around, he can sell some death insurance. We spend on that too. But the rest of its spent right at the mall, right at the party, the weekend. So that's how we spend. So don't think my pointing out to you that Islam encourages spending is this kind of foodish spending. No. That foolish spending is the spending that Allah addresses in the Qur'an. Says that the spend thrifts are the brothers of the devil. The spend thrifts are the brothers of the devil.
That is the difference between one who invests, who spends to invest in something worthwhile and the person who was just a spend thrift. You look up the terms in the dictionary, you see the difference. So one is just spending with no respect for the consequences down the road. And the other one is spending to have a stronger life, to have a stronger life and a stronger future for himself and his family and his children, et cetera. For his community, for his neighborhood, for his society, et cetera,you see. There's a difference between spending. G-d tells us over and over again spend, but how? Spend in the path of G-d. Spend in the way of G-d, spend in the path of G-d. With what? My possessions and my own life. So G-d is telling us to be prepared to make the ultimate investment, be prepared to make the ultimate investment. Spend of your material possessions but also be prepared to spend of your own life, your own life. G-d says Muhammad has attested to this with his own words to say, and I won't give you exact words, but for want of trying to meet the time limit and stay within the time limit we have set for ourself.
The scholars, those who are learned and then pass it on to others, those who acquire knowledge and devote themselves to passing it on to others, so the knowledge stays with the people, stays with the generations. They will be in a rank next to the Prophets in the hereafter they will be in a rank in a class next to the Prophets in the hereafter. Now these persons are not spending with their material possession, they're spending, they're spending their knowledge, they're investing their knowledge back into the society.
They're spending of themselves, they're spending of their own souls, of their own life. They're investing it back into the society. Now I know what most of us thought when I mentioned spending with your life, you think of the martyr who meets the enemy in the battle on the battlefield and he's willing to give his life, his physical life and die, have no more life here on this earth for the cause of Islam. I know that's what most of you perhaps would think and that's correct, that's what you could think. But the wisdom is clear for us in Islam that this kind of sacrifice is not as precious as the sacrifice of the teacher who spins of the blood of his knowledge, the blood of his intelligence, the blood of his intellect. Our Prophet, Prayers and Peace be Upon him, he says "The ink of the scholar is more precious than the blood of the martyr."
So, they both are spending of themselves, they both are spending of themselves but one spends his investment, is more precious. His investment is going to benefit us in the long run more than the one who just lose his physical blood, spill his physical blood for the cause of G-d in the path of G-d. But at any rate we know that whatever we spend best, whatever we spend, it should conform to the guidance of G-d. It should respect the guidance of G-d, whatever we spend. So we can't spend on haram, we can't spend on that. That is unlawful. We must only spend on that that is lawful and we can talk about this on and on and on. But I'm going to let that suffice. I'll stop this line of reasoning right there. I'll conclude right there for the economic side and I'll come back to the political side.
Some are wondering, what form of government should a Muslim have? Is a kingdom acceptable? Saudi Arabia is a kingdom. And I make a point of saying the reason that I made it my point to say when I'm going there, I don't say I'm going to Mecca. I don't say I'm going to Jeddah. I say I'm going to the kingdom. So I was talking to the Secretary General just recently and I told him, yes, I'm prepared to go to the kingdom, going to the kingdom. Yes, yes. We plan a private visit very soon I'll be making to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Now is that kind of a political concept, is that concept acceptable, government concept? Is it acceptable, in Islam? A Theocracy? Is it acceptable in Islam? Where a man like the great Khoemini presides over the nation and the people see him as the shadow of G-d on the earth? Is that kind of Theocracy acceptable?
Well, here's what I've come to believe. Many of these concepts like a King as your ruler, a President as your ruler, a holy man as your ruler is not the big issue. That's not the big issue. If that holy man will rule according to the teachings of the Qur'an and the life example of our Prophet, that concept is accepted. If the king of Saudi Arabia, he could call himself the king, that doesn't matter. But if he will rule according to the teachers of the Qur'an and the life and practices of our Prophet, ir's acceptable. That's my conclusion. So my conclusion is that we do not have to have a Western idea of government, Western idea of the hierarchy in the concept of government. We do not have to have that as long as we have the just practices, the fairness and the respect for the role of the common sense person and that the rule of G-d is not on the King, the rule of G-d is not on the President. The rule of G-d is not on the Holy man. The rule of G-d is on the collective group as the Prophet says, "The control of G-d is on the people altogether." Thank you very much and I hope I have made some contribution. As Salaam Alaikum.
