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 Fasting for Allah, Glorified is He
A Month of Complete Attention to our Whole Life
by Imam W. D. Mohammed

(The following interview was given by Imam W. Deen Mohammed for the radio broadcast of the Harvey Islamic Center on WNDZ-
750 AM radio, which reaches through out Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana on Sundays at 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.)

FASTING FOR ALLAH
Imam Karim: We are thankful to have with us today, Imam W. Deen Mohammed. He is going to talk to us about Ramadan.
As-Salaamu-Alaikum, Bro. Imam.
 
Imam Mohammed: Wa Alaikum As-Salaam.
 
Imam Karim: Could you tell us the significance of fasting during the Month of Ramadan?
 
Imam Mohammed: Yes. We fast during the Month of Ramadan from the beginning of dawn until the sunset. And after sunset we break our fast with food, preferably with fruits. It is the tradition of the Prophet (the prayers and the peace be upon him) to eat dates.
I usually prefer to have some dates, but any fresh fruit would be nice to break the fast with. And water, of course, some milk, if someone chooses to drink milk.
The day time is a complete time, not only from food but it is a fast also from having sex or approaching the wife with such desire.And it is a fast also from our tendencies to give ourselves to anger or to arguments.
 
We are disciplining our whole life for the Sake of G-d, and G-d says in the Qur'an: "Fasting is for Me."
So the fasting person should know that the fast is for the pleasure of G-d, to please G-d, to fulfill a request that G-d made. G-d asks us to fast during the Month of Ramadan, so we make our intentions to fast in the month of Ramadan.And when we start the month and everyday, it is a habit of Muslims following the traditions of our Prophet to make intentions for the next day. I say, "1 intend to fast tomorrow of the month of Ramadan."
 
Imam Karim: And then when the person gets ready to break the fast, what is the tradition of what they would say?
 
Imam Mohammed: They say, "I believe in Allah, and I put my trust in Allah, and I break my fast with food or with the provisions that Allah provides." Then say "Bismil-lah" and eat.
 
THE MANY BENEFITS OF FASTING
Imam Karim: One person asked about the benefits. What does it do besides restrain us from food, etc.?
 
Imam Mohammed: I think the greatest benefit is given to us in Qur'an from G-d Himself, Allah (Subhana wa t'ala, Most High and Glorified is He). In fasting, the main benefit is for purification and discipline for the Sake of G-d called "taqwa."Purification and obedience or discipline for the Sake of G-d is called Taqwa. Taqwa means respecting those things that G-d ordered us to respect. First of all we are to respect our relationship with G-d that we are the servants, all of us are the servants of G-d. That means we are to obey the commandments of G-d. We are to obey whatever G-d has ordered for us, and the benefit is purity.
 
But it is not only a spiritual purity, it is also a bodily purity. We are more conscious of our body being clean in the month of Ramadan than we are in the other months.Perhaps, we will be washing ourselves more often and we will be praying more often. Therefore, we will be cleaning ourselves more often, our hands, our mouths and different parts of our bodies during the month of Ramadan.And I am sure we will be making a special note - intentions - to take a bath at least once a day in the morning before we make our Fajr Prayer or at night before we retire.
 
So it is a month of complete attention to our whole life, not just to our spiritual life. And it is healthy for us to be bodily clean, as we know. They used to have a saying that says "good hygiene is next to good health."But also there are benefits physically in the steps of prayer that we make - physical benefits. Those who are not cripple or don't have problems that would prevent them from going through the physical steps of the prayer, they get benefits from performing those steps;
Raising the hands to the ears, lifting their arms and then bending down to the knee, putting their hands to the knee in a bending position, bending over with your back straight at a right angle to your legs.You bend over and you come back up and you go down, which is actually knee bending when you go down. Then you bend all the way over to the floor and put your forehead and nose and palms down to the floor on your knees and toes. With the head low like that, it is good for blood circulation.
There are some good publications out by different Muslims, but I know one that has been out for many years, as much as 10 years,by Dr. Ahmad Sakr who lives in California now. He put out a very good book on the benefits - the physical benefits, the health benefits - of following the Islamic rituals and disciplines.
 
There are many benefits, but I think the greatest benefit is what is already mentioned in the Qur'an, that it increases our "taqwa," It increases our awareness of our need to obey G-d and get closer and closer to what G-d asks of us.And it brings the family together; it strengthens the family. No family fasting in the Month of Ramadan will come out of that month without having an awareness that the family has been helped tremendously by fasting in the Month of Ramadan.    
 Imam Karim: Praise be to Allah. Now in speaking of the Qur'an, I know that the requirement is that we are to try to read one thirtieth of the Qur'an everyday. Now in the event some of us don't finish it, how can we handle this?
 
Imam Mohammed: Read one thirtieth everyday, that's right. I am so busy I hate to admit it, of course, that I am not doing it. I am behind right now, and once you are behind it is hard to catch up. Those who can't do it for some reason, if their reason is a good one and they are not trying to excuse themselves from doing it, they should not feel bad about it.They should try though to do it, if they can. If they have Qur'anic cassettes, audio tapes with the Qu'ran on it and have a cassette player in their car while they are driving along to their place of business or the place they are visiting, if they play the tape, it is just like reading it yourself. Or if someone is playing it in the house and you are in the house and you are listening to it, it is just like reading it yourself.
 
Imam Karim: Well, that's very comforting. I know some people have asked me, and they feel very depressed. They feel that maybe their prayers were null and void, because they did not finish reading the Qur'an.
 
TARAWIH PRAYERS
Imam Mohammed: No, no. That would not make it void, if you didn't finish the Qur'an. It wouldn't. As long as you are doing the Ramadan prayers, the night prayers, the Tarawih Prayers, then you are hearing the Qur'an in the Month of Ramadan more than you will hear it in other months. Because you don't have those prayers after the night prayer, except in the Month of Ramadan.
 
Imam Karim: So you can do the Tarawih Payers at home or in the masjid?
 
Imam Mohammed: Yes. Yes, you can. Preferably, the first 20 days are so that we can do 10 of those in the home and 10 days with the community. And the last 10 days you may do with the community or at home, either. But you should have at least 10 days out of the 30 at home praying with your family.
 
EIDUL FITR: RENEWAL OF LIFE
Imam Karim: That is good to know. Now the ending of Ramadan is Eid, and we mention it a lot Eidul Fitr. What is the significance?
 
Imam Mohammed: Well you know the fasting in the Month of Ramadan, the benefits are so great, though they are not as great as the Haij for the Hajjjis {pilgrims), brothers and sisters who make Hajj pilgrimage to the holy precincts in Mecca. But the benefits are really, really great. And the significance is really, really great, when we observe the Eidul Fitr after fasting the Month of Ramadan. We celebrate a renewal of life, almost like the Hajj. When you make the Hajj, you come back. G-d promises us, if we do it sincerely.When we return, we come back as a new person. All of our sins are wiped away. G-d forgave us all of our sins, and it's the same thing during the Month of Ramadan.
 
If you successfully complete the fast, or if you do the best you can, health problems, whatever, might stand in the way, but if you do the best you can during the Month of Ramadan, at the end of the Month, you have a new life and past sins are forgiven. That devotion wipes away sins. Any good act takes away sins from your record.
 
FAST TO DO WHAT G-D SAYS
In the Month of Ramadan for 30 days you are fasting for G-d's pleasure, to please G-d, to do what He says. I'd rather put it that way, not for G-d's pleasure. It is for G-d's pleasure, but I would rather put it in a stronger way.We are fasting to do what G-d says. The reward is that if you do it with good intentions and you did the best you could in the fast month, at the end of the fast month, your sins are wiped off.
 
Imam Karim: I guess if someone isn't a Muslim and heard that, it is a strong attraction to fast.
 
Imam Mohammed: It sure is. It sure is. And I have never fasted the Month of Ramadan and wasn't strongly aware that I've gotten special blessings and special benefits. Yes, every month I am aware that after the fast and even sometimes during the fast before it is over, I am aware of very special benefits that I get. Oh yes!

