08/10/2007
IWDM Study Library
IWDM at Bill Clinton Library Little Rock AK

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed
Host:
He still knows there is much about America that is racist, she says, but he is working with it to change it. He's extremely important in making Muslims look at themselves as Americans and emphasizing their American identity. Today, WD Mohammed is a Muslim elder statesman leading approximately 2.5 million American Muslims. He has met with President Clinton and Pope John Paul II and was the first Muslim to open the US Senate with a prayer. His portrait hangs in the Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel at Morehouse College next to Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. And he has a new appreciation for his father. Elijah Muhammad wasn't racist, he says, but rather, a man who pasted together a religion and taught black people self-reliance. Please welcome the man who led what has come to be called the transition or the change, a man who has a high school named for him in my hometown of Atlanta. And according to one report, and he'll have to confirm this, a fan of Pop star Prince who he described as an intelligent man able to lead people away from the grip of the world and free their minds. Ladies and gentlemen, Imam W. Deen Mohammed,
Imam WD Mohammed:
Thank you very much. Thank you. We praise G-d and thank Him for our presence here today. This is all about President Clinton's library. I started out from my home to come here for a ceremony, dedicating a piece of land, beautiful piece of land acquired by our community here in Little Rock, for a model of what we would like to see for Muslims joining the efforts of good Christians, good Muslims, joining the efforts of good Christians in Little Rock, to have a model of what we'd like to see life be in our neighborhoods. And after which I was to come here as an American citizen visiting, to visit the Bill Clinton's library. So that's what it's all about for me. And this occasion here is really a big surprise. I didn't prepare any speech and I'm not going to give one. And I would simply say to you all that I thank G-d that I have had circumstances in my life that me joining humanity and joining all good Americans for a better world for all of us. Thank you very much.
Host:
Testing one, two, You going to do it? He's going to take questions, so if you all raise your hands. We've got some microphones out here. I'm going to let you stand at the podium. Will you guys go back to the podium, both of you? And the microphone up there, and I'll hand this one around to the audience. We do have someone with a question over here.
Questioner:
What's the difference between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism?
Imam WD Mohammed:
What's the difference? The difference is mostly to be seen in the history of politics that have affected the three religions and in the cultural life of the three religions. But as a student of the Bible and the Qur'an, our Holy book, I came to see the unbroken line of purity in the Bible beginning with the first words of Genesis to the last word of Revelation. And I was convinced that the two books came from the same source, G-d Almighty. So, it's not so much the differences that we should know. We should know the sameness for the three religions. And these three religions are called Abrahamic religions. We all began with Abraham as the man of G-d, that G-d guided to the purity of worship and to the unity of mankind.
Imam WD Mohammed:
I'm going to need you all to help me. My ears are not the best. My daughter Amy, she said, daddy, you need a hearing aid.
Questioner:
Would you give us your take, our view on the sectarian violence in Baghdad and why Muslims are fighting Muslims? What are the reasons behind it? I don't understand that.
Imam WD Mohammed:
The reasons behind, oh, the reason why Muslims are fighting Muslims in Baghdad for the same reasons they're fighting them in the streets. Young Muslims are fighting each other in the streets of Philadelphia. They've been led astray. They have been led astray. They have to come back home.
Questioner:
Imam Mohammed over here. one of the big movements in youth today is religious pluralism. There's a movement out of Chicago where a guy by the name of Ibu Patel is promoting pluralism amongst Christians, Muslims, Hindus, et cetera, to embrace this notion of a pluralistic and pluralistic society. But we also, there's also a sense that Islam is rising in the nation and there's a sense that it's fundamental throughout the world, but it's trying to embrace that there's a peaceful rise of Islam society and that it can coexist with other religions, mainstream religions in America. How do we create an atmosphere, pluralism where youth can come together and accept their differences in religion, but also embrace their differences as a movement towards a common humanity?
Imam WD Mohammed:
Yes. Well, there are many world movements really that doing that job. I belong to an organization, world organization called the World Conference of Religions for Peace. Our leader is Dr. Vinley, he's the Secretary General. But I'm also aware of the Muslim Congress in Pakistan devoted to the same. And its leader who introduced me to this big world body, WCRP, he passed, but they are still doing the work. And that's just two I mentioned to you. One in Pakistan based in Pakistan, headed by Pakistani Muslims and the other one is based in New York, the office, main office in New York City, headed mostly by Christians but with a great number of Muslims. I'm an International President of that group. So, what I want to say in answering the question is that we have to have innocent people and intelligent, very intelligent people and very informed people who know that the world has come, the movement of civilization and the movement of religion has come to this point where we are now. It is the rival of the global community where for the first time in human history, man is put in one focus all around the world. We are in one focus, we are one global community. Scripture predicted that would come and when that time come, it would be the day for us to come home, come home to the reality that G-d wants us to come home to. That time has arrived. So, the efforts are all over. We have a terrific man, I believe you're referring to him. His name is Rami in Chicago, who is doing a great job of, he says his message is take it to the streets. So, he always have his meetings. They occur maybe about two or three times a year. He has his meetings and a major one once a year out in Garfield Park area in Chicago. Nice, beautiful area under the sky and Muslims and Christians and American Indians and many others. Jews are invited. Many others, everybody are invited to come together. And he's encouraging the acceptance of people as one family on this planet earth, the human family, one family in humanity. So, we have a lot of good works going on, but you know, you don't sell media and TV time with this nice little sweet tasting stuff. Yeah, so that's how come we don't hear a lot about all these great things that are happening.
