Earl Abdulmalik Mohammed Speaks

QUESTION: With our country nearing the possibility of war with yet another Muslim majority nation, how do you as a Muslim-American leader approach this issue? The Imams of these masjids are all over the place. They are not coherent and they are not united. I am thankful for you Brother Imam Abdulmalik. You are speaking clearly and you are helping our community understand where we are supposed to be on these issues. Thank you Brother Imam for taking the time to answer this.

IMAM EARL ABDULMALIK MOHAMMED: I have answered a question similar to this. I will answer you a little differently and I pray that our People and the leaders will come to recognize what Allah is showing them with this time we are living in and why our leadership is so vital. And also why it is disgraceful to think that Imam W. Deen Mohammed did not prepare one of us to lead.

I approach this question and all of the questions sent to me as Imam W. Deen Mohammed's Representative. This is what leadership is for us. What else can it be? Leadership for us must be as we were taught or else we are in a confused state. This is what you are describing. And the trouble begins with an intrusion into our life that introduced a subtle disrespect for our leadership tradition. We communicate with our public and the national and international public with first a primary respect and an informed attention to what our religion is asking of us. We ask the question, what does Islam ask that we adhere to and pay attention to when these kinds of concerns manifest?

Muslims should never feel that whatever the concern we are faced with that we cannot arrive at an answer or position that satisfies us that we are taking the right decision that our hearts are comfortable with and that we can live with with no conflict for our Islamic life and our American life. So, this is where we are distinguished from others. We are not looking for the politically-correct or politically-favorable answer. We are not looking to carry placards and to join the protest demonstrators. We are looking for what G'd approves or disapproves according to the teachings of al-Islam, the Holy Qur'an, Prophet Muhammed's teaching, and in our life here in America we look to our blessed Tradition in explaining these things. This is what Islam is to us.

When we follow this way with honesty and firmness and intelligence and moral courage, then we help our Muslim public and we help our country, and we help all people on this earth. Is this not what Imam W. Deen Mohammed taught? We don't have any credible knowledge outside of that. If someone claims they have credible knowledge outside of that, in my opinion they are an impostor. In other words they are 'posturing' as members in our association following our View, or Tradition.

They will not get any attention claiming that they have independent Islamic knowledge. They will claim that, then they will say they are associated with Imam W. Deen Mohammed and that will get the attention and respect they are looking for because they used his name. But where is his thinking in their position? Are they reading it, researching the question, or are they faking it? Where are they looking for help? Who are they asking for help?

When they present themselves to the public or to us, we are nervous that they will say something from their weaknesses or from guessing, or from their selfishness, or from their ignorance, and they will create trouble for our group spirit and they will be damaging our group image. They will be hurting our association and our dignity as a People under Islamic teaching and under an Islamic tradition of knowledge. They will be embarrassing us and negotiating away our dignity without our approval or support. All because they deny leadership. This is what is meant when I say they are moral and intellectual cowards.

What would Imam Mohammed say about this situation? I was with him, as were others, when faced with troubles like these in the world and in America. He understood and he taught us that our Muslim life is a credit for America, not a discredit. Our Muslim-life point of view represents strength for America, not weakness. We present ourselves as patriots for our Muslim-American life and interests, meaning that we have a clear-headed, serious, sensible, balanced, rational and moral patriotism. Our morality satisfies the rational demand. In other words we are not sentimental Americans operating from a blind, patriotic spirit. Our position must stand the test of correct moral behavior and it must respect our rational obligations as Muslim-American citizens.

It is not a true patriotism for the American life if it is blinded or weakened by political posturing or taking a position that is for reasons of political expedience. We want our nation to be strong and to maintain its strength. I am speaking of its strength of democratic order and institutional life. I am not speaking of military strength. America is not organized as a nation making military strength its identity. The military leaders are under the civilian leaders. Rational balance supported by moral conscience is true authority over physical might.

We do not want America weakened. We have fought for all of our existence in this country for fair recognition as human beings, and then as full citizens before the law. We have paid a high price for citizenship respect and recognition as an African-American people in this country. The Honorable Elijah Mohammed was at the front of that struggle. There were Christians and others at the front too, but when it comes to these issues in the world that involve Islam and Muslim Peoples, this is our area of identity.

The Church leadership is looking for us on these matters. The Synagogue leadership is looking for our opinion on these matters. The government leadership is looking for our input. How can we help our government leaders if we have not distinguished ourselves from government interests? An Imam charged with responsibility to lead our religious affairs cannot be conflicted when the call of need is made to help serve the national citizenry in the time of threats to the Nation. He cannot be a government man. He has to be an Imam, representing Islamic concerns, or else what use is he to the nation? We will look at him and think is he representing Islam or is he representing the American government?