Host:
The Imam says he will take questions from the audience for about 20 minutes. He will take questions.
Questioner:
Brother Imam, I want to know the state, what is the position of the Buying Association you spoke about a couple of months ago when you were here in Seacaucus. How's that coming along?

IWDM:
It's coming long time. In fact, what I'm doing now is trying to form as many persons that will be qualified to be a part of it so that we at least have people thinking about it and trying to develop something where they are. So we would like to see as many of you as possible thinking about it and getting it started where you are. And that's what I'm trying to do. We all are going to be equals in this business, equal partners in this business with the same powers, rights and powers and the same benefits, equal benefits. So I'm planning now, I'd rather just tell you what I am doing. I'm seeking all the information that I can get from the best sources on how I can perform as a purchaser for the group.
In my opinion, the success of our idea, our business plan depends firstly on us being Muslims and fearing G-d. That is being Muslims, being believers. But it also depends too on us having the person that all of you I believe trust, that's myself, make the purchase so that down the road no one will embarrass us, hitting the six o'clock news for purchasing drugs along with other merchandise or something else happen. So we don't want any chance that something like that would happen. So I offer myself to all of you and to myself as the purchaser and I will seek the best advice from you all, from the most qualified of you and others that we can get advice from. Allah has blessed me to have a good friend in the Chairman of the Board of Trade, Chicago Board of Trade. He's a practicing attorney and he has been given that position as Chairman of the Chicago Board of Trade.
I have access to him, I can come to him anytime. He would give me much advice for nothing, just free. He's just one of the friends that Allah has blessed us to have. But I also have you all here in Newark, some terrific help right here among you business people here. I have you all and others throughout the country and I'm getting the best help, best advice I probably can get and the best protection I possibly could get. So what I'm doing now, I'm looking for a piece of land. As soon as I get a small piece of land, I'm going to build first a refrigeration unit on that land. It'll just be a freezer for the meats that I'm going to get from you all and others. It'll be a freezer for the meats and it'll have a small office so we could just meet people with a shirt and tie on. It'd be very close, it'd be almost as tight as that burger place you got going so strong now. What's the name of that place?
Questioner:
Checkers.
IWDM:
Checkers. The space would be almost as tight as Checkers burger space. Just a little counter and everything there so we can receive people at the counter. The rest would be nothing but refrigeration, freezer, refrigeration.
And so, I'll be supplying the persons who have given me an order. But also there are some other items, clothing and et cetera that I intend to carry. So I have a plan for first refrigeration, freezer, refrigerator and a little office space. But in the drawings there'll be a plan also for other houses, other buildings and also extension on that facility. So that one day, that facility will be a factory. Yes sir. It'll be a factory. Not just a refrigeratior, it'll be a factory. So I'm planning for growth and I'm planning to start where I can manage what I'm going to have. You've got to manage what you're going to have in your hands. Don't start too big. Start with something you can manage. I'm going to start with something I can manage and I intend to grow fast and grow big and Inshallah with you your help.
So, I'll be having Salaams Deli products, halal deli products coming through. And I'll be filling the orders. He's already agreed to have me as his partner. I am going to be the Mid West distributor. And not only his products but others, other Muslims who have products. I am going to be carrying their products. And also we hope to be doing some halal in the area. We're going to have land in the area in Illinois where they permit slaughter, slaughtering. So eventually we'll have a factory there processing meats and everything and distributing those meats to wholesalers and to believers and everybody Inshallah. That's my plan, immediate plan. I hope to import watches from Saudi Arabia, watches from Saudi Arabia and some other things in the future. All that's part of our plan. So I'd like for you all to be doing the same thing wherever you are. Be planning, look at what you can do, look at what your resources are now and see where you can start.