Host:
Alan's got a question. Wait a minute, get your microphone down,
Questioner:
Sir. Your Islam seems to be ecumenical. It reaches out to a lot of different faiths, but yet Islam in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and many other parts of the world seems to be headed in the opposite direction. And do you see a future for yourself and your view of Islam? Is there a place for you in the future considering where your faith seems to be going around the world?
Imam WD Mohammed:
Yes, strangely. Strange it is that Saudi Arabia invite me to come there to join the leaders on the Supreme Council of Masjids or Mosque and to join leading scholars from all around the world. Sometimes the reception they give me there in Saudi Arabia and the Sacred Mecca make me think I'm a favorite son of the Royal family. But we know that there is a big difference between the effort of the religious leaders in Saudi Arabia, we call them The Custodians of the Holy Places there, the place of Pilgrimage and the home of our Prophet who passed over 1400 years ago, about 1400 years ago, Peace be on him. I know that they have two faces. One is the hard face, and I tell you, the family is not all the same. It's a family of brothers and one after another, they come to the throne to be the King of Saudi Arabia.

They're appointed, but they're appointed because they're heirs to the throne. This is un-Islamic. Even this form of government is un-Islamic and they are trying to do something to change that. Their leaders are trying to do something to change that. But there's suspicion, there's some suspicion, strong suspicion, maybe some evidence that I don't know about that the Saudi government has some connection with Taliban, the creation of Taliban. So, I have no evidence of that. And I know that the spirit of the Royal family, especially the King and the leadership, there is one of peace and harmony with humanity and certainly one of support for our government. And in terms, pardon me, with reference to the relationship that Saudi Arabia has as a government with our government, the United States of America. So, I think we should, well, I can't tell you that. I'm sorry, but I believe. I say I believe.

I'm not going to tell you what you should think of what you should believe, but I believe that the loyalty of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America is strong and growing stronger and it's going to remain. That's what I believe. But there is two pictures of Islam, two pictures of the Muslims. One is given to us by suffering in bad circumstances in the world. I am a student of science also, and I remember reading a piece out of a science book and it said, when animals are put in small places and denied the freedom to move, and as they would normally move about and have their life and family and freedom, that those animals are driven to insanity. They lose their sanity and they will be attacking each other, attack people, whatever. Well, if you keep human beings locked up like that, not all of them, we have a stronger spirituality than animals.

So usually our spirituality saves us from those extremes. But many of us can't be saved from those extremes if we are put in those extremes. And I think suffering of the Palestinians and many others have driven them out of their normal minds and they still have faith and they say G-d, they say Allah. And by the way, Allah means G-d in Arabic and Christians of the Islamic world, Christians who live in Lebanon and other places, when they say G-d, they say Allah. There's only one word in Arabic for the real G-d, it's Allah. So, I can't explain everything and explain your questions to you so that you don't have the questions anymore. We are going to remain with some questions until the world comes to where G-d wants it to come. And until then, we are going to have these differences and these extremes and these contradictions for our religion. And I don't need to mention contradictions for Christianity. You are aware of many of them.
Host:
Okay, Annie, here we go. Lemme get you this microphone.
Questioner:
Education has been said that it is the equalizer and without education there will be no peace among peoples. World history was once taught in earlier education in this country. Do you think that the curriculums of America would help us if we had world history as a requirement? Just as Latin helps us to understand other languages. It is an elective now. I've just come back from Ghana and I know it was my world history that made me feel at home and to be able to communicate across the oceans. I was wondering, is it more necessary for America to have world history because of the oceans that separate us, whereas many other countries have an opportunity to interact. We have less than any other continent to interact with other countries, religions and social elitism. Do you think that world history would help us have peace among our own selves and peace with the global community?
Imam WD Mohammed:
I got it. I got it. And that's Ms. Abrams, right?
Host:
You've met many Abrams.
Imam WD Mohammed:
Yes. Yes. She reminded me that I saw her twice in Chicago. And I lived here for three years, but I didn't see you here, I don't think, in Chicago, where my base is, where my office is, home office is, yes. I would say I'd answer it this way. Lemme tell you an experience I had on the plane though, experience I had at a time when I felt that I had been freed to really walk in the light and do the work that I wanted to do. And a European American, a white lady, she could have been from Europe, she came to me as we were getting off the plane and she said, "Mr. Mohammed." I said, yes. She said, "The world is getting to be a better world, isn't it for blacks?" I said, yes it is. She said, "It's education." I said, yes, I believe it is. Yes. If I understand our two great religions correctly, even Judaism, our religions promote correct education, promote correct education. And for the history of blacks, as soon as we were able to do things for ourselves and had the freedom to work and build institutions, the history of the struggle of the freed blacks is a history of the establishment of our colleges and universities. So, I think it's just natural for us to see education as the herald for civilization and for peace, education, true education. When I think of world history, if world history is introduced in high school level, world history could be introduced once you learn how to read and it could progress as we go to higher education. If the focus is the arrival of the global community, then it would, I would say, be a way to summarize history so that we could give it on all levels, the arrival of the global community. Yes, but I do know that this time that we are in now, it's a must that we acquaint our children from the earliest ages with the history of mankind on this planet earth and the demographics. Yes. Thank you.