I am not speaking of the Muslim-American government chaplains and their important roles. I am not speaking of Muslim-American soldiers. I am not speaking of Muslim-American diplomats. I am not speaking of Muslim-American elected officials. We want our people to rise in all areas of the society with their humane sensitivities, including government. I am speaking of those to whom our Muslim-American government people look to for other than a government perspective. Imam W. Deen Mohammed was a Muslim and an American, but he was no government man.

The American idea of government is that it is served by citizens who themselves represent various pillars of stability to uphold the society. When Imam Mohammed was invited by President Carter and President George H.W. Bush and President Clinton and President George W. Bush, he was not invited as a representative of government. When he was invited by Senators Simon and Dixon of Illinois to offer an invocation on the floor of the U.S. Senate, it was not as a government Imam. He was invited as a representative of the Muslim religious community, the Imam of the Muslim-American People.

We must appreciate that government is one pillar, albeit the tallest pillar, of the United States. If we are following Imam Mohammed, we should be able to lead with our knowledge coming from his Tradition to assist this country. So, then our Tradition of Islamic knowledge was formed in many ways as a consequence of our struggle to help America improve itself as a nation. We would not want our nation to belittle or fail to properly recognize our commitment and contribution to its improvement. That reflects on us too. It doesn't just reflect on the white people of America. The white people are not the only responsible parties for America's image, not if you are thinking like Imam W. Deen Mohammed taught us. Not if you are thinking like the Honorable Elijah Mohammed influenced us. No, we are equally responsible.

We may not have the material establishment that others have, but we most certainly have the moral and social establishment. There would be no clarity about Islamic life and teaching in America, and no Muslim-American citizenship identity, if it were not for our Tradition and our late leaders and their public teachings and commitments. The white people of America are not its only face. The Christian and the Jew are not its only face. In matters where the issues are justice and fair-dealing as informed by Faith in G'd, we Muslim-Americans following the view of Imam W. Deen Mohammed's teaching have an earned status. Who represents it if we have no leader? Do you not see the contradiction?

We approach this issue as Muslim-American citizens. We bring our knowledge and commitments of faith and teachings of faith to the attention of our American leaders. We approach troubles in the life of man in the way that Prophet Muhammed demonstrated, and like him we approach the troubles with attention to obedience to G'd, perfectly decent behavior, and a public devotion to help humanity and public commitment to relieve the suffering for humanity. This disposition strengthens the nation.

We are no cell for foreign Muslim interests. This must be said. We have never been that, and as I continue in the leadership succession of our Community and People, we will never be that. We will not barter our dignity in this or any other manner. That does not mean that we are not attentive to the needs of Muslims and respect for their legitimate claims. We do not identify in the sectarian and political meanings of Shia or Sunni. Prophet Muhammed did not make such designations or distinctions.

It should not be necessary for me to mention that we follow the way or Sunnah of Muhammed and his companions that followed him. As is known by Muslims, this is our requirement to qualify in Islamic life. We are not favoring one group of Muslims over another, or one nation of Muslims over another. Our devotions are to those distinctions that Allah, the Most High, makes for who is deserving and has earned the acceptable and proper status of the People of Faith. It may not be who the media says, or whomever controls and influences the discussion, and shapes the opinions.

In this matter before us now there are conflicting interests. We must acknowledge our government's interests as they are stated that represent the security of our nation and its citizens. We must also acknowledge America's role in protecting vital global interests and the interests of its allies that include many friendly Muslim nations. We must acknowledge that our government respects Islam and its Peoples as a matter of fact and law even with ignorance in some high quarters. The ignorance is checked by American law and the history of Islam in America. I am deeply concerned when Muslims in the United States and other nations do not acknowledge these facts. I am also deeply concerned when our government sends confusing signals, and participates and justifies behaviors that it condemns in other nations.

Truthfulness, honor, and a behavior befitting faith in G'd and Islamic identity is what is required of Muslims, and it is upon this foundation that we maintain our credibility as Muslims. If we lose this, we lose our legitimacy and credibility before G'd and man. A bitter war was fought between the nations of Iran and Iraq not long ago. Perhaps more than a million lives were lost in that war. This is a stain, and it is a heavy weight on the modern Muslim conscience. Muslim nations on the whole are troubled now. The Muslim conscience is troubled, not at peace, when we see the number of conflicts increasing, and peace and stability so elusive.

Muslims cannot compromise our Islamic principles. We must have faith and courage to stand for what is just and correct behavior and against what is shameful and notorious, not only in pointing at our adversaries, but more importantly in our own moral and rational constitution. How are we constituted as Muslims on this earth presently? In most places, we are lost to our Muslim obligations in service to the good of man. We must answer the question in good Muslim conscience: "Would Prophet Muhammed conduct his worldly affairs in this manner? Would the Prophet make decisions in this manner?" The honest Believer will answer these questions with regard for Allah as the rule.

Let it be known that Muslim-Americans in the View or School of Imam W. Deen Mohammed say that there is more a correction due in the thinking and behavior of Muslims as witnesses for G'd, than in any other cause we may cite. We seek Allah's Help.