Visit We are with Imam W. Deen Mohammed at: http://wearewiththeimam.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
 



THE MEANING OF AR-RAHMAN

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed


(Editor's note: The following is excerpted from a Ta'lim lecture delivered December 15 in Chicago by Imam Muhammad.
Now we come to the names that are given in Qur'an that belong to Allah. The Qur'an says, "La-illaha-illalah, there is no God except Allah." and the Qur'an gives us names that belong to Allah. And the first one — Ar-Rahman — is given. Ar-Rahmanu means the Gracious. It's translated in different ways in English. Some translations say 'the Gracious,' some say, 'the kind.' If you look up 'kind' in the dictionary it doesn't only mean nice, it also means generous. So, 'kind' and 'generous.' the combination, means niceness and generosity, goodness and generosity.
Some translations have given it as 'beneficent,' which means 'befitting' out of His kindness and grace. That's correct, too. All of these English terms are correct. But understand that the term 'Rahman' means to show mercy. So whatever God does that's good to us is a help to us, is kindness to us, out of His graces. It comes from His mercy. He's a merciful God. He doesn't like to see His Creatures suffer. He doesn't like to see His creatures experience bad times, and misery, so it is His way to extend mercy to them. He is Ar-Rahman.
THE NEXT NAME THAT is given is Ar-Raheem. These are the two most often repeated names in the Holy Qur'an. In fact; every chapter except the 9th Chapter begins like that.
Bismillah, With the Name of God. Ar-Rahman. Ar-Raheem. the Gracious, the Compassionate, or the Gracious, the Merciful, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
As I have explained, there are different English words and they all can be suitable for the names Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem. Ar-Raheem is translated as the Merciful, but some Arabs have translated it to mercy-giving. I hope with a few comments on this name I will be able to make clear to you why some of them feel that to say "the Merciful," is not good enough.
'Ra-hi-mah.' means to show mercy, or give mercy. And this word, 'ar-Rah-ma-nu.' means the one who gives out of His gracious gift, from His bounty, from His great and unlimited resources to His creatures, and He does it out of mercy.
AR-RAHEEM too, has a connection with this word: both have connection with this word.
THIS CONCEPT of God comes from the understanding that before the creature became conscious of its needs. God had already been merciful and kind to that creature.
The baby is in the womb of his or her mother for nine months. We don't believe that it's conscious of its needs. But look at the nice situation that God has put that baby in. It slept on a waterbed before we did. That's a nice situation for that baby. It's shockproof, so if anybody punched the mother's stomach, the water bag cushions it, right? Yes. So we believe that God, before we are even aware that we need something, has already been generous and kind to us.
We come into this world, and we say, 'oh, I'm poor. But it is you who's poor. The world is not poor, the world is rich.
Why are you poor? Either because you are not yet-aware, or you're not yet ready to change your situation and go after the riches, or there are overwhelming forces that are keeping you away from it.
BUT THE world is not poor, God is generous! He has filled the world with all that is rich, more than we can see, more than we consume.
God has already put it here. So He is Gracious. He is Gracious. Ar-Rahmanu, out of His mercy. He is Gracious. Then, Ar-Raheemu. The condition comes now, and God has provided, but His creatures can't see it. Then He comes and makes a way for His creatures to get it against those barriers, odds or obstructions. He comes and opens the way so he can get it. That's the ar-Rahman, ar-Raheem.

Retaining Our Own African American Identify

By Imam W. D. Mohammed
Sedalia,NC  4/9/82
Now what's wrong with people trying to make progress for their own lot. You all should take note of what the Chinese and what the Asians are doing. The Asians are coming into this country. They are establishing themselves. By that I mean they are bringing their Culture with them. They are living in their American homes the same way they lived in Asia. They eat the same way. They pray the same way. They are living the same life they lived in Asia. But now they are living in America and they are Americans. And what we have to understand as educators brothers and sisters is, that America welcomes that. In fact America is that. America means an opportunity for you to bring your life, from one part of the world to this part, and keep your same life, and Grow in a New World. America represents a New Opportunity. A New Horizon. The New Horizon. A New Destiny for Man.
Now we think differently over here. We think that people are going to call us prejudice if we put emphasis on retaining our own African American Identify. Oh they'll think we are prejudice. We don't want no put no importance or emphasis on ethnic pride or our Bilalian Ethnicity. That will set us apart for the rest of the Americans. What sets you apart from the rest of the Americans is that fact that you are not an American. And you are not an American because you don't represent anything unique. You don't have an Identity Isn't it a fact. Yes, you don't have an Identity. The other people have an Identity. The other people have human personality. A human personality that has been born or formed in an Ethnic Personality, an Ethnic Personality that has been formed or born out of an Ideology. A way of conceiving the world of reality. And we don't have that. We just buy what the white man fills into our head over the wire or through the airways. Brothers and
Sisters why am I doing that for I know let us get down to the business of the floor. This is the business. Look I know many of us are misguided, because of our sensitivities. We are good people. But our sensitivities have us mislead - you see. Alright, so I think it's worthwhile for me to take time and dwell on these things. If I can get one more or, two more or, fifty more to make the turn. Cause really the future of our children depends on our ability to step up out of, the muck and mire of America's ideas and, walk home to, an idea of our own. And, in this interest I insist we don't let any Arab, Pakistani, Egyptian, I don't care what he is. Don't let nobody come over here and be the I/O. No body should come from out of this Community and be the Personality. Be the Reference. Say oh ahh Mr. sheikh shu shu shake ba wah, he's our reference. No! No! You keep Imam W. D. Mohammed as your reference!
And if I fall dead right now! You look for one that came up like I did! Say hey where is one that don't follow sheikhs and, don't follow anybody else but this idea. Come on Brother you have to take Imam W. D. Mohammed's place. That's a need that we have inherited from the soul of our Ancestors. That's right this country took away from us the dignity as a people. And we can't have that dignity if we have other people over us. That's not democratic any other person qualified we should accept that person. I agree with you. But number one is if they qualify number one is that you be part of this natural growth in America. If you are not we can not identify with you. Because we are a people growing into what we are. We are not yet that and we don't want anyone who is grown into Italian form, or into Greek form or, Turkish form, or Egyptian form. It would be a terrible conflict. Once we have grown into our own form as a people then OK Mr. You have the
qualification step right up be our leader. Because we are going to hold you accountable you bastard. You better not make a mistake. But now we are too far from the destiny that we ourselves have to grow into to give up. To allow some foreign element to stand over us because we'll be influenced. We are like fresh clay. We'll be too easily influenced. Wait, until we have established ourselves as a unit and have recognition in Egypt and Africa and all over the world and in Asia - recognition for establishing our personality as a people. When we have gained that, then we'll be like any other Community. But until then we are a Peculiar People under the eyes of the Lord. So these are our concerns.





Practicing The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh)

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed

QUESTION: Do you encourage your community to practice the Sunni of Prophet Muhammed in harmony with the interpretation of such Sunni scholars as Al Ghazali, Imam Rabini, etc.?—Danbury, Conn.

IMAM: Regarding the jurisprudence and shari'ah in Al-Islam, the understanding and application of the teachings of Al-Islam especially in legal matters, and the body of laws that have been established or formed over the many centuries since the time of Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W.), I would say only that I advise Muslims in this part of the world -- especially the Muslims of this community — to follow the leadership of this community and have faith that this leadership will bring this community to the highest possible point of development as an Islamic community.

The established principles and teachings of this religion, we accept and we intend to include all of those sound and well established teachings and bodies of knowledge in our own curriculum for the elementary schools, the high schools and the colleges. And we hope to make all of that knowledge available to our Imams.

But we have to do it with some discretion, because the writer knows, I am sure, that there are many unsound Hadiths, many unsound laws in the Islamic society today and we have to be careful to select them very carefully.

Who knows, perhaps this community in the very near future will be blessed with learned scholars from our community who will be able to study history, study the history of the law, study persons like Al Ghazali and Rabini and many others and give even deeper insight than we have so far.

We don't believe that the past scholars in this religion are super-beings and there will be no match for them in the future.

We believe that if we study the Qur'an very diligently, study the life of Prophet Muhammed, Hadith and the body of information that traditionally has been passed down as shari'ah — or whatever — with our modern mind, our modern interest and the sincerity that is in us at this time, it is possible that we will improve upon it.

That is what history is. History is improving upon what is discovered, upon what is given.

G'd has given us some things and we make certain discoveries or certain disclosures. G'd also has blessed us with vision to even make improvements. Perhaps there is something that the old scholars overlooked when they were interpreting and applying the teachings of Qur'an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammed — which are the same in my opinion.

The teachings of the Qur'an and Hadith differ only in that one is the language of the Prophet, the other is revealed language. The body of knowledge that was expressed from the Prophet as a human being — or as the Prophet to Hadith or whatever we might want to call it — though it is second in authority to the Qur'an, in my opinion it must be in agreement with the Qur'an.