Host:
Identify yourself Luqman.
Luqman:
As Salaam Alaikum. My name is Luqman. I'm one of the new class members at the Clinton School. I'm from Jordan. I have a question. All Arab countries are Islamic states with the government being governed by Islamic Sharia. Do you believe that if these governments had the religion separate from the state like the United States, they would be better off? Thank you.
Imam WD Mohammed:
In the United States, when you become President, you take your oath on the sacred scripture, the Bible, right? Yeah, yeah. Well, I think all we need to do is be, just make sure that our government leaders are touched. See you just touch it. That's all. Make sure that they feel the touch of it. That's all.
Questioner:
I think my question kind of ties into this. I heard you mention that the government of Saudi Arabia passing the ruling around from one brother to another was an un-Islamic form of government. So, I was wondering if you could please describe what be an appropriate or a proper Islamic form of government?
Imam WD Mohammed:
Yes, yes. In our Holy Book, if we read it and register what's being read, the themes, the major themes, one of the major themes in the Qur'an is the proper heirs in the sight of G-d. Who is the proper heir in G-d's sight or in G-d's presence. And the proper heir is the one who follows as the Bible say, who follows in the spirit. Who follows in the spirit. That's the proper heir. It can't be from a particular family or tribe or nation. No. It has to be based upon the qualifications of that individual upon the book of G-d, in the book of G-d. And it says "Our commands are by Shura-Al Baynum." That means leaders meet and they consult with another and they decide who they think should be appointed to such and such position. We have the electorate here in the United States. Let me say this- Except for I would say corruption of politics and the democratic procedures, our way of electing people or appointing people to offices, office or to positions of authority is represented by, represented by representatives. They should be our representatives. It should be by the selection. We should select them, and the public should have a voice in that or a role. They have the strongest role really in selecting leaders. But we say we don't accept, this is the saying of our Prophet Muhammed. We don't accept people who come and volunteer and say, I'll do this. I'll do this job. I'll be President of, I'll be the commander. We don't accept that. Says it is by appointment, but by appointment of people, persons well respected by the people, the best people in our public. So it's much like democracy here, very much like our democracy. And the Saudis know, and they have expressed in my presence, they've expressed to the scholars who visit them in Mecca. They've expressed their desire to change their form of government from that of family rule to what pleases G-d, and that is the one who qualifies, let him ascend to the throne.
Host:
Got a question. I'll get this here.
Questioner:
I constantly hear you say the faith of the global community, and she also mentioned education and the different faces of the community and how we need to bring them together. I am in the education system and I constantly have to teach a curriculum that is provided to me, and I am required to teach certain things, and I constantly see the black face being eliminated from that curriculum. What is your take in, how would you or advice to bringing that face back to the world's history?
Imam WD Mohammed:
Yes, yes. I see what you're saying. Don't take me to be representative or a reflection of the typical Muslim Imam or leader or a preacher or whatever. I'm not. So, I don't want to have them enraged by what I'm going to say to you, but I don't think we should bring our particular religious persuasion into the public school.
Host:
Let me ask you a question. Speaking of public schools, in 1957, 9 brave young African-Americans walked up the steps of Little Rock Central High School to go to school, and it became the greatest constitutional crisis in the history of this country since the Civil War. Can you reflect a little bit on where you were in 1957, what you thought at the time, and any remembrances you might have of that.
Imam WD Mohammed:
Oh, I was a young Minister, spitting fire.
Host:
Well, any more about, maybe a little bit on what you were spitting besides fire.
Imam WD Mohammed:
I was trying to make rational my father's teaching that the white people are all devils. I was trying to make it rational, and the more I thought about how he treated a few white people, treated them so special. I saw Irv Cuspin at my father's house to interview him. And my father said to my mother, say, "Clara, bring out that special China we got, the one with the gold trim. We have a special guest here today." Now how could that be the devil? If it is, you partnering up with the devil daddy.
Host:
All right. And the final question, we appreciate you being here. The final question, would you comment on the 2008 Presidential election in America?
Imam WD Mohammed:
Well, I hate to say this because I'm in Little Rock.
Host:
It's okay.
Imam WD Mohammed:
I'm not supporting Hillary Clinton.
Host:
It's okay. That's okay. Who are you supporting?
Imam WD Mohammed:
Yeah, I'm supporting anybody that looks a lot like Barack Obama.
Host:
Ladies and gentlemen, let's give it to him again. Thank you.