You already in business, let us know about your business. I don't want to be doing something, I don't want to bring stockings in if you got stockings, if you are already in the stocking business, I would like to have you represent us in the stocking business. You've got stockings, you successful, you represent us. We will get a big purchase of stockings and reduce the cost of stockings to you and to us. But you'll be the one go out in front for us. And that goes for any other item, any other commodity. If we have people who already doing a good job with it, we want them to go out front for us. Tell us what we need to do. Tell us, go with me when I make the purchase. Be there to tell me no, don't buy that one. Buy this one. You see?
And that way we all get the strength, the combined strength of each and every person working with us who have something to contribute. That's what we are doing and want to do.
Questioner:
One more point Brother Imam. We have here The New Jersey Muslim Business Association.
IWDM:
Yes sir.
Questioner:
And a couple of months ago we took a very extensive survey and I think we presented the package to yourself. Did you give the package and did you study it?
IWDM:
No I did not. When was that presented?
Questioner:
About two months ago. My brother Akbar Salaam and Brother Naji Sabeer.
IWDM:
I don't recall receiving that. I'm going to have to check my office. It's possible they be going fast and by the time they look at volumunious packages and they will push it aside, I don't do that. I look at it first. Cause you don't know what you might be pushing aside gold. I try to tell them that but still do it. I'll make sure...
Questioner:
We'll make sure you get it.
IWDM:
I'm sorry I didn't get that.
Questioner:
Because we've been having some continuous workshops in the area about the Buyers Association that you're trying to formulate and we're going to have a breakfast next Sunday, October the eighth at 9:00 AM at Brother Yusef Steak and Take at 951 South Orange Avenue in Newark, New Jersey.
IWDM:
I think Imam Ali Muslim, he wants you all to invite me. I'll be here. Definitely I'll be here.
Questioner:
Brother. Imam, could you address the issue in investment of interest, which is an issue of concern in the Muslim business community and amongst Muslims. And then also two part question, could you also address your feelings on the possible candidacy of Colin Powell for President?
IWDM:
Yes. That's two big questions. I'll take the easier one first. If Colin Powell get enough support from either party, I don't know, he might run with the Republicans, I don't know. But if he runs and he gets enough support from either party, I would be anxious to give him all the support I can give him as a individual voting citizen. Okay. Alright. Now for that other question, a little heavier. Rather than talk about the banking system and the interest, the problem for Muslims with the interest, working with Western banks, that's ah, well it's really backbone of the Western banking system, interest. I'd rather talk about what we can do as Muslims. I would like for us to have as our goal becoming our own financier whereas to the greatest extent possible, let us ourselves have institutions to finance our needs. Insurance, investments, mortgages, whatever. We should be looking at that. We a big community. That's right. So we should be looking at ourselves having our own institutions that will finance our needs.
We got friends, we got qualified people among us. We have also a lot of qualified people on the outside, not Muslims, but they're our friends. We can be very successful if we would just have faith and do the right thing. I wish I could say more to you but I can't right now.
Questioner:
I wanted to address education and since now since Congress has passed, has moved out of the education system and since they're giving the parents the right to choose what type of education they want their children to have, what is the best role that Islam can play as far as getting the appropriate grants to develop schools for our children?
IWDM:
Yes. Well I join those Christians and Jews and others in this country. Religious community of America. Communities of America behind the voucher system where the parents will be able to get their money, their taxes in a voucher that they can use to take to a private school and pay their tuition for their children. I think that's a great idea. That's a revolutionary idea. That's one revolutionizing or revolutionary idea. One that we should be in full support of and I have had my heart and my spirit behind it and willing to do whatever I could since it started in California I believe. And it didn't do so well out there, but in some other states I hear it is doing well and I believe eventually it's going to be accepted in a lot of states.
Questioner:
Well if I could just add on to that, since we do have the voucher here in the State of New Jersey, I was one of the persons to work with it and I think that our people should really take advantage of that program, especially the Muslims because we could set up our own schools and our own curriculars for the development of the children. And this is something I've spoken my Imam about. But see we have to develop that consciousness that we have to raise and educate our own children.
IWDM:
Yeah, we are being support of that and we are going to appreciate you bringing that concern to us and we are going to do more. I know I am. I'm going to encourage all my associates to do more to support that and to inform our members so that they'll be aware of what they can do but a lot of 'em don't know that they can even do it.
Questioner:
Well I'll be glad to assist.
IWDM:
Alright, thank you very much. Thank you very much.