I think some of these scholars of the past have not dealt with law and Hadith as they should have dealt with them — that is in the light of the Qur'an — let the Qur'an be the inspecting light: inspecting what we are doing, inspecting what we are examining, questioning the conclusions that we come to.

I think there is more improvement to be done in that area.

I hope that from this community will come leaders, scholars who will carry us into stronger, more solid grounds regarding Hadith and shari'ah — the law




A Balanced Muslim 

By Imam W. Deen Muhammad
Bilalian News   06/30/1978


With the Name Allah (In the Name of God), the Gracious, the Compassionate. 

As-Salaam-Alaikum

(Excerpts from a Khutbah delivered by Imam Wallace D. Muhammad at Jumah Prayer, June 2, 1975)

All praise is due to Almighty God, the guardian evolver and sustainer of all the worlds. The blessings and peace be upon Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah to us all.

O Allah, guide us, forgive us our faults, and grant us the blessing of faith. I bear witness there is no deity except Allah and I bear witness Muhammad is His Servant and His Messenger. Peace be upon him, his descendants, his companions, the righteous servants, all of them, and upon us in America and throughout the world:

Dear beloved Muslims, Allah has blessed us and has enriched us. He has blessed us to be Muslims. He has blessed us to have faith. He has enriched us with understanding, with teachings explaining to us the mysteries that Christianity and other ways left us with.

We thank Allah for relieving us of the great burden of confusion and misunderstanding. We pray Allah that we will prove grateful and obedient servants all the days of our life, and that we will raise our children and spread this message of Al-Islam to others so that we will be called helpers in the way of Allah.

Allah has said that He will make this religion, Al-Islam, the dominant religion though the rejecters of faith hate it. It is the obligation of every Muslim to spread this faith, to invite people to the way of Al-Islam, to teach the Quran as much as we know it.

Only when we have faith and practice that faith, is that faith going to produce for us the things that make a comfortable life for the individual. We can have all the faith, but without the practice, we will never have the life that we want for ourselves. 
Allah will not give us ease, and happiness and blessings in our life until we make sacrifices and practice our faith. We have to value our faith above the things that give us personal pleasure, other than the pleasure of Almighty God.

Many of us are striving to have our full life satisfied under or in obedience to God, but many of us are having trouble obeying God because other things are pulling at us, things are pulling us away from obedience to God. So we have to strive hard.

The human being finds his way to his object or to his goals with his feelings, with his senses, with his intelligence. We have to use our intelligence. Allah has sent messengers, prophets to appeal to our hearts, to our senses, and to our intelligence.

The last message from Allah, the Quran appeals to the man's intelligence over and over again. The old thinking man, the rational man, the men of logic, you see — the men of sound reasoning, the men with brains. Allah, through His Prophet, has addressed the intelligence of the human being.

It is only by using our intelligence that we can truly come into the full light of Al-Islam. We don't want people responding emotionally or responding out of the sentiments of the heart, but having little understanding.

We don't want to grope in the dark, searching for the way with spirit only. We want to use intelligence. If we use intelligence, we will find the way and we will overcome those things that pull away our religion.

Doesn't intelligence tell you that nothing else is more important than the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth? Shouldn't it be just an automatic conclusion then that nothing in your life should be more important than obedience to God?

I notice some Muslims that don't work for outsiders, for non-Muslims. They work for Muslims or they work for themselves. But Friday, when Jumah comes, they remain at their homes or in the street. Some of them are just stumbling around or loafing when Jumah Prayer is called.

Allah, the Most High says when prayer is called, the midday prayer, the Jumah Prayer, leave your business.

What about those that have no business and still stay away? It is a shame, they don't understand yet.

Al-Islam is a balanced religion. And for the sake of those who think that when we say "balance" we mean keep a little sin on the scale, that's not the kind of balance we're talking about.

The Muslim should have nothing but good deeds on his scale and he should struggle hard to keep only good deeds on his scale. He should try to keep a scale that has no bad deeds on it at all.

Balance in Al-Islam is not leaning so far as to one thing that Allah says, that you neglect something else that Allah says. All that Allah says is lawful. Allah doesn't bid us to do anything that is unlawful or sinful.

It is lawful to take care of our children. It is our duty to raise our children properly, to educate them, to see that they have a decent life if we are able to.

It is our duty to provide the material means, and so forth, where our wife and our children will have a comfortable living. That's our duty. It's the duty of every male and female to educate themselves and their children. These are duties. A man has a duty to develop his spiritual life, his spiritual nature. He has a duty to develop his financial worth.

If the man is poor, he should feel something is missing in his life as a Muslim until he finds some lawful means, some legitimate livelihood so that he can earn something for himself and enjoy the dignity that comes from earning with your own hands and with your own intelligence. This is what we mean by balance in religion.

The Muslim who prays all the time and keeps the Quran in his hands all the time and quotes Hadiths all the time, but has no job, contributes nothing but prayers and readings, is an unbalanced Muslim.

Likewise the Muslim who spends all his time in his business and is never seen at Jumah Prayer and makes one prayer a week, maybe, but never keeps up regular prayer— that's an unbalanced Muslim.

The Muslim who forgets his prayers and feels no burden, no shame, feels no hurt in his heart while he's busy all the time and making money or going out for worldly pleasures — that's an unbalanced Muslim.

This is the correct way to seek balance. God has said that there are certain things that we "must" do in order to live a full life as Muslims. If we neglect one part of those things while taking care of the other part, we are living an unbalanced life.

But nothing Allah bids us to do is unlawful. Allah doesn't bid us to commit sin. Allah doesn't say if you get uptight, go out and drink a little bit. No. If you get uptight, you pray to God to give you some strength and understanding.

Allah didn't tell us that if you get uptight in this society where there's so many women running around in bikinis and short dresses, it's okay to have an affair out of wedlock. No. Muslims are never to have an affair out of wedlock. You are only to have an affair with your lawful wife or your lawful husband. You are never to have an affair with someone that you are not lawfully married to. This is Al-Islam.

The Muslims who say, "Oh, I'm uptight, I'm gonna curse. I'm gonna use vulgar language to let off some of this steam." That's not Islamic — that's sinning.

Let us be careful not to make our sins legitimate acts. If we do that, then we charge God with sinfulness. Allah hasn't invited us to any sin. We can't do that.

Let us have the right understanding, brothers and sisters. Let us remember that a Muslim cannot be perfect because he's a human being, but he can strive for perfection. And only by striving for perfection can he ever become the best possible person for himself and for others.

If you say, "Oh I have to keep up a reasonable amount of bad doings in my life," that will never bring you to the best you can be. Only when you say, "I don't want an ounce, not one speck, not an atom of wrong in my life," then you can achieve the best.

Allah is the perfect being. Allah is all righteous, truthful — no imperfections in Allah. Allah is Supreme and Perfect without any imperfections.

O, Allah. Make us of those who purify themselves and of those who repent, and guide us in your path. Amen.

