The First Step of a True Moslem: Faith

How can man believe in anything lest he has faith that verifies the notion or idea?  Indeed, it seems many people abuse the word faith; but without faith, one cannot make progress on their spiritual journey.  Therefore, let us examine the true meaning of faith.

Though many people refer to faith as a word to express a belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence, this western definition is incorrect. Moreover, faith implies three things: Belief in Allah, trust in Allah, and an allegiance to God in action (submission).  In this way, we can see how man, woman, and child themselves, become the material evidence of the truth of their God.

Sura 2:143: And thus We have made you an exalted nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people and that the Messenger may be bearer of witness to you.  And We did not make that which thou wouldst have to be the qiblah but that We might Distinguish him who follows the Messenger from him who turns back upon his heels.  And it was indeed a hard test except for those whom Allah has guided.  Nor was Allah going to make your faith to be FRUITLESS.  

And so we can logically presume that our faith produces a construct of thoughts, desires and actions.  The latter is the evidence of the former.  And is this not why James exclaimed faith without deeds is dead (meaning no faith exists)?

In fact a Moslem should view faith as:

1. Faith is what man knows is truth.
2. Faith is the surety of the omnipotence of Allah and Man.
3. Faith is the certainty that man will reach deific life.
4. Faith is the first step on the path to righteousness.
5. Faith guides one in all of his actions.

In the Circle 7 we learn that men comprehend the inner life by what they see and do (Circle7- 4:17).  Thus a Moslem can only grow in his walk by his words and deeds and as he tills the righteous soil of life, the mystery of deific life is made more plain to him; This rules out the notion of "blind faith."  Abraham is a good example of a faithful man; His desire to follow Allah's commandments, even if it meant killing his own son, allowed him to see the omnipotence of his Ruler.

This interpretation is from a Moslem's point a view. Moslems do not  believe in blind faith; moreover, they become the truth they subscribe to and transform into a living testimony of the one and true Supreme Architect.

The Moors Strike Back: Sharif A. Bey Clears the Record (Part 1)

 Brother Sharif A. Bey is an expert on Moorish Jurisprudence and if you would like to know more about him, feel free to check a previous blog where his statements on a blogtalkradio interview was the centerpiece of discussion.

I was compelled to contact Brother Sharif, and he agreed to answer some questions for me. Again, thank you, Brother Bey, for elaborating on the MSTof A.  I trust that many of those who are interested in the MSTof A will find this information useful as I formed the questions based on many questions I feel the public may have about this movement. Again, enjoy.

Sia Sobek:
Marcus Garvey referred to African-Americans as Negroes while Noble Drew Ali referred to them as Moorish-Americans.  In my previous blog, I discussed discrepancies with "Moor" being used as a term to denote one's nationality.  From a Moorish-American's perspective, how does the term Moorish-American more effective than the modern day term  "African-American?"

Sharif Bey:

On pg. 109 of "Philosophies and Opinions of Marcus Garvey" he states "the negro needs a nationality."  This quote underscores the fact that Garvey used the term "negro" as it was the common denoting term of the day, yet stressed the need for a national identifying name.  His use of the term "negro" in the proper context is comparable to Prophet Drew Ali's use of the term "Asiatic;" both were describing our RACE, not national origin. 

Drew Ali's use of the term "Moorish American" to most accurately describe us in the national/political context is apt, firstly because racial/ethnic categorization and national/political identification are two different things (although the two are often connected), secondly, as nationality determines one's political status, the last known political affiliation our people had prior to our loss of nationality and subsequent enslavement was with the Moroccan Empire.  Our state of servitude came as a result of our loss of national identity, ie., ceasing to maintain our connection to our native political entity on these shores.

Conversely, the term "African-American" denotes connection to a continent and not a political body/nation/state, and therefore is unqualified as a signifier for national identity.

Sia Sobek:
Garvey seemed to be focused on uniting all "negroes" as he called us, yet Noble Drew Ali's members often perceive African-American's who call themselves "black" as being second class citizens solely based on their association with the term "black."  Blacks under Ali's ideology, for example, have no nationality.  The concept seems to be more divisive than unifying.  Explain how Ali's message was for the total unification of the race, though it superficially can be perceived as divisive.

Sharif Bey:

In this era of time, civilized people all over the world are identified and recognized not by color, but by national descent, which is why dark-skinned, wooly-haired "negroid" peoples native to Mexico, Honduras, Brazil, etc. are not called "black", but Mexicans, Hondurans, Brazilians, respectively.  Honoring our mothers and fathers by name and principle in this way (ie., recognizing and reclaiming our national descent and connection), for our people, is the very first step in "standing upright" as respectable civilized people and thereby becoming for the first time since our fall able to demand that respect from all other civilized people. 