Questioner:
I spoke to you about two months ago in Newark at the Halal Community Restaurant about I wanted to help in your dawah mission once you came to this area.
IWDM:
Yes.
Questioner:
I haven't sent the information off to your office as of yet because I'd like to know are you planning on still moving here. And I also wanted to inform you that I've been teaching a Muslim women study group for the last three years and we have sisters that want to help as well because we know it's going to take every last one of us to raise the consciousness of our people Inshallah.
IWDM:
Praise be to Allah. Yes sister I do plan to make a second home here in this area for myself. I do plan that, not that I'll be living year round here, but I do plan to make this a second home and I'm not in the position yet but I'm getting close. I'm getting close to where I can spend months here in this area. So I will be having a second home here Inshallah.
Questioner:
I'll be sending that information off to you.
IWDM:
I'll be happy to work with you. Thank you for telling me.
Sister Amira Abdullah:
Brother. I'm Sister Amira Abdullah, President of the Muslim League of Voters here in York and we're getting ready to register a million Muslims by the Presidential election of 1996.
IWDM:
Register?

Sister Amira Abdullah:
A million Muslims by the Presidential election of 1996. Yes. We also sent you a package in reference to help us in promoting the Muslims, especially the African-American Muslims involved politically because it seems as though the immigrant Muslims realize the importance of us being in politics even though a lot of them cannot vote but they know that they're second and third generation are coming up. So I just wanted to know how you feel about that.
IWDM:
Yes. I regret that I have the work for about a hundred people like me and I'm only one person so I can't give these proposals the attention that I would like to give them. When I'm traveling I would hope that I'll get some time to read but I'm traveling. In fact, I have two in my travel bag that I brought out here with me. I have two proposals in my bag that I hope to get a chance to read. When I look at these proposals many times be listening to me in my speeches. Many times you'll hear me in my talk answering these proposals. It's easier for me to answer them in my speech than to sit down and read all of it and have the secretary or somebody type up an answer or a reply. Some urgent matters I do answer. I get to. I do answer them. But if I don't send you back any complaint then know I'm saying that I have no objections.
Questioner:
We just wanted you to let you know because I know you are on the board of AMC, the American Muslim Council out of Washington.
IWDM:
You know Brother Alamudi? brother. He's aware of what you're doing right?
Questioner:
Well we're working in conjunction with them.
IWDM:
Yeah, I'm going to say he would be very happy to know about if he doesn't. So you working in conjunction with him. That's good.
Questioner:
We also wanted to let you know that we have a brother out of Philadelphia that's running for a Congressional seat. We have one of our own Imams that's running for State Legislature.

IWDM:
That's wonderful.
Questioner:
And we have a brother out in Illinois that you might be familiar with Askia. I believe he's running for a congressional seat.
IWDM:
That's wonderful. That is wonderful. All right. Okay. I know of your progress you've made out here over the years and we're looking for even bigger things to happen. Look like there's an African American sun rising in this part of the United States.
Questioner:
When you supported the late harold Washington for Mayor, That's when we decided to make a Muslim League of Voters here in Jersey. We've been successful in these three councilmen elected.
IWDM:
Congratulations to you all. And you're going have a much bigger part of this political system than you have now in the future. It's going to get bigger and bigger I'm sure. And that's the way it should be. This is free competition. Open competition. That's what it is. So get in the race and run after all that is good as Allah invites us to.Yes. So we have another Yes.
Questioner:
My question has to do with the youth. Yes. Are there any programs that are currently being developed on a national level to enjoin the next generation of Muslim and non-Muslim so that they might be able to learn more about the dawah of Islam?
IWDM:
Well I believe so. More can be done but I know there are a certain number of strong Masjids in our community that work with the youth. They take the youth as really a major priority and they work with the youth. They encourage leadership for the youth in the community affairs of the Muslims. They encourage leadership and this is beautiful. The National Convention is giving more and more visibility to youth leadership. They have in fact they call it the Youth Convention. They have their own convention and the youth really have the responsibility for planning the convention, organizing the convention and seeing that it's carried out to the satisfaction of the whole administration, the youth and the adult administration. So something is being done but I know that much more can be done and I would want you to share whatever concern you have with the National Convener Imam Plemon El Aminof Atlanta, Georgia. Thank you.
Questioner:
We want to welcome you to the Garden State.