Peace be to you
Your brother in service to Allah,
Wallace D. Muhammad


A COMMUNITY FOR ALL PEOPLE

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed


To protect the concept of community life for the Muslim is to fight against any idea, any trend or any spirit that will tend to make us focus our attention on anything other than the collective life of the Muslim community. For sake of clarity, let us take an example. We may become so enthused over business possibilities for ourselves that all of our energies and our spirit will be expended for business progress. In a situation such as that, we need alert people in the community to call the
community's attention to the bigger concern, which is community life. No matter how much you are in need of a dollar, do not allow the dollar to become your main focus. Community life is always the main focus for the Muslims, then within that concern we work for business. We should only put all of our energies behind business because the community is in need of business moreso than anything else. And that is the only reason why we can all promote business, because it is a community need. If your community cries for business establishment, and you go out to rescue your community, and give all of your energies to business in the Name of G'd, you will remain healthy. But if your concerns are only for how much you need as an individual, and for what you can do if only you had some money, you will be small forever. The Basic Elements Life first needs a climate. If there is no climate for life, you may put the seeds there but nothing will grow. The first thing the life needs are those things that are basic or essential elements, such as water, food, land, air, and activity. But you will not have those things until you get proper
climate or environment for life. The environment or climate for community life is community focus, community interest, community concern. These things are the breath for community life. African-Americans have missed as a people because we have not been able to find that simple key. If we want to thrive in a situation
with other communities, we must have community as our central concern. The people who have the poorest representation for contributing and supporting this
country are the Indians and the African-Americans. The Indians, still divided into small clans like they were when the white man first came, are the people
who have the poorest sense of community. They have tried to unite, but they have not been successful. They see only their little small narrow concern, and they
refuse to come into America. They chose to stay on the outside. The African-Americans are also divided up into little clans, and are almost in the same shape as the Indian. We all have our own individual concerns. We are all divided and separated from each other without the power to do anything. We have very little influence if any at all. We don't have any great impact. The only impact we have is what we see in the assistance programs that have been made law for minorities.
Our crying for assistance has enabled others to get aid. We have indirectly been a factor for spreading charity to people who are unable to stand on their own feet. We have a loose idea of what freedom really is. We want freedom for everybody. We have served in legalizing free thought, freedom of behavior, gay rights, every right for everything and everybody. If we come into this religion with that kind of mind and with those kinds of sensitivities, it will prevent us from becoming a real Islamic community. We must first see that old life and old sensitivities as unwanted and unworthy of the Muslim life. The Big Mistake: The big mistake of African-Americans has been to let their interest go to just one need, to just one aspect of community life. We often hear our people say, "Oh, we need a sense of black unity." How important is black unity in giving us a sense of unity, a sense of worth, a sense of progress, and a vision of the future. We know from past experience that race based concerns and money concerns have not established us as a people. This is not the first time we have gone after money. Marcus Garvey called our people to race, black nationalism, and money. There were others who called us to black identity and money, but that has not established us. Some of us say that we are not racist anymore. But, what are their energies being used for? What are they dedicated to? What are they serving? What are they investing in? If we put down one idea as the energizing idea in our life, we have to pick up another. And the idea that we pick up should be better than the one that we put down or we make fools of ourselves in the eyes of the world. Should we think that we can simply say that we are not racist anymore. No! That is not enough. G'd has shown us a bigger interest. He has called the people from their narrow racism
and narrow view of the world. He has called them to see One Lord, one creation,
one humanity, one nation, one community. G'd has motivated the Muslims to
realize community life, and that is what motivated the Muslims in the time of
Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). It was their commitment to realize Islamic community
life that motivated everybody to do something productive.
Prophet Muhammed
never headed up any single concern. What I mean is that he was never the sole
person responsible for any single concern. Even if it was war, he would invite
the men who knew war to discuss the need to defend themselves. He put the men in
charge who were best qualified for that purpose. If it was in construction, he
called on the people who had that ability.
There is no history of Prophet
Muhammed sitting down for hours trying to work out how something was going to be
done. What the Muslim community did was done naturally. Their interest was in
the community. G'd has equipped all of us just as He did them with assets and
contributions for community enrichment. Prophet Muhammed's followers would
organize and do great things without him knowing about it until he was told or
until he came upon it himself. They were all excited by the same fire, the
community's advancement.
The Muslims in America should be giving their
attention to the same purpose, promoting community concern. We must let the
people know that we are primarily, essentially, first and last, a community, and
that we are obligated to realize community life more than we are obligated to
realizing anything else.
We are a minority in America with a double job of
establishing ourselves. If we were in a land of our own, we would just have the
single job of establishing our community. However, as a minority in America, we
have to begin with two concerns. One is to establish ourselves, and the other is
to be a compliment to America. We want to be a beautifying, healthy and
strengthening member in the pluralistic society of America.
The Arabs have
been in America for a long time, yet they are still on the outside. They have
the religion of Al-Islam, but they don't have an Islamic community. They don't
have influence like other minorities. This is because they made the mistake of
coming here without a vision for their future as Americans. This country has two
main processes: the process of gathering, and the process of excluding.
Actually, that is what you have to do in life. You gather the worthwhile things
and exclude the worthless things.
A United Concern
We need to be united in
a single concern, a single purpose that draws all of the best and strongest
Americans together. We need to be allies for the future of America as seen in
the eyes of the best Americans. Many of us have never seen America, and we
refuse to see America. Such people are not ready to do anything of any
consequence or real significance. You must first have a vision of your
environment, a vision for the whole, and where you would like to see it go. This
is the key; it is what separates men from boys.
You should not have static
vision, such as the vision to just get rich. What is going to happen or motivate
you after you become rich? In contrast, to have a vision of the life and future
for the whole is not static. It is continuous, and we believe the Qur'an and
sunnah (actions and sayings) of Prophet Muhammed gives us such a vision.
As
Americans, we have to identify with such an idea. Where is our vision as
Americans wherein we can share in the excitement over the healthy growth of
America? If we identified in the vision that is responsible for America's life,
its being here, its unity, its form of democracy and ideal, we would become
prosperous. There is no way for you to be at a standstill with that kind of
commitment and with that kind of identity. The bigger your concern, the more
energy you will have. The smaller your concern, the more deficient you will be
in energy.
Many African-American Muslims only concern is to get some money.
Such people are small people, not capable of discussing the future of the Muslim
community here in America. All they want is a good weekend or something for
their family.
The greatest concern of those who teach this religion (Imams)
should be for the whole life of the Muslim. An Imam should be hurt because we
don't have halal products coming from halal producers who are members of this
community, He should be hurt to see our teenagers go to a dance or see a movie
in a non-Islamic environment. They should be concerned knowing that Muslim
teenagers must go to cultural productions produced by non-Muslims with
anti-Islamic influences. If any Imam is satisfied to see his children go to the
movie theatres, watch TV all day long, dance and listen to records and have
their whole spirit taken out of its Islamic form, he has no right to be an Imam
or teacher in our community.
Our need is not to have any one person lead us.
Our need is to have one vision to lead us. Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) had the most
willing followers. They were ready to give their all in support of him. What was
it that made them so close? It was their sharing in the vision of the life that
was for all of them. They were grateful to G'd for bringing up one of their own
sons who was not taught by the world to lead their community and get the people
to realize that vision. That is what made them so attached to him, and why they
became attached to each other.
Putting Roots in America
The
African-American is an uprooted people. Our history is in slavery, in the desire
to be free, and the desire to integrate into the blessings of America. Beyond
that, we can only guess about our past. As individuals, we don't know whether we
came from Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria,China or where. But the fact remains, we
are an uprooted people. We have not been able to root ourselves since we have
been in America. It is a need of any people to have roots somewhere. But how can
we root ourselves in America if we continue to reject America? That is like a
man trying to have a baby by a woman, yet he refuses to have sexual relations
with her.
It is very difficult, almost impossible for the African-American to
identify freely with the future of America without experiencing some pain. I
have met with many African-American leaders— mayors, congressmen, senators,
church leaders and others, and I have been so disheartened, so disappointed.
After meeting with most of them, I've had to say to myself, "These leaders have
the same restricting, denying sentiments that we once had in the Nation of
Islam. Some of these leaders go to the government like the Hebrews went to
Pharaoh.
If America is your country, when you go to the government, you
shouldn't go as if you are going to Pharaoh. You shouldn't, in your mind and
heart, go to Pharaoh when you go to see the President. But most of these
leader's sensitivities will not allow them to see the government of America as
their government, or see the President as their leader.
The key for
re-establishment of an uprooted people is community life. All of our people
don't have to become Muslims to establish themselves in America. If they would
become excited about building a future in America for their coming generations,
they would automatically come into America. But, as Muslims, we are doubly
blessed. In fact, I really think G'd has rescued the whole of our people, that
is, African-Americans, in His rescuing of those who accept and follow the
religion of Al-Islam, the Muslims.


