From the Nation to the Sunnah – Building the Bridge in 21st Century America

 

Yesterday, September 11, 2008, as America reflected upon the tragic events of “9/11″, the Muslim Community and the world mourned the loss of a dynamic man, a leader, visionary, author, businessman, father, husband, grandfather, Imam W. Deen Mohammed.

Thousands gathered in Villa Park, IL to pay their respects.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-mohammed-funeral-12-sep12,0,5321294.story

Around the country, thousands more gathered and offered similar prayers for the Imam in solidarity with those attending in person in the suburbs of Chicago. I was honored to and humbled by the opportunity to lead one such prayer at the Philadelphia Masjid, under the leadership of Imam Malik Mubaashir. And I, along with others among the several hundred men and women in attendance, was able to offer a few words of reflection and encouragement. Those words seem to have resonated with those there, by the permission of the Creator, and I hope to share some of those reflections in the days ahead, as they are relevant to the life and legacy of the Imam and address his theme “we can’t stop now”.

For now, I offer this, as I prepare to offer the Jumu’ah khutbah (Friday Prayer Sermon) this afternoon at Masjidullah in Plainfield, NJ; a dynamic and diverse community in association with Imam W. Deen Mohammed, under the leadership of my dear friend, elder and brother Imam Abdul-Wali Muhammad. And I yet again have the honor to lead another janaza prayer for our dear Imam:

Many people, and I speak for myself first and foremost, feel a great sense of personal loss with the passing of the Imam. In 2001, I published a small book titled “From the Nation to the Sunnah – Building the Bridge in 21st Century America. (My intent is to revise and reprint within the next few weeks, in dedication to Imam Mohammed); in the book, I briefly outlined the evolution from the Nation of Islam in 1995 to traditional (or Sunni) Islam under the skillful direction of Imam Mohammed. The challenge before us now is to continue that journey, and strive to keep our community together ideologically and philosophically. Meaning, although the leadership paradigm is continuing to change and evolve, this is NOT a time for everyone to just start (or in some cases, increase) doing their “own thing”.

Collective effort, collaboration, and what I’ve been referering to for years now as “functional unity” must be the order of the day. Who will take the baton and keep moving us collectively forward? ALL of us must share in and be focused upon this objective. Although it’s been said that there will be no “successor” to the Imam, we all are ideological and philosophical “heirs and inheritors” of what he stood for, represented and strove for tirelessly until his death. For whatever it’s worth, I hope to offer some insights, suggestions and steps forward towards that end. I do so with the benefit of having lived through and experienced that first transition that began on February 25, 1975 upon the death of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and the next day, February 26, 1975, when as a child in the Nation I watched, through tears of grief, which turned to tears and smiles of hope and optimism, as many pledged to work with “Minister Walace D. Mohammed”. And I watched and listened as he boldly and courageously stepped up, in front of the world, and began what we would come to know as “the 2nd Ressurection”. We haven’t stopped yet, and “we can’t stop now”.

The 3rd Resurrection is upon us, and how we continue building the bridge, from the Nation to the Sunnah, working through issues of ideological difference with the Nation of Islam (thorough education, interaction, with wisdom and beautiful preaching as the Qur’an instructs….), striving to bring our communities together and move towards indigenization and independence, while still working across ethnic lines, will not only determine the next few years, but could very well impact the next 100 years plus of Islam in America.

Where do we go from here is the question. And what we do, and HOW we do it, is critical. We must tread carefully, critically, practically, and get there through results-oriented dialogue. Things as we knew them have indeed changed…………I remember my SPECIFIC instructions from Imam Mohammed in November 1999, and again in March 2000, when I saw him at Harvard University just after he’d returned back from Chicago and publicly appearing with Minister Farrakhan. Among the things he said to me that day was “Imam Amin, we are together again. We are all one family again!). And he smiled, we hugged again, and he went to the podium to give the khutbah. THOSE words and THAT smile is what will be in and on my heart and mind today. And in moving forward, holding fast to that spirit, which reflects the Qur’anic spirit “Hold fast all together to the rope of Allah and do not be divided”, I use a colloquial expression: “that’s how I’m doin it!”.

A sad day for Islam in America: Imam W. Deen Mohammed, Muslim American Leader and visionary, dies at age 74.

“From Allah we come and to Him is our return.”

 

On behalf of myself, the Sabree Group and the Islam in America Movement, I express my deepest condolences to the family of Imam W. Deen Mohammad; may Allah, Highly Glorified and Exalted is He, have Mercy upon him and place light and space in his grave. Ameen.

 

That family includes the thousands of Muslims that supported his work and were part of his association, as well as the countless number of people throughout the world that he has impacted with his interfaith work, insights and commentary. His influence was immeasurable.

 

Although I was a 10, soon to be 11 year old child in the then-Nation of Islam, when Imam Mohammed assumed the leadership upon the death of his father on February 25, 1975, it didn’t take me long to figure out that he was a pivotal figure who would be recorded as a “legend” on the Islamic landscape in America. He brought us, By Allah’s Permission, from The Nation to the Sunnah. And although I did not always agree with his every thought and commentary (and perfection is the property of the Creator), time and expereince has increased his importance and relevance in my own development and evolution. And in terms of defining an American Islamic identity, he det the paradigm WAY before it was popular (pre-9/11, when everyone, even the hardest of the hardliners, picked up “the flag!”.

Speaking for those of us that he led through “the 2nd Ressurection”, We can never thank Allah enough for him and the only way we can “repay” that debt is by taking his work, his mission and legacy to the next level, what he worked tirelessly to urge us to; Ihsan. Excellence.

 

I’m certain that many have stories, thoughts and memories of the Imam, as we all affectionately referred to him as. My intent is to share some personal reflections on the man, the leader, the servant of Allah, Islam and our people, whom I was honored to have several private audiences and conversations with him in 1999 and 2000, particularly. These discussions helped to change my perspectives greatly, and have influenced and fueled my work since that time.

 

For now, I need to collect my thoughts, offer dua’ for our brother, leader, and servant of Allah, and try to get details on his janazah so that I can prepare to be there, by Allah’s Permission.

Again, may Allah give Imam W. Deen Mohammed his greatest Mercy during this greatest Month of Mercy and Forgiveness. And let us not collectively let Imam Mohammed down after his leaving us physically. He deserves better than that! In his own words “we can’t stop now”. Let’s comfort, strengthen and support one another in this time and in the days ahead, and lets work TOGETHER, in the name of Allah, to get it done! Let’s teach Islam!

 

Brother Imam, I’ll miss you, and I pray to see you on the other side……..