Earl Abdulmalik Mohammed Speaks

As-Salaam Alaikum and thank you for your question.

I am aware of the advertisement and the invitation. I can’t say and wouldn’t want to say that the organizers are responding to me. I think, however, they are responding to a growing need and awareness in our people, in America, in the Muslim world and in the world generally, to foster the development of sound, trustworthy, effective leadership. Islam requires this of Believers in G-d. No society can perform for their good standing in the world or on the Day of Judgement without it. It is an essential matter for human life in society. It would be obvious to the organizers that I am addressing that need as well, and that I and my supporters would be interested wherever that need is being discussed and respected.

Reading the advertisement closely there would be no way for any individual associated with our lifeline to consciously ignore an invitation to ‘All Imams and Community Leaders…, etc’ in the name of Imam W. Deen Mohammed’s following for the purpose of discussing leadership and the planning of our community life. We are in the following of Imam W. Deen Mohammed and we have specified our community identity as the community belonging to his leadership. It would logically follow then that we should be very interested and take seriously what is being discussed, planned, and promoted in connection with his teaching on what our life is and should be according to G-d’s Guidance and Authority, and in line with the model life of Muhammed the Prophet, the prayers and the peace be in him. This conference seems unique to me. It does not appear to be a series of workshops to assist resident imams and their administrations in local masjid planning. Nor does it appear to embrace the oppressive ‘leadership is local’ scheme -a corruption of Imam W. Deen Mohammed’s teaching on how local leadership should be developed and supported.

I have publicly separated myself from the influence and authority of a well-known but secretly-organized society of imams that has sought to control and direct the community life of Imam W. Deen Mohammed’s following and reinterpret his teaching going back to the time when he was with us physically, and with roots dating to the beginning of our history as a community. I don’t know that the organizers of this conference all together are of that order, but I am certain that some of them are. What is clear about this meeting is that it calls upon a national audience which implies that at least some of the organizers see a path for themselves to claim authority over and a leadership mandate from a national body of supporters. The language of the organizers appears to express an interest in defining and assigning leadership to our community needs. With clean intentions that would be a mature and positive step forward. However, we cannot know that is their thinking with any reliable degree of certainty unless we are present to observe and listen to them carefully.

I have been sincerely advised and I recognize that there are many legitimate reasons for me not to attend this conference. I am certain that there are those among the organizers and their supporters who will have nightmares thinking on the possibility of my attendance. Those nightmares may create some tension and sense of desperation in them. The people of Faith trust in what Allah intends and permits as the Reality. Nothing that a desperate schemer would conceive is outside of that Reality.

This diseased order of imams that is likely operating among the conference organizers has long held a strategy of no-acknowledgement, no-engagement, and no-support of my leadership and our public programs. This is no less than a continuation of their strategy to contain and curtail Imam W. Deen Mohammed’s Ministry during his lifetime. It’s not unreasonable to think that they did not consider attempting to disrupt support for our Muslim American Leadership Day in Newark, NJ which coincides with Imam W. Deen Mohammed’s birthday each year, and is scheduled for the week after this conference. It is a well established fact that this order has worked very hard to negatively shape public perception of my leadership, and influence whomever will listen to look upon us with suspicion. But, in spite of these concerns, I believe that Imam W. Deen Mohammed would expect that I personally, and any of us that have identified strongly with his leadership, would consider carefully what his reasoning would be for attending or not attending a meeting of this kind. Our faith instructs us that no matter what the bad ones among them plan for us they cannot prevail over Allah’s Plan.

I interpret the conference invitation to also include leaders from the immigrant communities of Muslims who have respected the leadership of Imam W. Deen Mohammed. This is a very good sign. It is in our hearts to want to support the good wherever we witness it, and to support those who have good intentions. If there is bad intent it will be manifest for all to see. And if error is being promoted, then those promoting that error will know that we are present.

At this conference I believe there will be an opportunity to share the company of some beautiful and outstanding Muslims. Perhaps some of the finest of our people will be in attendance. For this reason alone, I must take the meeting very seriously. I would think that once some of the brothers and sisters that know of and appreciate our work become aware that I plan to attend they will want to be there with me. So, I expect that a big number of those identifying with and respecting my leadership would be in attendance as well. I would not want the organizers to be uninformed of this. They should be made aware that Earl Abdulmalik Mohammed and a significant number of his supporters plan to attend.

My prayers to Allah are to bless and guide the organizers for the success of this meeting.