IWDM:
Thank you.
Questioner:
We want to thank you for all that you've done over the years. We want to share with you a couple of things and ask you something in a short period of time. Alright. I want to share with you that Masjid Muhammad Newark, some representatives and WARIS associates are working with some Christians to form a credit union to establish an economic base for us and it's almost in the process of being chartered.,
IWDM:
All Praise be to Allah. Congratulations.
Questioner:
Also, I want to share with you that I just completed the book on Islam economics and it shall be published soon.
IWDM:
Yes. That's wonderful.
Questioner:
I also want to ask you a question on behalf of Muslim Inc as the President of Muslim Inc. We sent you a package as it pertains to New Jersey having the fourth largest population of Muslims in United States and us building a Masjid and school from the ground up.
IWDM:
Yes.
Questioner:
We recently purchased a lot, a block here in Newark totaling 22 lots and we have the support of the community here we believe to build a Masjid from the ground up. We wanted to know did you receive the package?

IWDM:
Yes I did. Yes I did. I received it and I became acquainted with it and I thought it was for my information. I didn't think I had to sit down and give you a reply. I did receive it and I encourage you to continue.
Thank you very much.
Questioner:
I'm also a board member of the Muslim League Of Voters. Like to just ask you a question. My question is twofold. What do you think of the feasibility of us developing a Muslim political agenda nationally and along with that a Muslim Independent party?
IWDM:
Yes, a Muslim agenda. There are efforts like that by the American voters, Islamic organization, political organization, the American Muslim political organization under Alamudi. There's an effort on the way I think like that. But I wouldn't like to see a Muslim party, us work for a Muslim political party. I wouldn't want to see that. Like I wouldn't want to see the Christians work for a Christian political party. But I would like to see us work to establish a political institute for the study of conducting the study that will serve to improve the involvement of African-Americans in the political system. And make a contribution to a political ideology, ideology that we think would be the ideology for the parties. For the Republican or Democrat or somebody else. And ideology, a political ideology that we would look at and see how this party measures up to the great ideas in our political idea of what the party should be. You see what I mean? An ideology for the party that will be ruling or the party that will be in the power. An ideology for that party. That ideology may resemble more the Democratic ideas or it may resemble more the Republican ideas or it may not resemble too much either of them. It may be independent in appearance, may look different from both of these parties. But I do believe we need some independent thinking and some independent work to ourselves. Come up with an ideology, an ideology, a system of ideas that will also establish policies. Policies, ethics rules, whatever. Just a whole idea, a whole picture. And we'll look at the system and criticize the system. That's what I mean. I believe we should study the system and criticize the system, study these two major parties, criticize these two major parties and have an Institute of political studies, an institute of political where we can make suggestions to the system, where we could submit ideas to the system and to the people of this country. That way we will have an influence, a great influence on the future politics of the nation. I would love to see that. But I wouldn't want us to have a political Muslim party. I think that would be trouble for us and for others.
Questioner:
You addressed the Muslim educators in June and I'd like to know where the development of the Clara Muhammad School System is going. The council was supposed to be dealing with that issue. Unfortunately I didn't hear anything about it at the conference, although there were many things that they covered at the Islamic conference. But I would like you to address that. And this is a mundane question that comes up often. What is your position on us giving and receiving the greeting in the lavaatory and the saying of Fajr prayer on the Eid al Adha day?
IWDM:
Yes. My position on giving the greetings in the wash room is that if the wash room is active, you should just be silent until everything's finished. Alright. If there's any evidence that it has been active, be silent until everything is finished. That's my position. Now the Fajr prayer, I know of nothing that says Fajr prayer should be omitted on those days. There's nothing that I know of said Fajr prayer should be omitted on the Eid days. You do Fajr prayers. Yes.
Questioner:
On the Clara Muhammad school system.
IWDM:
The system. Well to me look like we are so burdened locally. There's a strong interest in certain cities. Here, Atlanta, Washington, DC in the south a couple places. I know the South has a strong interest in us addressing the national system, the Clara Muhammad school system and getting it where we want it to be. But it seem that even those that I think that really do the most good, they're so burdened with their local responsibility that they are not giving consistent time and effort to this need. I would ask that you and others continue to put pressure on us to do something about the need. We need to address the need and do something.
