This is an example of framing our life and Importance properly.
“As-Salaam Alaikum. That is, peace be upon you. This is our traditional Islamic greeting spoken by all Muslims wherever we are in the world. And these are also signature words identifying a special group in the history of this country. These words identify a new mind and cultural influence, a new dignity, a new pride, and a new people in America.
It didn't come from immigrants. Immigrant Muslims didn't appear here in great numbers until the 1960's and by that time the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and his following had been using this greeting with each other for 30 years. We say these words imperceptibly now, they are such a normal characteristic in our religious and cultural habits as Muslims. But they have very significant meaning for our religious life.
With this greeting we are saluting G'd's purpose for each one of us, and we are asking G'd to preserve us for that purpose in each other and for each other. These words, if we obey them in what they allude to, guarantee and secure a righteous existence, a peaceful existence; a peace-loving, G'd-centered society. We do not believe as Muslims that we come out of G'd. But, we do believe that we have something from G'd. That He has given us something of Him in His attributes. G'd acquaints us with the power of peace and acknowledgement of Him over human society.
These greetings make our concentration on peace an intimate matter. It is our peace to have for our individual lives, for our family lives, for our lives in society. See how wonderful our history is and what powerful presence our Muslim history has for America when we see these things in the correct way?
When the first teachers in the Temple of Islam introduced these words, do you not see that they were greeting America: "As-Salaam Alaikum," for the first time?”
Who would reject this type of clear teaching but someone separated from his or her common senses?
Excerpt from A New People Stand.
Photo: Imam Earl Abdulmalik Mohammed giving Juma’ address (The Importance of leadership in Islam) one week after Imam W. Deen Mohammed had his National Representative announce to the community he was resigning from the community’s national leadership apparatus.
Circa 2004 Newark, NJ Wyndham Hotel
I ask you make the connections!