Notes from Imam W. Deen Mohammed's Sermon at Muslim Convention

WITH ALLAH’S NAME, THE MERCIFUL BENEFACTOR, THE MERCIFUL REDEEMER

Notes from Imam W. Deen Mohammed’s Sermon at Muslim Convention
Documented by Jibril Abdul-Hafeez (جبريل عبدالحفيظ)
E-mail: NewAfrica2@aol.com or new_africa_now@yahoo.com
Friday, August 29 1997 / Yaum-ul-Jumu’ah, Rabiy’-uth-thaaniy 25, 1418

As Salaam ‘Alaykum: Thanks to Allah, The Guardian, Evolver, Cherisher, and Sustainer of all the systems of knowledge, we seek His help, we ask for His forgiveness, we believe and put our complete trust in Him, Mighty and Sublime is He. We witness that there is nothing worthy of worship as a deity except Allah, who is One and Alone without a partner in the rule of creation; and we witness that Muhammed, the son of Abdullah is His servant and Messenger. The prayers and peace be on him, his descendants, and his peace be on all his companions, and what follows of this traditional salutation.

Allah sent Muhammed, the Messenger of Allah, as a mercy to all the worlds. Allah says of Muhammed, that he is the unlettered Prophet from amongst the unlettered people. The scholars explain “unlettered” as meaning that he didn’t receive formal education. That doesn’t mean that he couldn’t write his name, or couldn’t write a nice letter. This doesn’t mean that he couldn’t read ordinary handwriting, or ordinary literature. It should be understood in the context of Scripture, being unlettered meant that he wasn’t schooled in religion.

Therefore, he was not able to read Scripture. He didn’t have any Scriptural experience prior to The Qur’aan being revealed. Nor did the Arabs have Scriptures before this. In The Qur’aan, Allah says, they are people whom no Messenger had come to before Muhammed. Praise be to Allah and the Prayers and Peace be on His Messenger. Allah said Muhammed is the liberator sent to break all the bonds of slavery.

We know that it is cited in the Bible the coming of an unlettered servant of Allah. We know that Muhammed of Arabia is the Prophet mentioned in the Scriptures of the Jews and the Christians. Allah revealed and taught His Word to him, Allah educated Muhammed, we know that, we are convinced of that without any doubts what so ever.

Muhammed, the Prophet is a mortal human being. Allah says, if the earth were populated with Angels, He would have sent an Angel as the Messenger. But we are a community of mortals, we are a community of human beings, we are not Angels. Allah says, “I” sent you a mortal Messenger. Meaning that he is not as it was claimed before The Qur’aan, that he was a mortal and Divine at the same time, a mortal and Allah at the same time. So it is made plain that no such claim is made of Muhammed. Allah says, tell them Muhammed: “ana bashirum mithlakum (I am a mortal just like all of you).” Allah corrected that fact saying he (Muhammed) is a mortal flesh and blood human being just like all of you are. He was not educated or tutored in the schools of this world, only by Allah. As a sign that Allah created everything and gave everything its constitution; and that Allah raised His product to be a teacher and a mercy to all people. To the Greeks, the Romans, the Chinese, the Egyptians, to the Americans, to scientists, to politicians, teachers, and to the community leader.
That person would have to have a model situation as a testimony to all the worlds. That person would have to be free from all authority, except Allah. They (the Meccans) offered him the prettiest women, they offered him wealth. He responded: if you could put the Sun in my right hand and the Moon in my left hand, you could never get me to compromise my duty to Allah. Because of that, Allah said, “you are a free man of this city (wa anta hillum be haadhal balad).” When Allah says you are free, you are really free. He was authorized by Allah to get the situation intended by Allah in Madinah.

The Meccans persecuted him because they were disturbed with him for calling them to this message. The Meccans imposed a boycott, which contributed to the harsh circumstances that caused the early loss of Lady Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). The people of Madinah (Yathrib) invited Prophet Muhammed (the Prayers and Peace be on him) to come there for security. He migrated to escape an assassination plot and the Meccans relentlessly pursued him and his companion. They took to a cave for refuge and a miracle occurred. A spider weaved a web over the entrance of the cave after they entered it, which created the illusion that the cave had been abandoned for a long time. Allah protected His Messenger, our Prophet, a mortal flesh and blood person just like us. Muhammed was all human, not part human, part Divine. Therefore, there isn’t any excuse for not following him, because we are human and so was he.