 In the New Testament Gospels, Jesus' mission is ultimately to "spread the gospel" to the world, and yet the first part of his mission was to prepare a chosen nation to raise, then use that nation to "go out to all the world and preach the gospel..."

Likewise, as prophets, avatars, saviors, etc. are sent to nations to raise that especial nation, then commission that nation to be the example for the world, so it is with the program of Prophet Noble Drew Ali.  As in days of old, the Prophet's mission is to make our nation (the fallen Asiatic sons and daughters of North America) the "avatar" for the Uniting of Asia/the unification of melanated peoples, by first making us like himself.  He was sent to us so that we could be sent out to the world.  This is what is referred to as "raising the dead."  Incidentally, the word "black/negro" (derivative of the word 'necro'/'dead') in the history of humanity has ONLY been used to describe our people in our present condition (no nationality, or 'civiller mortuus'/dead in the eyes of the law).  Since the year 2000 the world has been watching the sudden resurgence of the Moorish movement; they are witnesses to the Biblical Resurrection.

Allah Says: Come to Common Terms

I'm not sure if you heard about the conflict of Muslims and Christians in Malaysia. In short, a government band on Christians using the word Allah was lifted, allowing them to do so. For specifics, click here. Some Muslims (if we can even call them that) didn't take it lightly at all. Consequently, three Christian Churches were firebombed.

Now, if one were to search the Quran, and let the holy words within judge the aforesaid circumstance, they would clearly come across this:
Qur'an 3:64-71 Surah Ale-'Imran (The Family of 'Imran)
Say: "O people of the Book (a reference to Christians-my emphasis)! come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not from among ourselves Lords and patrons other than Allah."

Perhaps the people that bombed the churches aren't Muslims at all, similar to the K.K.K. who claims to be Christians (but are far from it). The fact is, it's a step in unity and Islam is a religion that unites Divine light to the utmost. I bear witness to that. Lastly, check out Harun Yahya, a renown Islamic scholar. I myself harbored mixed emotions about the matter until I stumbled across his sight. It was an opportunity for me to be educated and I didn't pass it up. Salaam to all.

Bikini or Burkini v. East Meets West

Did you here about the Muslim women in France who wore a burkini and was subsequently banned from the pool she swam at? I think this is another sign of the times;whereas, a woman who chose the road less traveled in honor of her religion and purity was actually disciplined. After further researching the matter, there were health laws in place that banded anyone from being fully dressed in the swimming pool. But wait, it gets deeper.

"French lawmakers recently proposed a ban on the burka and other voluminous Muslim attire. President Nicolas Sarkozy backs the move, saying such clothing makes women prisoners."
-The Jarkata Globe

Ohhh, the world we live in. Why would lawmakers say that women, who have the free will to say yea or nae to wearing such apparel, are being imprisoned (apparently by there own religion)?

First, lets clear it up. These instruction came from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In chapter 24 of the Holy Koran, it states, "And say to the believing women that they lower their gaze and restrain their sexual passions and do not display their adornment except what appears thereof. And let them wear head -coverings over their bosoms."

Now, I know this is contrary to everything that the western world stands on. I guess what I'm saying is whats wrong with piety, what's wrong with purity?

(In America)it's hell when you go to church and are tempted because some women seems to think church is a continuation of the night before, in which they were dressed in nearly similar apparel at the local night club (shaking it like a salt shaker).

Now, while these ignorant lawmakers are asserting these clothes are making women prisoners of their own pious actions, other Western European women are walking around in a two piece bikini. Men are staring, lusting and drooling it up. Meanwhile, the creator sees all that we do and keeps a flawless account of all our actions.

It would seem to me that people should honor women that don't want men staring at their bodies. After all, the women becomes an object of lust and the man falls into sin. In my spiritual walk, I could actually dig "burkinis" in America. I'm not perfect and burkinis makes it easier for men whose conscious are actually seared after they lust after a women. Obviously, this is foreign concept in a western world. What else is new?

Spirituality or Religion: Ohhh, How they Differ!

What makes the difference between these two words? When we speak of religion, we aren't necessarily speaking of spirituality. Instead, religion often offers one a path to become spiritual. By in large, spirituality does not only consist of attending your church, mosque, synagogue, etc. These actions are more so rituals and can become so mundane, they might have no bearing on one's heart and mind (going through the motions).

Religion mainly is exoteric. Meaning, religion mainly deals with the outer forms of man's quest to align with his creator. A good example could be the Ten Commandments or the five daily prayers required of a Muslim. In short, religion gives man a foundation to conduct himself according to his creator's wishes (e.g, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc.)