Islam history of man is of his intellect 

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed
11/15/1998 Chicago, Ill Imam's Meeting

Now as Muslims in Islam, brother Imams, understand that the history of man in Islam is really the history of his intellect, his heart, yes but more importantly his intellect. The history of mankind on this earth is the history of the intellect of mankind, what do we mean by intellect? Simply put for all of us to understand it without a doubt, the brain, the human brain, it's the history of the human brain on this earth.
Heart helps brain

QUR'AN26:194; Qur'an revelation on heart
"Verily this is a Revelation from the Lord of the Worlds: With it came down the Spirit of Faith and Truth to thy heart and mind that thou may admonish ..."
See the heart helps history but the brain records it, the heart supports history but the brain charts the way and the brain records it. The heart is a great helper, in fact the brain cannot move until the heart is right, it can't move correctly until the heart is right, that's why Allah say "We revealed up upon is heart", peace and blessing be upon Muhammed the Prophet, meaning that you don't get Revelation from G'd until your heart is in the right condition, that's what that means.
And We revealed it upon his heart mean we entrusted it, G'd and His angels and His good forces they are pleased with G'd and entrusting the Revelation to Muhammed because of the good, excellent, perfect condition of his heart.
Heart is pre-condition for the brain
But that's the condition that's necessary, the condition that's necessary just like we need a certain condition for the seed that we want to grow or crop; we need a certain condition in the earth for it. Once that condition is there, then we can put the seed there right, then we expect the crop, the life to come up, we expect the living thing to come up that we want to grow. So the correct condition of the heart is the condition for the brain to be situated for progress but once that heart is good now the brain is the leader.
Heart occasional leader
Forty Hadith p.90#27; Consult heart
"On the authority of Waabisa Ibn Ma'bad who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and he said: "You come to ask about righteous? I said: yes. He said: Consult your heart. Righteousness is that about which the soul feels tranquil and the heart feels tranquil, and the wrongdoings is that which wavers in the souls and moves to and fro in the breast even though people again and again have given you their legal opinion [in its favor]."
And only occasionally the heart takes the lead, why? Because something is happening with the spirit, something is happening with the sensitivities, something is happening with the heart and the brain can't handle it, so then the heart takes over it says "hey I'm going to have to lead you brain out of this problem for the heart and the heart takes over temporarily and leads the brain out of that situation. So what I'm saying is the role of the heart is just as a condition like climatic condition, soil condition for the growth of life. And the heart's role to come in and interrupt is only because the climate is bad or the soil condition has become bad and the brain is having trouble knowing how to handle that situation, so the heart comes in and says" here we got some stuff in this soil that needs to come out of here and we are missing something that needs to be put in here and this area is bad, this climatically condition is bad, we need to migrate, we
 need to move. But once those situations have been corrected or that problem is out of the way, the brain is back.


 The spiritual material establishment, how are they to work in Al Islam 

12-01-2001  Ramadan Session II – Masjid Taqwa Chicago, Ill


Question: Will you give the importance of the prayers at the Masjid in groups?
Group, sunnah prayer symbol of knowledge for society

Imam W. Deen Mohammed:

 Yes, I just said that our prayer is a picture of the rise and fall of civilization but it also says the death and your death is as the death and the resurrection of one person, one individual.

So civilization falls because the one individual type falls. As long as there is one individual type remaining the civilization will not fall. Is that clear? Yes, if there is one individual type remaining that represents the collective body, because it’s in everyone of us. That’s why we have to do, not only congregational prayer, but we have to do private prayers, alone. We have to be able to do our prayers alone without an Imam. We have to be our own Imam, sisters and brothers.

We have to be our own Imam and lead ourselves in prayer because as long as one of us is in this life…and it says “Hayya alas Salat”. “Hayya, life, come to life, come to prayer.” “Hayya alal Falah, come to success, come to life, the real life.” As long as there is one of us in this real life there’s hope for everybody.

The civilization will not fall as long as there is just one of us with this light.
Civilization’s rise, fall rep excellence of human life

But understand that it is a picture of the rise and fall of civilization and the rise and fall of civilization is not the rise and fall of industry. The rise and fall of civilization is the rise and fall of human life in its excellence.
Where did it start? With my mind paying attention, “Allahu Akbar”. My ears are open and I’m paying attention. It starts with attention to something. Isn’t that how civilization starts, man giving attention to the wonders of the heavens, man giving attention to the wonders of human life and he’s turned onto something that he loves and enjoys? After a while, he can’t pull away from it and he keeps carrying it further and further. He keeps building a logic more and more and after a while he is established as the teacher and he has a big following. And he’s bringing them into the light, into the news. That’s how it starts.


Al-Islam has been built upon five pillars or basis or principles

Imam W. Deen Mohammed
(Editorial Note: Imam W. Deen Mohammed made this presentation at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel in Dallas, Texas on March 19, 1989. It was southern Texas that gave Imam Mohammed proper and due media coverage and recognition. Editing has been done by Imam Mohammed.)

Al-Islam has been built upon five pillars or basis or principles. The first is testifying or witnessing there is no deity but Allah, Muhammed is Allah's Messenger. And we have to be firm (brave) enough to say that to our friends who are not Muslims. We have to be firm (brave) enough to say that to our relatives who haven't learned that we have been converted.
We make our shahadah (testimony) even though we take the risk of being rejected from the house and turned away as relatives. Regardless, we testify to there being One Creator (G'd) Who is also the "Lord of the worlds" and Lord of all therein and to Muhammed being Allah's Messenger.
We don't make that testimony or declaration just upon shallow faith or blind impulse. It is not for a person to hear the religion and just feel good and say — "I bear witness there is no g'd but Allah, and Muhammed is Allah's Messenger." We have to do more than hear the religion and feel good, we have to hear the religion and recognize it is good. Then, we should study the Qur'an and study the five principles. When we study them and they appeal to our intelligence and they appeal to our virtuous side and to our human side, when they appeal to our social ambitions and we love them, then we say, "this is what we need." Then we are witnesses.
You are not a witness, until you can intelligently recognize the benefits in a thing. We do not want you to come up here just because you feel good and say you are a Muslim. We want you to sense with your intelligence that this is a good thing and that this is a good way for you and a good foundation for your life. Then you can witness it.
Muhammed, a man uneducated by the authorities of the world and did not go to the schools of the so-called learned of the rabbis, for he is a man that was unlettered or uneducated but had great and perfect virtues and perfect human excellence. His own natural spirit did not lead him to follow corruption. For Allah says of him, "He has already lived a lifetime among you." It is speaking of the time before he was missioned as a prophet and is saying in effect that that lifetime that he lived among you establishes him as a human being on the high standard of excellence.
Muhammed was so excellent in his nature before he was made prophet. The Arabs, although they were worshippers of idols, knew that such a man should be the one to trust. They called him "El-Amin," the trustworthy one. When they would travel away from their homes, many of them would come to him and treat him as if he were the bank. They would leave their precious possessions with Muhammed, because they knew they could trust him with them. We can go on and on to show how completely they trusted him.
Today, we all know him as "El-Amin," the peace and the blessings be upon him.
We are to testify that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah. And what is the purpose for that? The first purpose we should see is that Allah did not give the religion to us directly. Allah chose a messenger and Allah chose the one whom He intended for that and whom He wanted for that. He chose Muhammed and gave Muhammed the message. Prophet Muhammed gave to us what he received from Allah as revelation as it was received by him.
Let us understand this first. And every time we say "La illaha illallah, Muhammedan rasullullah'' we are saying to ourselves and to the world that "There is no messenger coming after Muhammed." We don't have to say it in any other way. Every time we say "La illaha illallah, Muhammedan rasullullah" we are saying "He is still the Messenger of Allah." That same Muhammed is still the Messenger of Allah today and to the end of the world.
What else is this saying to this world that has made Messengers to be g'ds with Allah? The revelation (the Qur'an) to Muhammed is saying that "Our prophet is not a g'd; he is the Messenger of Allah." There is no g'd except Allah, not Muhammed, not your idol. There is no g'd except the Lord Creator, and Muhammed is the Messenger, not G'd.

"The Testimony"

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed

There is no partner or associate with Him in the Run or in the Rule of the heavens and the earth. He (Allah) has no sharers in that. He is G-d Alone. And as Allah's Book (the Qur'an) says, "For Him is the creation and also the command." He creates and He also commands. That means that the One Who created us, we must also accept commands from Him. He is to command our life. He is to order our life. He is our Creator and the One to order our life.

We don't have someone else giving us orders. Although it is agreed He is the Creator, for some it is as if He (the Creator) has become mute and someone else will be giving us the orders. No. The same One (Creator) Who created us gives us orders. And it is clear in the Qur'an that the Commands, the Orders of G-d are the Orders of the Creator (Allah). It is clear in the Qur'an. And we have to accept the Kalimah or the Shahadah.

Shahadatain (The Testimony)

Actually it (the testimony) is Shahadatain, although we say Shahadah. That Shahadatain (witnessing twice) of La ilaha illallahu, Muhammedan Rasulullah" (There is no G-d, but Allah and Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah) is saying clearly that Muhammed is not G-d; Muhammed is the Messenger of G-d. And although it does not say (in subject form) Muhammed is not G-d, it does say it in effect: "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Muhammedan Rasulullah." I bear witness there is no G-d but, Allah and Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah. Keep it clear, and it is very clear.

Why this strong emphasis? It is because we know of the Trinity and of all these other things that have created so many problems for the belief in One G-d. What has Allah said in the Qur'an, in the Holy Book? He (SWT) says, "The worst form of oppression is false worship."