We’re going to have to put, let's say five more minutes and we'll have to conclude.
Questioner:
Bilal Family Production.
IWDM:
Yes. Is that the theater production?
Questioner:
Yes sir. Yes.
IWDM:
Congratulations. We saw the reviews in the Journal and appreciate you.

Questioner:
We have a new work out and it's called It's Wake Up TIme. And the question I want to ask was in this new developed business plan will people to be able to invest other than just say maybe a product. Invest talents as far as coming from a theatrical angle, to be able find some kind of means, resources where we can develop and grow into that?
IWDM:
I got it. I got it. I got it. And I do believe that we should make, I would say culture a part of our business plan.
Questioner:
I am the convener for the committee to establish Nationwide Shura. The association. I believe Imam Wazir Ali has spoken to you.
IWDM:
Nationwide Shura?
Questioner:
Yes. We met at the Convention this September, but we realized we really didn't have enough time to do what we had to do. So we're planning right now, trying to have a Nationwide Convention for the youth sometime in April. And I was wondering if you could help us in answering what are the main issues that you think we should be addressing as Muslim youth within your association?
IWDM:
Yes. The main issue, main issue. Main issue should be Shura as the rule in the Muslim community. Shura as the way to conduct business in our community. That decision making by vision on business, I mean decision making. That decision making should be upon Shura. That's the main issue. That nobody is to be arbitrarily making decisions and imposing their will and their way on others. That's the purpose of the Shura.
Suleyman Malik Abdul Shabazz:
My name is Suleyman Malik Abdul Shabazz. I would like to know the stance that you take on the Million Men March in Washington that Minister Farrakhan is producing. I'm sure many African Americans would like to know the stance that you take. Thank you brother.


IWDM:
Yes sir. You're welcome. Thank you for the question too. But first I have written a letter to Minister Farrakhan and I'm sure he received it by now. He has already received that letter, I'm sure. And when I first heard of the march, I thought it was very vague. It wasn't clear at all what the march was all about. A march of a million men is a big thing.
A march of a hundred thousand men or a thousand men, big thing. And it wasn't clear to me what the march would be for. It's only recently in the news that I heard Minister Farrakhan and also others now that have joined the Million Man March. I've heard them say what the march is about, what the March is expected to achieve and I wholeheartedly support us addressing the need for us to be more responsible for ourselves, our families, our neighborhoods, our communities. I wholeheartedly support that. But I'm of the opinion that the march is going to cost a lot. For those in Washington DC It will cost them time and maybe a little money. But those living distances away like Chicago and even other places even more distant, Los Angeles. Those persons who want to join and be there in Washington DC going to have to pay a lot of money. When I look at the amount of money that's going to be spent to achieve, to have that march, I don't see marching as the asset. If we would spend the same or just a 10th of that money to build businesses and put responsible people in charge of those businesses for the purpose of employing not only jobless African-American males, but unemployable African-American males. Have a teaching and a training program, all that money could be used to put to better purpose. So I'm not for marches period. I'm for a march, but I don't see no light in the tunnel and this world becomes too oppressive. I'll be marching and they'll slaughter me.
Suleyman Malik Abdul Shabazz:
Thank you Brother Imam. Be safe on your journey. We love you very much.
IWDM:
Thank you very much.
Questioner:
As Salaam Alaikum Brother Imam.
IWDM:
Wa Alaikum Asalaam Imam. Ah, here we have a wonderful writer. He puts the facts out there and tells us to read it.
Imam Mustafa Al Amin:
Several times you mentioned that you were planning on doing the translation of the Qur'an. I want to know, are you still planning on doing that and how can I and we help you with that major project?
IWDM:
Praise be to Allah. I think we're getting closer to that. That's a desire that will always be with me until I die. I have already done some small translations of verses, passages of the Qur'an., That's what I believe. G-d, one of the talents I believe G-d has given me, blessed me with. And I hope to one day have a project and have you all working with me on it. Cause one person, we need a lot of able people working on it and we can do it. We can do it in about a couple of years maybe or less with the right people working on it with us. It's going to be work. We can do it. So I do hope to do that. In the meantime, I just try to better qualify myself so we do a better job when we start.
Imam Mustafa Al Amin:
Look forward to helping you one day.