Spirituality;however, goes much deeper. It deals with the esoteric side of things. It questions the heart of man, and also makes outer practices and rituals null and void if man's heart is not in the right place.

The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. -Genesis 6:5

Being spiritual is not only applying the teachings from previous Masters and religious scriptures, it literally is transforming into those same teachings. Study any Master such as Jesus (p.b.u.h) or Muhammed (p.b.u.h) and you will realize that they were the same teachings they preached. And so a line is drawn between religion and spirituality and it's pretty thin.

The goal of man should not be to be religious but spiritual. And actually, it's hard work. Being spiritual is being able to see the difference between a wordly existence and a soulful existence. I believe that all men have a soul and this portion of their consciousness is eternal. To tap into the soul, especially by the help of a competent teacher or guru, transcends religion. It is the direct path that one must take to become one with his Father.

Now that you can see the difference, you have work to do. Good luck.

Watered Down Conviction=No Religion

Perhaps the single most significant problem in western society is the lack of religious conviction. The lack of piety in America can be viewed on its face and it's no secret that our administration also treats religion as a mere sport (by in large).

Sure Christianity is the "American Way," but does Christianity have a profound impact on society? If it doesn't, it is a empirical reflection of those who practice Christianity, for man makes religion profound; religion does not make man.

What I mean by that is no matter how pious the religion or path may be, it takes someone to use the religion or path as vehicle to perfection in order for the masses to certify the legitimacy of the said faith. And though it is written in most holy books, apparently it is difficult for humans to except the notion that the ways of the world only bring pain and suffering.

When you turn on the news you see it. When you go to the club, it is on full blast, and sadly when you go to religious institutions, folly is prevalent as ever before. What is the solution to this problem? I believe that man must treat religion/spirituality as if it is a part of his inherent nature. Only God can give us the faculties to be upright and pious and it is through His mercy that we are able to use these faculties for the upliftment of ourselves and others.

However, it became clear to me at an early age that religion for most is closer to being "child's play," rather than it being on the forefront of the majority's hearts and minds. Sadly, until we as a nation begin to place emphasis on pious principles, our fate will ultimately be doomed.

Of course, for me, the revelation by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) holds all the keys to establish a nation that God would be proud of. Islam is unique because it clearly makes it known that lukewarmness is not the way to God's heart. The Quran of Mecca points this out clearly in the following Sura:

"Such as took their religion to be mere amusement and play, and were deceived by the life of the world...for We had certainly sent to them a Book based on knowledge, which We explained in detail- a guide and a mercy to all who believe (7:51)."

That means, as much as we would like to get on our death bed and ask for forgiveness of all our sins in our entire life, we know that God is much smarter than that. After all, He is the all knowing and most Beneficent one, and He is just and holds ALL our deeds on a balance scale.

My point is, in order for us to live up to the standards of God, being lukewarm is not the key. It takes courage and strength to uphold righteous pillars, to not blend in with the ways of the world, and to refute behaviors, laws and actions that are against the divine scheme of things. However, it must be done. If it is not done, you will end up with a nation that has no morals, no significant spiritual precedent, no reverence for the throne of God, and no understanding of what it truly means to walk in the path of the pious ones.


-Neo decides to investigate the feeling he has inside of himself that makes him aware of the crooked ways of the world.

Wanting Heaven but Reaching for Hell (Part 1)

Two weeks ago, I made a decision to stop drinking. I felt it was necessary for several reasons, all basically centered around spiritual ideals. Remember last Monday, we opened the week discussing how the internal love that exist within us is strong enough to blossom any virtuos attributes in our characters if we so choose.

But in the entertainment industry, I find some of the strangest and most illogical thoughts. What do I mean? Well, honestly, I get the weirdest reactions when I tell people I've quit. Most are in disbelief until they realize that I've been drinking Sprite all night. I've received one congratulation, and several other nudges of encouragement.

But then, I also have been getting this warped kind of pyschological paradox from people. For instance, one associate said that his boss told him that he was a d#@K when he sobered up. In addition, he noted that he would go several weeks without drinking just to prove he could quite...and then start drinking again.

Yesterday night at the gig, I told the bartender I will be ordering no alcohol all night. After letting her know I quit, she noted, "I had a rough one last night." I told her, "I've had one to many rough ones."

Now, we as humans want heaven but our minds seem to reach for hell. What do I mean? I simply mean that our own thinking drops poisonous seeds that blossom and circumvent the good which we were born to create. Moreover, I know plenty of people that have substance abuse problems, want to change, acknowledge that they're wrong, yet perpetually continue to hurt themselves. Why? There are many reasons, and surely I can relate. In fact, I'm just like you.