The Biggest Enemy to Man is False Religion

We see in America, in Western society, so many humanists, so many sociologists, so many decent minded human beings who have been turned off from religion. They care less for religion. And what do many of them say? They say that religion is responsible for most of the misdeeds in the life of man on this earth. Now I have to agree with that. I don't think the biggest enemy to man is false religion. And Allah says, the worst oppression is "shirk" (false worship) in the Deen (religion). That (religious falsehoods) is the shirk that is worse (of all).

I believe that secularism in Western society and perhaps in the East too (but I am here and I know more about this secularism) is the child of "shirk." The corruption of the idea of G-d (Shirk) has produced all of these other evil possibilities (results). So that is the main evil and it has not changed. Whatever Allah established with Prophet Muhammed is the same now. The same strong emphasis was established then: "La ilaha illallah Muhammedan Rasuhillah.

But we have to do more than just say this or just recite this. We must know the implications, we must know the ramifications, we must know the impact of "La ilaha illallah, Muhammedan Rasulullah." We must become more educated in the, practical benefits and in the knowledge of the force (the powerful influence) of that Kalimah, that Shahadatain (two-principled testimony).

Emphasis on Oneness and Unity

We see the universe and all of creation as one. It is one functioning system. The whole thing is one functioning system. Now, I have made discussion or talked on this subject of Tauheed and have said that for us the emphasis is not on diversity and differences. It is on oneness and unity. Although we know that the role of diversity has to be recognized because it is by the principle of differences that we; have come into existence. One (Allah) created us but we multiply by differences... (by co-functioning opposites). The male and the female are not alike. Allah says in the Qur'an that "the male is not like the female." Therefore, it is more important for us to stress the oneness and the unity than it is for us to dwell on differences or on variations.

I am addressing the concern now of how this oneness or this Tauheed is all encompassing. We are to see ourselves first and most importantly as Muslim. We have to see as the most important identity for us the Muslim identity. That is the identity of us (belonging to) Tauheed.

We are one community. We are all brethren. We are "brothers" in this one community. That is the oneness (the single community) in which we are all brothers. And what makes us all brothers is that we are Muslim. And what is this Muslim? Is this a label like Christian? Is this a label like Buddhist or Jew? No! This "Muslim" names something that we are by the very fact of our existence. We are this in our creation and Allah has made us to understand that He created us to be this. And then He gives us the conscious (awareness) in the Muslim body.

That conscious (awareness) comes into the Muslim body and that conscious (awareness) can only come from the Qur'an and the Life of Prophet Muhammed (SAW). Then you (we) become the conscious Muslim - a Muslim body with light in it. The light, the conscious (awareness) of the Muslim is in it because he has the Qur'an in his mind and the Qur'an in his life. And his life is being disciplined by the Qur'an and the Life of Muhammed, the prayers and the peace be upon him (upon Muhammed, Allah's Messenger).

I am not trying to tell you anything, I am trying to point to something that we all know already. If we understand this concept of the Muslim man, then we have a force for a successful revolution on this earth. No communist idea is better than that (Tauheed). No socialist idea, no Baa'th idea, no idea is better (than Tauheed). And believe me, I pay attention to all of them. Even if it (an ideology) is not impressive, if I hear about it, then I look at it. I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid something is going to change my mind. Therefore, I look at it and try to see the worth of it (of the idea).

And I think that is important for us when we are dealing with American people too. When we are dealing wife the American government, when we are dealing with the evils of the American people as a government and as a nation, we have to have courage to look at that which we have serious trouble with. Look at that which we have real deep problems with and serious trouble with. We have to have the courage to look at it and not be afraid that it is going to shake our faith. Look at it and say, "Here are the evils." But also look and recognize the good.

Recognize and Stress the Good

If we recognize the good, we will build upon the good and stress the good found in others, even in enemies, and make this a feature of our propaganda for America, in our propaganda for winning the West. Let us find good in the life of America. Let us find good in the Nation and in the government of America. Let us find good in the Constitution of the United States. I also have read that Constitution. And I heard someone say the Constitution wrote us off as "subhuman." Certainly it did. But understand that was just something interjected. That was something put into the Constitution. That by itself is not the Constitution.


Al-Islam as a Solution

We are offering Al-Islam as a solution. Therefore, we should see Al-Islam clearly. Prophet Muhammed, the peace and blessings be upon him, has said "Al-Islam is 
structured upon five essentials". The first is There is but One God, and there are no two gods or multiple per­sonalities. There is Only One. "And Muhammed is His Mes­senger." Muhammed is not God and is not God's son. Muham­med is God's Messenger. "A hu­man mortal just like you", referr­ing to Prophet Muhammed, Qur'an, Muhammad, Allah's Messenger is not divine and is not an angel. He is a human mortal just like we are.
I think the idea is weakened when we say a man just like other men comes to save other men but the man is God. The idea is weakened. If a man is God, then there is no big deal to make over whatever he does. If he saves the people, no big deal. He is supposed to be God. If he heals the sick, no big deal. He is God. We have doctors who heal the sick. He helps the blind? We have doctors who can give new eyes now. To think of man as divine is to weaken the idea of God and in the same instance weaken the merits of man.
Now if you say a man did these things, that he was not a god but simply a man, it makes the man great. It is great that a man will do these things. But if he was supposed to be God, then it is no big deal.
We may be hearing some­thing for America. Think about what needs a solution. If we say America needs a solution, what are the problems?

"The Oneness of Allah"

Sunday Taaleem Address was deli­vered by Imam W. Deen Mohammed at Masjid Al-Fatir in Chicago, IL on March 30, 1990.

We believe in the Oneness of Allah, and that Oneness cannot be compromised. There is no compromising the 

Oneness of God for Muslims. "Say, Allah is One 

Alone." "Allah is eternal", all the time existing. We cannot go back in time to find His be­ginning, and we cannot go 

for­ward to find His end. But He is not only eternally existing, also everything that is existing has its tie to Him and 

cannot exist without Him. "Never did He father a child." And, "Never was He a child fathered by any father." And, 

"There never ex­isted anything comparable to Him." This is Allah the One God for all. That concept of God is the 

distinct uniqueness for Muslims. We believe in the Purity of Oneness where the concept of God is the issue.

The Surah of the Qur'an just recited is called The Purity. It means that this Concept of Allah is complete and 

perfect. No corruption of ideas have crept into it. It has been given by Allah and remains as re­vealed to Muhammed 

for us and for all times. That Oneness is unique for us and is the purest of the ideas called Monotheistic beliefs.

That is not to say that others do not believe in One God. I be­lieve that Jews believe in One God. I believe the 

Christians be­lieve in One God. But we have that special uniqueness where we do not compromise that One­ness. It 

is not confused. It is not weakened. I do not want to offend anyone here, but to me a God that has a progeny is 

weakened by a progeny. I am the one saying that, and I accept responsibility for that.

First of all, the Idea of God is different from the idea of man, woman, and child. Man can hone that his work will be 

improved through his progeny. This is because man starts off unfulfilled and incomplete. Allah has always been as 

He is. Allah is perfect always, and for Him to extend Himself by a progeny would say that He needs help like we do. 
We need a progeny to extend our exist­ence and to give us another chance through our sons. We need a progeny 

that will perhaps do better than we did, in hopes of having a better soci­ety through them. The idea of progeny, in my opinion, weakens the Concept of God.


Al Quran 29:48

"And thou wast not (able) to recite a Book before this (Book came) nor art thou (able) to transcribe it with thy right hand: in that case indeed would the talkers of vanities have doubted."

It is extremely annoying when we have to hear non Muslims claim that Prophet Mohammed (saw) merely copied from the Bible to form Al Quran. The truth to this is as far apart from reality as the east is from the west as opposed as night and day! Prophet Mohammed (saw) came from an unlettered people and hence he too was unlettered. Our Imam W D Mohammed explained unlettered does not mean he and his people could not read for they were known for their poetry. Prophet Mohammed (saw) was a tradesman in business for Lady Khadijah so he had to be able to read road maps and business contracts. Unlettered means he and his people as a whole were never exposed to a revealed book before Al Quran. Moses as well as Jesus came from communities which were exposed to divine revelation but Prophet Mohammed was among those who worshiped 360 gods.

Al Quran comes as a confirmation of the previous scriptures and a further explanation of the Divine Word. It was only when the angel Jabril began communicating the final revelation Al Quran to Prophet Mohammed (saw) that he began to eloquently express such powerful and profound truths. Al Quran comes as that which establishes the reality that there is only One G-d and His Messengers are One community under One Truth. Al Quran replaces doubt with certainty as it removes falsehoods with the power of truth. Allah tells us in Al Quran 37:37 "Nay! He has come with the (very) Truth and he confirms (the Message of) the apostles (before Him)."