IWDM:
Thank you. I'll keep you in mind. Yes sir. I'm sorry, our time is running out. What is that? That's A quarter to four. Four. Okay. If nobody else stands up we're going to try to finish the line now. if somebody else join you, you know you won't be heard.
Questioner:
Brother Imam. On that Million Man March. People have been very encouraged by the suggestions that you made other than that. But they also made requests that they would like to see you more. They say the don't get a chance to see you as the media hasn't been too generous to us in this area. So we would like to try to see if when you have time we would like to see if we can get you a little more in the public side with the media.
IWDM:
Yes sir. Well we need that. Not for my sake but for our sake. Because when the people see your mouthpiece, they see you. And I hope that I'm your mouthpiece. So I'm with that. I hope that you be successful in getting more support for that. Thank you.
Questioner:
We at Muslim Inc. and Newark Islamic Academy, we've been trying to follow your directions in educational area. I remember you telling us that we should build schools and build a Musalla in the school. In light of that, we want to make you aware that we have attempted to do that in the city of Newark. We have at least 20,000 square feet on Broad Street in the middle of the business district of Newark downtown. We just want to invite you and get your advice, invite you over to look at what we are doing and get your input before we can continue on the direction that you have put us on with your suggestions. And I wanted to give you something, an overview of what we have done so far in this package. Here is the package.
IWDM:
Alright. So Imam Ali Muslim, I'll ask him to arrange for me to at least have some moments with you before I leave here.
Questioner:
Yes sir. Thank you very much. I'd like to give you this envelope for your perusal before you go.
IWDM:
Yes. No you, I'd rather you hold it because I'm certain that we are going to have a meeting and you present it to me in person. Thank you very much. We'll discuss at that time. You're welcome.
Questioner:
As Salaam Alaikum Imam Mohammed. My name is Seqina Rashid. First of all, I'd like to say I'm an educator Alhamduillah. My concern is that.... First I'd like to say one more thing that it takes a village to raise a child and everybody hears that sayin. I would like to know is there anything that you can give or say to our African-American men and Muslims in general?Something in the effect of doing something to further the motivation for education.
IWDM:
Islamic education for youth and activities for our youth. We need to do much more. We're not doing near enough and we need to coordinate these efforts so that the weaker areas are strengthened by the stronger areas. That's what we'd like to see. We'd like to see that become a national effort where we are designing curriculum for the dawah, for the Imams Kutbah, and also for the school efforts if there're school efforts. So that our young people, not just the men but the girls too are given Islamic foundation, strong Islamic foundation that will stay with them all their life. Thank you very much sister
Questioner:
This is a question that people in our community have about prayer. In the morning, for the Fajr prayer as far as are you obligated to lead your family in the morning prayer. Or are you obligated to go to Fajr prayer the morning without your family to the Masjid. I see a lot of brothers coming back from the Masjid in the morning after Fajr prayer without there family so I was curious about that.
IWDM:
Fajr prayer is an obligation on all of us, the five prayers are obligation on all of us. The male, the adult male and the most mature male or most qualified male to lead the prayer should lead the prayer in the house. Even if that male is no more than 12 years old. If that's the most qualified one, that male should lead the prayer in the house for all the family members. Preferably the father, the husband, the father should be leading the prayers for all the family members. So no, women are not as much urged to go outside the house to the Mosque as men. Women can stay at home and take care of their children and have prayer at home with the little smaller children. Those children that didn't go with the father, they can lead their children in prayer. The women can lead the girls in prayer and the boys should go with the father.
Questioner:
I just got up this morning. And my wife, she makes salat, but it's a habit that we make prayer together. If I say, well this morning that I'm not leading you in salat. I would like to go to the Mosque for fajr.
IWDM:
And she's not going going with you.
Questioner:
She's not going with me.
IWDM:
So she should do her fajr prayer at home and also lead her daughters or even her little small children period if you are not there.
Questioner:
So I'm not held accountable for fajr prayer.
IWDM:
No. If you are going to the Masjid for prayer, you are not obligated to stay there and lead her in prayer. She can lead herself. Okay. Thank you very much. May G-d strengthen us. Remove all doubt, all suspicion from us regarding this religion, strengthen our faith in Islam. Forgive us our errors guide us always Ameen.