Allah never sent a Messenger from Himself other than a mortal just like us. Allah says to us very clearly, if He wants a son, He takes one from the men that He has already created. He is all-powerful; He creates what He wills.

Is there a man who only had a human mother and no father? Yes! This is a khutbah, and this is the most sacred day of the year for the Muslims. There is a claim that a man before our Prophet was the son of Allah. However, the same Scripture from which they take that idea says that he traces his genealogy back to Adam, a mortal person. Genealogy relates to human lineage, the biological links that we trace our heritage to.

Not a person sitting on this floor is too dumb to get what I am saying. If it is clear enough for you to understand, it is clear enough for the world. You are as real as heaven and as false as hell at the same time. So, if you understand, everybody else will. This is a must to understand the human person Muhammed as a model for the whole world.

Scripture promises that someone would come with faithful and true inscribed on his thighs. It is said that there would come one like David. The Psalms are essentially the praise of Allah.

Don’t get tired, you are in the wilderness, but you can’t go back to Egypt. Egypt was one big lie in our life and I know you are hungry and lonely in the wilderness. There is no place to go until the forty years are up, so we better get it together.

The Prophet said if you haven’t had dealings with a person you don’t know him. Muhammed was perfection as a human creation. He had no camel caravan that was just for him; he didn’t have a wardrobe that required an entourage of caretakers to care for it.

The media called Elijah the most powerful black-man in America. No ordinary man could take me away from my father. Only Allah’s perfect man could take me away from my father. He is the answer for that need in us to see the perfect model for our life. A handwriting teacher expects to teach perfect penmanship. Likewise, the same is required of us, and that is Allah’s answer in Muhammed for us. Allah has given us the perfect teacher to follow. If we can’t see Muhammed, then we can’t see the community. We have to know Muhammed clearly and that is a must.

Madinah, the lit up shining city with the light of revelation. The old Scripture speaks of New Jerusalem. Where is that New Jerusalem, what is that in The Qur’aan and Hadith? Check yourself, you will find it if Allah blesses you with knowledge as He has blessed me with.

I began this khutbah with attention on Muhammed. Next, we want to go to Al-Islam; it is the Deen (way) of Fitrah (original nature). Allah says: He is The One who originated the skies and the earth. Allah says: you want to question Allah, question your own beginning. How did you get here, that is so plain, so logical, and so factual?

Praise be to Allah, this is not every day, this is the one-day of the year that we gather like this on Jumu’ah day. The One who made creation from the first time, only Allah is able to bring about our creation. Man went for centuries trying to find out what Allah is and what is man? All Christians do not believe the way many Christians believe. Because of your state of mind, this is very important; you are the product of a Christian environment.

Allah says, “I” have chosen for you Al-Islam as your religion. That means that whatever need you have for religion in your life, “I’m” giving you Al-Islam. The religion of your original pattern in nature. The one that He patterned man upon. It has its own logic and Allah patterned our life to be designed upon that pattern. If we accept it as Muhammed illustrated how we are to live our lives, Al-Islam will become the pattern of your life. Then you will become the model that Allah has created to be fit for heaven. You lost Adam, now Muhammed lives again and he is the model for all people. He is enough as a model for all people. After we understand the Prophet, we can understand Islam.

Also, it must be understood that we are created to live life to the fullest extent in a community setting. There is no way for us to live life fully if we do not have community. We are individuals but in our nature and spirit we are plural. No person should want to live without community. The mystics tried it through the exercise of nihilism and all they discovered was another state of trance.

The city of Light is the model; we have the first city as a model. Allah speaks of Muhammed’s community as a model and as a witness for Allah. This is the way Allah wants you to live. Allah says, you are the best of communities evolved, brought out for all people. What does Allah say of this religion? “I” have perfected for you your religion.

Think! Surely thinking brings out great benefit for people. The same Allah that made the perfect human model has made religion perfect for us. This day “I” have perfected for you your religion. Who is Allah speaking to? “You (kum)” is here used in plural, this reference you is the generic plural for everybody. The same Allah says, you cannot create the perfect religion, nor can you create perfect human nature. Allah created it and He is the only One that can perfect it.