Al-Islam: Unity and Leadership

(The following excerpts are from Imam W. Deen Mohammed's book, "Al-Islam: Unity and Leadership, published by The Sense Maker in 1991")

How are we going to come to the bases for our Muslim unity? Can we do it by simply saying "La ilaha illallah, Muhammedan rasullallah" (There is no god but G-d, and Muhammed is the Messenger of G-d)? This is the key for our unity.

However, this involves much more. So the answer is "no." We have to now teach and educate Muslims all over again in matters of this far-reaching Kalimah (declaration). For now, it has just become formal language and habit of expresion for too many of us.

When Prophet Muhammed gave "la ilaha illallah, Muhammedan rasullallah," it was not just formal expression. It impacted as a great belief and a great liberating principle. It was and is the first and most essential principle of the religion for Muslims.

It carried a message to the mind that was more than formality and taqwa (regardfulness). For most of us now, it just reminds us that there is One G-d, and that Muhammed is His Messenger.

There is a lot connected with the Muslim belief in One G-d. The belief in One G-d leads to the belief in the Oneness of Allah's Creation. It leads to the belief in the unity of man, the oneness (one essential identity) of the human family on this earth.

If Muslims believe in One Allah (G-d), one creation and one humanity, then we have the Islamic basis for Muslim unity. Because that mighty Kalimah has not had the impact that it should on the Muslim world in the centuries behind, we do not have the unity we should have and the unity that is ours.

We have preachers going around preaching brotherhood. But that is not enough. They are preaching that in Al-Islam, you cannot hate a Black man or look down on a Black man. But that is not enough.

Why is it that we should not look down on a Black man? Our religion teaches us to look at effects and to find causes. Our religion teaches us to be men of logic, to think in a logical way and look for solutions in a logical way.

Therefore, we don't say emotionally, "The Black man is to be treated just like our White brother." We don't do that from emotions only. We have to go further than that. We have to connect with the intelligence and with the logic for that statement.

The Christians who discriminated against us said the same thing. They, too, said, "It is a sin to hate.... Love all people." The Christians now have accepted that Blacks should enjoy this country with everybody else, but we find many of them with the same attitude that they had before "equal opportunity."

There are still those who do not want to sit with us on transportation or in fine hotels or in fine restaurants. There are many European (White) Americans who still do not want that. Their hearts have not been changed.

It is because their thinking really has not been changed. You cannot change a person's thinking just by giving them an emotional statement. Those "White" Americans who have been influenced to think good about us can also feel good about us.

Let us first find out what has happened to put a person in the situation he is in just because of his blackness. If it was his black skin that got him into that situation, let us find out how it happened.

Once we find out how it happened, if it were not justified, then let us tell all the Americans: "Here is how the Black man got into this situation and came to be looked down on. These are the true circumstances in his life and in our life that brought this 'Black' man to be looked down on.

Once that is known and condemned, then we all will be in the clear. After this is done, there comes to be a new condition and a rational environment that permits the healing of the heart. Hearts cannot heal where knowledge is confused.

So it is for Muslims. A Muslim brother will say, "Yes, you are my black brothers. And Prophet Muhammed was a great man. He embraced the black man!" Now I am saying what I have heard. I am not! just making up something.

Is that what made our Prophet great? That he embraced the black man? What made our Prophet Muhammed great was that he was qualified to receive the Last Universal Message from Allah. He was qualified to be the leader for humanity. And his embracing the Black man was just a small part of his greatness.

So this person talking was revealing something about his own mentality. As he was talking, I began to see him. I said to myself, "To be near me is a big thing for you, isn't it?" He was admitting that for him, it was a big issue to embrace a Black man.

It tells me that the problem was not solved, and the confusion is still there for too many Muslims internationally. It tells me that we are just acting emotionally to situations and are not understanding what has happened and the wrong that was done.

Therefore, we cannot solve the problems and cannot heal ourselves. We cannot just formally say, "La ilaha illallah, Muhammedan rasullallah" anymore. We have to teach and educate Muslims again on the meaning and the connection, on the implications and ramifications of "la ilaha illallah, Muhammedan rasullallah."

We have to teach them what leads to other important conclusions. We made this conclusion, that there is One G-d. With that conclusion established for us, we will go to the next conclusion, and we finally go to the end in that logic.

Allah wants us to carry these conclusions on and on and on, until we have peace and harmony and respect for each other supported by our intelligence as also by our hearts or emotions.

We want situations where we can work intelligently with each other and support each other intelligently. We want to be moved and motivated by decency and intelligence. We don't want to be motivated only by good feelings of the heart.

We want to be motivated by the intelligence to respect each other, to progress and to dp so without the cowardice of racism. That is the desire we should have as Muslims.

The purpose for which Allah brought us together and established us as one international body is that we work for the good of all people. Read the Qur'an for yourself. It is as plain as that.

We are looking for powerful and huge solutions. We are looking for a "Mujeddid," a saint or a genius to be born among the Pakistanians or in the family of the Sudanese or in the family of the Saudis. We are looking for a person who will solve great complicated problems for us.

All we need is a person with good common sense to say, "Let us not be hypocrites by each other. Let us accept One G-d, one creation, one people, and let us work for the good of all people." It is as simple as that.

Are Muslims all over the world ready to accept the above? If we are ready to accept that, then we are ready for the bases for our unity.

"Natural Urgency" in our global life urges us to get back to what appeals to the natural man and his spirit in him to follow his aims toward more and more excellence, toward bigger and greater establishment and toward bigger and greater achievements in the international world.

In order for man to be prepared for that, he has to be universal in his heart, universal in his thinking, and universal in his aspirations. He has to include everybody in his dreams - not only in his works but also in his dreams.

Allah included everybody in the dream (the future) for Muslims. He said, "You are one community brought out for the good of all people."


ISLAMIC BASIC VALUES and MUSLIM UNITY


May 12, 1996 
Edison, New Jersey 
Imam WD Mohammed, Muslim American Spokesman for Human Salvation 

"Private Life. Allah wants the public life to be ordered upon the private life interest!!. That's the key for having the ideal public life. Getting back to basic values. G-d gives us a symbol of a home that's too small for the village to live. It's very small. It's just enough room in there for a man and his wife and about two children. If you cram you could crowd the place maybe you can  about eight children in there. Man, wife and about eight children maybe. In that little small house. So G-d is showing us a little small house as a symbol. We know a small house like that would be a house for private life. You hear these educated people, these philosophers, theologians, talking about the value of private life. Learn your religion, Islam, learn your Qur'an, and like Mohammed, on yourself, your own private creation, and you will come to know even in a higher sense than they know what is this precious private life. 

So this private life that G-d created for us, that precious private life that G-d created for each and every one of us that is the life that we should have multiplied and expressed in the public life. That is the life. And the private home interest is the best interest because it's fair about all its' subjects. So governmnet in the order of the private family...with a man and woman, if they both are there, as the rulers, the governor, and they have each and every child of their's equally in their love we should have political leaders and a political system that will strive to have that kind of conditions int heir leaders and in the system. Where all citizens will have an equal place in the interest of the nation. 
Public life is the destiny. Private life was created to go from private life to public life. The community life establishment of the ideal community life that's our destiny on this earth. Allah has assigned this destiny to us."IWDM

Salat is communicating a message to us
Imam.W.D.Mohammad
05-25-1997 Publishers’ Conference – Hattiesburg, Miss.

So we know La ilaha illillah, will bring you out of hell, if you’re in hell and you hold on to that ‘There’s One G-d’, Allah said, it will bring you out of hell. But, establish society, ordering society, and establishing it so it works for the people, so it works for living incommunity, we must have more than La ilaha illillah.
That’s why prayer is so mentioned so much, and stressed so much over and over again, but not prayers as a ritual. These Muslims just doing this and doing like this with no understanding, they can’t keep an establishment. But if he knows the significance of prayer for saving your individual soul, and know the message of salat, there’s a message. If you know the message that salat is communicating, Salat is communicating a message to us, it is telling us, how we rise and fall, and its telling us what brings us to stand up. I’m talking about not only the individual, but the society. What brings it to be established, and what causes it to fall, and after it falls, what can get it back up, that’s what its telling us.It’s the story of life and death. It’s a kind of depiction, like a theater, showing us the rise and fall of individual and the nation, the society. What cause it to fall and what will get it back up. You make two sajdas, and the real meaning of sajda, and you can rise back up. Two sajdas. And the Prophet said the best position of prayer is sajda. Isn’t that what he said? The best position is sajda.

