1990-August-31

Muslim Journal

"Islam", The Solution For America: Part 6

Imam W. Deen Mohammed


(This address was given by Imam W. Deen Mohammed at Masjid Al-Fatir on Sunday, March 30,1990, It has now been prepared by Imam Mohammed for Muslim Journal's readers.)


Allah Will Make Al-Islam Prevalent

Al-Islam is the religion that has been established by the Last Revelation from Allah (the Qur'an) which is intended for all people on this earth and for all times until Judgment. Allah has said to us in the Holy Qur'an that "He is going to make this religion the most prevalent religion on this earth though the rejectors detest it". 

You who stay abreast of the news media are aware of a prediction that by the year "2000" Al-Islam will be the second religion in the United States, second in the number of adherents only to Christianity. If the situation is changing as most are inclined to think it is, I will say we can expect that Al-Islam will be first in America not too far in the distant future. 


Indebtedness To Allah Is Indebtedness To Decency 

I cannot speak for others, but I do not owe my soul to any except to Allah. And indebtedness to Allah is indebtedness to decency and uprightness. Allah does not obligate me to oblige indecent people. I owe the committed criminals nothing. I owe the self-committed immoral people nothing. I owe the haters of righteousness nothing. I owe the ruthless and arrogant people nothing.

I am thankful to Allah and I feel good while conscious of being an American. What Allah allows me should be allowed in America. What Allah does not allow me should not be allowed in America. When I look at an American value and find it compatible with my religion, I thank Allah for that situation and I feel joyful. I want to be a good citizen of this country: I want to work honestly and openly and sincerely for the good of the United States and for all people of this country. 


The Best Citizens See Beyond Political Systems 

A Muslim is obligated first to live his Muslim life as Allah revealed it in the Qur'an and as demonstrated in the Life of our Prophet Muhammed. Al-Islam was before the United States and will be after the United States.

Believe me, African Americans do want to grow up more. We have to latch on to something bigger than the United States. Latch on to something that has more permanence than politically formed systems. Latch on to something that has a higher principle, a higher value than political systems. Do that and we will become the best citizens.

The best citizens of the United States are those who have a high principle ruling over their behavior. Such people live in worlds bigger than geographical boundaries.


Islamic-Established Religious Values Are More Lasting

Our established religious values make for a bigger world. Worldly values change with the winds of pop culture. Those with their behavior mold established for them in established religion belong to a life more meaningful, bigger, and more lasting. Those nations are stronger and better preserved that are blessed to have such citizens in large numbers. It is a good feeling knowing you belong to those precious numbers. I am a Muslim. My life is before this world in the dimensions of time and my life (Muslim life) survives to outlive pop cultures and even nations.



Nothing Offers African Americans What Al-Islam Offers

Nothing offers the African American what Al-lslam offers. Al-Islam offers a situation for us to immediately leave the image of inferiors. Al-Islam ("Islam") immediately establishes us with or above all others. Al-Islam offers the African American an opportunity to get rid of the identity problem mothered by racism. "Islam" gets rid of that right away.

We find a more meaningful sense of pride and dignity upon accepting the Muslim life with its behavior mold and established precious values. Hair suddenly becomes just a covering. Wooly and silky hair become just "hair". "White", "black", "brown", etc. become just colors.

Allah gave everybody the native climate and its environment, the racial features and colors. Allah says, "Therein are signs." Again Allah says He gave the features and "made them excellent". The person reads or hears this from Allah in the Qur'an and truly senses communication lines open for him or for her with his or her Creator (Allah).

The more we have what Allah says the more comfortable we are with what Allah made. And Allah made all (races) with environmentally suited beauty and excellence. Such are the features upon which we are physically distinguished. The kinks and naps that were beautiful back in the native environment were labeled "ugly" in racist America of yesterday. Do you think our children went about depressed because their hair was nappy in Africa?


False Pride And Shamelessness

We have been among people who have long straight hair. This world has been in their hands and they have made over their features. Some of us react to them (to whites) and form a "black" world no less unreal and burdensome.

If we had gone further with that at that time we would have never come up with all of this shame. This is conditional shame. It is not natural shame.

It is not natural for a people to reject what Allah made of them. We have to keep our pride and also our shame from becoming false pride and shamelessness.


A Mental Voyage Out Of Made-Up America

In made-up America at times real men and real women may find themselves on a mental voyage back to nativity. I have wanted to go to Zanzibar, Timbuktu to a romance with a Hot-n-Tot for natural reactions and non-American woman cosmetics. Thank you, sweet strong lovely mate," That is what I wanted. I want to give her (a woman from the backlands of "black Africa") a Milky Way candy bar (or anything smaller than the feelings behind it). My Hot-n-Tot unwraps my smaller-than-feelings gift and sighs: "You are so thoughtful my strong man!"

I still have a lot of native boy In me. I miss the time when I could give a girl a Milky Way and she would say, "Oh Wallace, you are so thoughtful and sweet." Now these days a case of Milky Way bars will only "send" typical American Hot-n-Tots searching through the case all down in the bottom for something like major credit cards and spend-crazy gifts. And if she does not find what she is searching for, America's Hot-n-Tot responds, "You no-man cheap black nigger." No one has to tell you that tonight the bedroom door is locked even if it is wide open. It makes you want to go back in time to a woman that has never had a hot perm or seen lipstick, eye-shadow, blush, and those big city cosmetics.


A Raw And Coarse Reality

Sometimes you have to look at the raw and coarse reality of so-called civilization and let it be felt on your heart and soul, Let us appreciate what Allah offers us in Al-Islam. When our 'woman becomes Muslim and comes to know her religion, she will love what Allah made her more. She will not prefer cosmetic America to (or over and above) what Allah offers her regarding life and precious values. Also we strong men i have to get to know her in her soul. When we return to her body, we will be more of a man and more of a lover and more civilized.

Solution No. 1
Al-Islam was before the United States and will be after the United States...
The best citizens of the United States are those who have a high principle ruling over their behavior. Such people live in worlds bigger than geographical boundaries...

Solution No. 2
Those nations are stronger and better preserved that are blessed to have such citizens in large numbers. It is a good feeling knowing you belong to those precious numbers: I am a Muslim. My life is before this world in the dimensions of time and my life (Muslim life) survives to outlive pop cultures and even nations.

Solution No. 3
Al-lslam offers the African American an opportunity to get rid of the identity problem mothered by racism. "Islam" gets rid of that right away.
We find a more meaningful sense of pride and dignity upon accepting the Muslim life with its behavior mold and established precious values.