Your destiny as a human being is no more dependent upon a human person. The perfect human being can be created over and over again by the perfect religious pattern. Allah created the perfect religious pattern and is creating perfect human beings over and over again; multiplying them with the germ of His word. He hasn’t left us lonely, Muhammed lives within us.

If you are following me, you are in the light. Allah created Al-Islam as the destiny of all created human beings. Then, now, and the time to come as a future. There is nothing else that you need to ask Allah for. Muhammed knew nothing about Allah before he went up into the mountain. Allah qualified him to be the leader and the liberator for all the worlds.

Allah says, this Book (The Qur’aan) is guidance for all people. All people have guidance; the world is full of guidance. This guidance (The Qur’aan) is guidance for all people, all humanity. It is the rule and the logic for debating what is guidance and what is not guidance. Allah is Greater!

Now that we have had our say about Al-Islam answering the need in the human soul. The Book is a must for human salvation in the world. The Book is the life. Come living for prayer. Come pray with us, the prayer is the food for your life, the prayer is the life, pick it up and be alive. Come to Salaat, what is Salaat? The Qur’aan, The Qur’aan is the life of the world. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with Allah, and the word took on flesh and dwelt among men. Not flesh, the word, the word is salvation.

Now, if you are with me in the light, you can come with me to New Africa. It is going to be the brightest light coming from black coal that you have ever seen in the history of man. It is going to outshine Timbuktu, Mali, and Songhai. It is going to be a light modeled after Madinah the city of Light under the greatest human person that ever walked this earth, Muhammed ibn Abdullah (the Prayers and Peace be on him).

All you need is enough political numbers, financial strength, and human excellence. Newark can be renamed New Africa, New Africa is anyplace; anywhere that you can establish Al-Islam is Islamic territory. So we can establish New Africa anywhere in America. It will be New Africa territory and it will be Islamic territory. New Africa for us is a new chance for us to establish Al-Islam with our own hands. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Yes! We must establish community life with our own hands. Our own hands, not somebody else’s hands. Allah is with us, and me, and I guarantee it.

As Muslims, we can’t be satisfied in our souls until we establish community life on a piece of geography. A physical piece of geography in these United States of America. I’m speaking to all Muslims in America. This is the direction that Imam W.D. Mohammed suggests to you. You cannot fulfill your religious life in America until you have a piece of land and own masaajid, schools, hospitals, businesses, and banks.

You must manage the neighborhood. You must call the time for the Adhan on the job. You must regulate the industry to accommodate our spiritual life. No one else can do it for us. Allah, when He prescribed Al-Islam for us, He put us in a position where we cannot satisfy the need in our soul until we satisfy the obligation that He gave to us from the hand of Muhammed (the Prayers and the Peace be on him). That obligation is to establish Al-Islam on a physical piece of this earth.

It doesn’t mean that we have to challenge the government or do away with government, or go to war with anybody. No we are going to peace with the establishment. But we are going to insist upon having the freedom to build a model community so that the establishment will have an opportunity to look at what the Islamic community really should be and really is. Then they can decide whether they want to continue life as they have it; or adopt Islamic life, as it really should be for them.

This world don’t have a choice until we present the excellent societal life that Allah has revealed in The Qur’aan for us and Muhammed’s example. So I’m motivated by so many strong interests, not only personal, although I have a personal one too. Every one of us has a personal motivation. We don’t want to meet our Maker and haven’t done anything for Allah to say in the Judgment, “welcome in My presence fine creature that I have made.” But as a Muslim community the biggest motivation should be to have this life in totality and completion as Allah wants for us. He wants us not only to be shining individual models; He also wants us to be shining plural models. More importantly, the collective model, the society model, and the community model. That is our goal, our destiny, and that is our commitment. You are the best community brought out for all people. When Allah said that He took His covenant from one people and put it on another. He said to the Muslims, now “My” covenant is with you and you are obligated to establish community life on this earth.

The prophets Muhammed and Abraham (the Peace be on them) fulfilled their obligations. Muhammed fulfilled his obligation; he left us with a community model on this earth. It is not just dhikr and Salaat; there are five structures of Islam. There is testimony to the oneness of Allah and that Muhammed is His Messenger, there is worship (Salaat), one of them is Zakaat, which offers a blueprint of an economic system for the Muslim society. And there is fasting and Hajj (pilgrimage) for the International community to realize and keep its sense of direction. Also, there was private enterprise, an economic system, a political system, healthcare, education, science, and industry that Muhammed established as the best model for all times.
So we want the opportunity to do the same.

