Revival of the Religion

By Adil James, TMO

The Muslim Center of Detroit hosted a meeting this past Sunday to celebrate the teachings and accomplishments of WD Mohammad and to build on his legacy and upon his bulwark as one of the pioneering members of the converted Muslim community in the USA.

Speaking were several prominent members of the Muslim community, including Dr. Halim Naeem, the host and MC Imam Abdullah El-Amin, tBro. Norman Muhammad, Imam Mikyel, Professor Nadir Muhsin, Imam Mubarak Hassan, Dr. Naajiah Muhammad, Sheik Abdulkarim Yahya, Sis. Tahira Khalid, Imam Salim Mumin, and Imam Garrett Jihad.

The theme of the meeting was what can each of us do to improve ourselves and improve the community. Focused around this theme, Imam El-Amin invited participants who were able to contribute in many diverse areas.

People spoke on the importance of families, the importance of education, the importance of cultural responsibility, and also on the legacy of the man to whom perhaps millions of Muslims in this country owe a debt of gratitude for swinging them into mainstream Islam from their previous religious lives–many of them hailing from the Nation of Islam.

All of this self improvement was in the light of showing honor and reverence for Warith Deen Mohammed’s teachings.

Perhaps 100 people were present and they listened attentively throughout–many of those present explained that they had come from the time of the Nation of Islam, and had been brought to mainstream Islam by Imam Warith Deen Mohammed.

At the end there was a spaghetti dinner and “halal jazz cafe” music.

One of the very interesting speeches of the evening was that of Dr. Halim Naeem, who spoke at length on the love of reading and the need for education.

Dr. Naeem echoed a theme that continues from the time of the Nation of Islam through today, the encouragement of the community to develop its own scholarship in each area including religious knowledge.

He emphasized the foundational importance of Qur`an for Islam, and emphasized the transformational impact of Prophet Muhammad (s) on the people of the Arabian peninsula–who in 50 years’ time were transformed from a relatively unknown people to the governors of whole countries.

He also echoed a very beautiful teaching, that just as the sun provides light that affects the earth and the life that is on it, and that there is light on the visible and invisible spectrums, so analogously does Divine light benefit creatures, although invisibly.

“We will show you Our Signs in the heavens and in yourself,” he quoted from Qur`an.

“How could a civilization founded on reading forget reading.”

Sheik Abdulkarim Yahya spoke as a visitor to the community of Imam WD Mohammed, emphasizing the good that the imam had done for the American Muslim community.

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