This is why in Islam, our holy book asserts that we are children of Adam. In other words, we are more inclined to follow our own will, not the harmonious will that exists within us. Ironically, however, we all are inherently created to be representatives of the Most High. Think about it. No matter what you want, at some point you have to reach out and grab it. Your mind dictates what you want and your actions navigate your reach; therefore, the average human being wants heaven but reaches for hell.

I'm sorry to tell you that in this life, you can't have your cake and eat it to. So long as nature has existed, we know that everything comes in pairs. The same can be said for our personalities and characters and if we are wise, at some point in our lives, we make a choice and stick with it. We decide not only do we want heaven, but we are willing to put ourselves in position to receive heaven. This means one has to acquire a shift in thought. It's like being blindfolded and taking someone's hand through the forest. Though you can't see, you left the force or the divine will guide your steps (instead of the person leading you).

When you make a decision to dedicate your life to the divine will that exists within you, you should not feel like the average person. You should not feel worldly. You should feel like an alien on a unknown planet. Your goal: to uphold your creeds from you native home.

This shift is important because we are Lords of this plane. The average person lets the world dictate to them who they will be. They will go with the flow and become sucked in the ways of this rigid world and by doing so, they take on all the negative aspects that we see from this world. Our only sane wall of defense is free will and our minds. Stay tuned for part two.

The Beauty of the Inner Self

"Islam does not demand unreasoned belief. Rather, it invites intelligent faith, growing from observation, reflection, and contemplation, beginning with nature and what is all around us."
-Thomas Cleary writer for IslamiCity.com

"I call to witness...the soul and how it was integrated and given the faculty of knowing what is disruptive and what is intrinsic to it."
-Sura 91:8

I wanted to start off the week by purely addressing spirituality and how we can make it work for ourselves. First, regardless of your faith, we all know that God has already engraved in us morality. And perhaps it's beyond our understanding, but surely we inherently know right from wrong.

As human beings, we have to pay more attention to ourselves. Yes, that small voice that speaks inside of our mind. Often we ignore, or minimize its purpose but what if we were to listen to the still small voice that speaks from within? Normally, we make excuses and just end up succumbing to the wrong train of thought. How many times has that voice confirmed something was wrong before you committed the act?

Think of this theory: Humanity, by in large, is out of tune with themselves. This feeds into a kind of reverse psychology. In other words, the bad becomes the norm to the degree that the norm is accepted as acceptable!
But the scriptures reveal that there is a radar in all of us (the soul) which sways us to doing God's will. No matter how much dirt and dross you bury it in, it's still there. That means, at anytime in a man's life, he can decide to pull the shovel out and remove the filth which clouds his mind. This will lead to righteous thoughts which leads to righteous thinking, which ultimately leads to perfection.

So as all the prophets call for, we must change! We talked about this before. Repentance comes in degrees and it should. How do I know? Well if thoughts come before actions, we have to explore how we think to solve our outer forms of folly.

But you have to take a look in the mirror and just be pathetically real and honest with yourself! Make adjustments from there, and in the back of your mind, know that you will change-it's just a matter of YOU doing it.

So when you listen to this song...realize that love is already in you. God is already within you. The spirit of peace has been engraved in your very being. All you have to do is use it.

Can Allah be found before the Arabs? Survey says: Yup!

It is true that I'm highly considering converting to Islam. But, I don't want to become "Arabanized." Dig it? In other words, I am for the ideology of Islam, but I don't see the necessity in associating with the Arabic culture. Every man must have a sense of his forefather's legacy and mine can be traced back to Ethiopia and even Egypt. In those days, spirituality was not used for imperialism or political reasons. These were the ancient days of old where spirituality was authentic and it was a way of existence as opposed to a past time (like people treat religion today).

I've always had thoughts of if there are historical traces of the term "Allah" before Mohammed. Dr. Henrick Clarke, a late African Historian, and one of the best, states boldly: "If you talk about Islam before Mohammed, I don't know what you are talking about."

But who knows? The brother in this film asserts the term Allah did exist in pre-Islamic times. The only variable is that it was written on the walls of the tombs in Egypt, according to him. In other words, its language is encoded in hieroglyphics ( which he says is Wollof which derives from Kemet).

Now I won't accept it on face value but I'm open to the idea. After all, the concept of a creator can be found wherever man can be found. Moreover, Mohammed only referred to the same Creator that Abraham worshipped and it's no secret that the essence of Christianity comes from Egypt. So of course, now I have MORE research to do concerning this matter. Does it ever stop? Nope!