I believe this is the reason why many Muslim nations that is almost 100% Muslim can’t really free themselves to be the excellent people that Allah guides us to be with this Qur’an and Muhammed’s excellent example as the human model. Because this world challenged by new ideas that was borrowed from Islam, from The Qur’aan, and a lot borrowed from Muhammed’s leadership. Now this system is threatening to become the dominant order for every society, for every nation. I’m talking about America’s idea of freedom and democracy. So it is using that great strength, the new ideas to unlock the mysteries. Those who are learned in the Christian order are able to unlock mysteries and now they are following what they identify as the light of Christ Jesus.

How did they get that light they call the light of Christ Jesus? How did they discover it? With the keys that came when Muhammed received The Qur’aan and demonstrated Islamic life on this earth. That’s how they got it and now no other ideology stands against them. The only ideology that can stand against them and show them up is the Islam found in The Qur’aan and in the life of Prophet Muhammed. That is the only life that can meet the challenge of American democracy to show up the flaws, defects, and shortcomings in it. But only The Qur’aan and only the life of Prophet Muhammed can do that. And I believe that Allah has chosen us in America to bring that challenge to the world and we are going to do it. If not in our generation, this idea is too potent to die when we fall dead. It is going to live in our children; it is going to be stronger in our children than it is in us now.

Allah is with us, highly glorified is He. So I hope that I have made my point very clear. I don’t want to talk to you about how we are going to have a Banking system and what we need to create a Banking system. I don’t want to talk to you about how we are going to run the town or how the electricity is going to be supplied; that is unnecessary. You can get that from any school, as it is said in The Qur’aan, go to any Egypt. What I am giving you will put you in the situation to make the best benefit of everything.

So we don’t worry about these disciplines in the academic circles or the political circles. We have people who are motivated by this message and they are going to be honor students because of this great injection to make them energetic. What I have here can’t be matched because it is coming from the word of Allah and Muhammed’s life. If you take it you are going to be able to compete with the secular world and spiritual quarters. Nobody will be able to make you ashamed of yourself. Believe and go forward.

Muhammed is described in The Qur’aan as a caller calling to faith. Allah says in The Qur’aan, “Who is the best judge, who is the best to care for His creatures”? The one who just came about or the One who has been here for all times? The Eternal, never was He born, He never dies, He never came into existence, and He never changes, that’s Allah, The Eternal.

I hope you will keep dear to you what you have gotten from this khutbah (address) so it will help you and me to get us to the destiny in America. We have a destination we want to reach in America. New Africa, it is a vision that we want to use, it is a logic that we want to apply, and it is a life that we want to live. Praise be to Allah, Allah is Greater.

There is much that I want to say to you but I have already gone overtime, past the time for Jumu’ah. So Allah willing next year we will meet again and we will have the khutbah, and we will be helped by Allah to carry this further.

You know, I have never wanted the spiritual life of most people that I have observed. I haven’t, I’m not talking about individually. I am talking about as a society or groups. I have not seen any religious group, any people that I wanted to take on their spirituality. And for that reason I haven’t liked pointing you to spiritual life. I have not liked doing it and I guess some of that is because of the conditioning that we all experienced when we followed the Nation of Islam or the Honorable Elijah Mohammed, may Allah forgive him his errors and give him paradise. But I have come up now with a satisfying understanding of just what is spiritual life and I feel very comfortable with it. And I know that spiritual life is the real life, it is the true life, and it is the greater life. So don’t put too much value on our political aims, our economic aims, or our community aims and forget that the spiritual value is the highest, the best, and the most enduring. In the end down the road when we face our Allah in the Judgment it will prove to be the most rewarding. Thank you very much, Allah is Greater.

Our Lord! Give us good in the world and good in the hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the fire. O Allah, send prayers on Muhammed and send prayers on the followers of Muhammed, like you sent prayers on Abraham and the followers of Abraham. O Allah, bless Muhammed and bless the followers of Muhammed, like you blessed Abraham and the followers of Abraham, in all the worlds, surely You are Praised, Glorious.