11-14-1999 Brothers’ Meeting with Imam Warith Deen Mohammed

Lastly I want to tell you because you are men. I didn’t tell the sisters this, you’re men. Work should be your love. The devil deprives you of a good life by making you think relaxation is what you want, what your nature wants. No your nature doesn’t want relaxation. Your nature wants work. Nothing is more relaxing for the soul than a positive work that satisfies the intellect and the heart. The sleep you take at night is not more satisfying than that. Your favorite pastime, recreation,
whatever is not more satisfying than that. That’s why we have the saying: As Saltul Quarum Minanum, Prayer is better than sleep. As Saltul Quarum Minanum,
Prayer is better than sleep. This is prayer in the broad sense. This is not prayer like this, doesn’t mean that. This is prayer in the broad sense.
And the Muslim life is a prayer. My whole life is a prayer. When I’m obedient, obeying G-d’s word in the manner that G-d’s Prophet obeyed it, my whole life is a prayer. What I do is a prayer, my work, whatever my profession is, its my prayer. And Allah says, to give you at least a hint of the idea of this broad prayer in its broadest meaning, He says every creature knows it its mode of prayer. That means a bird, an animal a plant, a heavenly body. They all have a mode of prayer. So their prayer is their obedience, their function, and their obedience to G-d. The function answering the demands of their function that G-d assigned to them. G-d assigned to them a function. And they are answering in accord to the will of G-d or their Creator. In accord with the designs of their Creator on their function.
On their functional life they are doing that. Their whole life is a life in prayer. An actually prayer for us is education. Prayer for us is learning. When we recite the Qur’an we’re learning the Qur’an. We’re hearing it and committing it to memory. It’s an education for us, standing on our feet in prayer. It’s an education for us.
And at certain points we have to submit to the G-d and glorify the G-d that revealed it. Allahu Akbar Subhanan rabbiyal ‘ Azeem, Subhanan rabbiyal ‘ Azeem, Subhanan rabbiyal ‘ Azeem Sami’allaahu liman Hamidah Allahu Akbar Subhanna rabbiyal a’ Alaa, Subhanna rabbiyal a’ Alaa, Subhanna rabbiyal a’ Alaa
Allahu Akbar May Allah forgive us and show us mercy. And go back down to sajda again. Subhanna rabbiyal a’ Alaa, Subhanna rabbiyal a’ Alaa, Subhanna rabbiyal a’ Alaa. Allahu Akbar And when he completes his prayer, he’s established on the throne, he’s sitting on the throne. As Salaamu Alaikum wa rahmatullah,
As Salaamu Alaikum wa rahmatullah
……..
Consult the sisters, they’ll give you the answers to what I just told you. Yes they’ll give you the commentary on what I just said. Thank you and let’s go forward.
Have no fear. Let’s be that select group that G-d asks for out of the Ummah, out of the international Ummah. And we’re ready to compete with any other select
group. If the Egyptians, the Indians or Pakistanis, or Arabs, or anybody, If they want to compete to be this select group, this foremost group working for the patterned society that G-d gave us, then let’s compete. And let us be as in a race towards all that is good. And G-d will reward the whole Ummah, through our separate excellent efforts of excellence.
Peace to you, As Salaamu Alaikum.


Peaceful Nights
 
  'O Allah, I submit my soul to You, and I entrust my affair to You, and I turn my face towards You, and I totally rely on You, in hope and fear of You.
Peaceful Nights

Allah, the Exalted, says: "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and day are signs for those of understanding-who remember Allah while standing, sitting and [lying] on their sides" (Qur'an, 3:190-191). The moments right before you fall sleep are beautifully serene. Everything is still and quiet (hopefully), and all you have amidst the darkness is the radiance of your thoughts and reflections. You might even find the best ideas coming to mind in that relaxed, peaceful state. If you get into bed when you're exhausted, though, your brain shuts down before you know it, and you don't remember thinking of anything-even of Allah. The same would apply if you fall asleep while you're doing something, like watching TV or reading a book.
Think about how you fall asleep every night. What occupies your time right before you fall asleep? If you consider the amount of dhikr (remembrance of Allah ) that the Prophet  did before going to sleep, you'd find that it's much easier to implement when you consciously choose to go to bed before you feel super tired. More importantly, you'd sleep in a state of dhikr while feeling the meanings in your heart and reflecting upon them, rather than mumbling them mindlessly as you pass out.
Do you know what adhkar (singular of dhikr) to say before going to sleep? I included some for you below, along with their related etiquettes or benefit. Try to keep a reference of these by your bedside, and learn one a week, or even one a day if you can. Start with the easier and shorter ones, and then move on to the longer ones. Practice saying them on a nightly basis, and soon enough, you will know (and feel) them by heart insha'Allah.

From the Qur'an:
Ayat al-Kursi (Qur'an, 2:255).
Allah. There is no god but He,-the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).
Benefit: Whoever reads Ayat al-Kursi when (s)he lies down to sleep will have protection from Allah, and Satan will not come near him/(her) until morning. [Bukhari]
 
The Last Two Ayas of Surat al-Baqarah (Qur'an, 2:285-286).
The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His apostles. "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His apostles." And they say: "We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys."
On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) "Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden Like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith."
Benefit: These two ayat will be sufficient for anyone who recites them before sleeping. [Bukhari & Muslim]
 
The Last Three Chapters of the Qur'an (112, 113, and 114).

SAY: "He is the One God:
"God the Eternal, the Uncaused Cause of All Being.
"He begets not, and neither is He begotten;
"and there is nothing that could be compared with Him.

SAY: "I seek refuge with the Sustainer of the rising dawn,
"from the evil of aught that He has created,
"and from the evil of the black darkness whenever it descends,
"and from the evil of all human beings bent on occult endeavors,
"and from the evil of the envious when he envies."

SAY: "I seek refuge with the Sustainer of men,
"the Sovereign of men,
"the God of men,
"from the evil of the whispering, elusive tempter
"who whispers in the hearts of men
"from all [temptation to evil by] invisible forces as well as men,"
Etiquette: When going to bed every night, the Prophet ﷺ would cup his hands together, blown into them, and recite the last three chapters of the Qur'an. Then, he would wipe over his entire body (as much as possible) with his hands, beginning with his head and face, and then the rest of his body. He would do this three times. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Other Adhkār and Supplications:
1. "Bismik-Allahumma amutu wa ahya."
With Your Name, O Allah, I expire and return to life. [Bukhari]
 
2. "Allahumma qini hadhabak yawma tabhathu hibadak" (three times).
O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the day You resurrect Your servants. [Tirmidhi]
 
3. SubhānAllah (33 times), Alhamdu lillah (33 times), and Allāhu Akbar (34 times).
Exalted is Allah, All Praise is to Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. [Bukhari & Muslim]
 
4. "Alhamdu lillahi'l-lathi athamana wa saqana wa kafana wa aawana fakam mimman la kafiya lahu wa la mu'wi."
All praise is to Allah, Who fed us and gave us to drink, and Who is sufficient for us and has sheltered us - for how many have none to suffice them or shelter them. [Muslim]
 
5. "Bismika rabbi wadahtu jambi wabika arfahuh fa'in amsakta nafsi farhamha wa'in arsaltaha fahfadh-ha bima tahfadhu bihi hibadaka'l-salihin."
In Your name my Lord, I lie down and in Your name I rise, so if You take my soul then have mercy upon it, and if You return my soul then protect it in the way You (protect) Your righteous servants. [Bukhari & Muslim]
 
6. "Allahumma aslamtu nafsi ilayk, wafawwadtu amri ilayk, wawajjahtu wajhi ilayk, wa'alja'tu dhahri ilayk, raghbatan warahbatan ilayk, la malja'a wala manja minka illa ilayk, amantu bikitabika'l-lathi anzalta wabinabiyyika'l-lathi arsalt."
'O Allah, I submit my soul to You, and I entrust my affair to You, and I turn my face towards You, and I totally rely on You, in hope and fear of You. Verily, there is no refuge nor safe haven from You except with You. I believe in Your Book that You revealed, and in Your Prophet whom You sent.'
Etiquette & Benefit: The Prophet  said: 'If you take to your bed, then perform ablution as you would for prayer, lie down on your right side, and then say [the supplication above]. Then, if you die, you will die upon the fitrah (natural disposition)-and make these (words) the last of what you say (before sleeping).' [Bukhari & Muslim]