Books by Al-Haj Karriem El-Amin Shabazz

The polytheists associate other deities with Allah because they do not pay heed to His signs, which serve as pointers to the right way. So, they go astray. They get lost in thorny bushes. Nevertheless, many of them do not entirely lose sight of the reality, and do not disbelieve in Allah, as their Creator and Sustainer. But, they get involved in polytheism. That is, they do not deny the existence of Allah, but they believe that there are other deities, who are also partners in His being, His attributes, His powers, and His rights. Had they considered these signs in the heavens and the earth from this point of view, they should never have been involved in polytheism. In that case they would have discovered everywhere, in each and every one of them, the proofs of the Oneness of Allah.This is to arouse people from their apathy towards the signs of Allah that lie scattered all over the earth and the heavens. To urge them to search for the reality, by making right observations. Each and everything is not merely a thing, but also a sign, which points to the reality. A seeker after the reality, should look at these, with a look different from that of animals. This is because an animal sees a tree, a mountain and water and takes it as a mere tree, a mountain or water, and with the help of his senses makes use of these according to his needs. But Allah has endowed man with a mind, that is able to consider things in other than their physical, and material aspects. So that, he may think deeply, and search for the reality, by means of these signs of Allah.

The Qur''an has been called Al-Furqan because it is the gauge for judging right and wrong, virtue and vice, truth and falsehood. Its purpose is to warn all mankind of the evil consequences of their heedlessness and change of gods. The warner may be AI-Furqan, or the Holy Prophet (saws) to whom it was revealed. In fact, both were the warners, because, they were both sent for one and the same purpose. The message of the Qur''an and the Prophethood of Muhammad (saws) were not meant for any particular country, but for the whole world. Not for their own time, but for all times to come. Whenever a man takes anything as his lord, he does so under the presumption that his god has the power to do good, or bring harm, and make, or mar his fortune. Nobody, would like to worship a powerless god. Now, when it is recognized that none, but Allah, has the real power and authority, in the universe, nobody should bow before anyone other than Him in worship. Nor sing anybody else''s hymns of praise. Nor commit, the folly of bowing in worship before anything else except his real God, or recognize any other, as his ruler, because "To Allah belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and to Him alone."

Although anger is a natural feeling it can have negative effects on those who allow it to control them, and adverse effects on those around them. Uncontrolled anger is one of the tools of Satan, and it can lead to many evils and tragedies. For this reason, Islam has a great deal to say about the emotion of anger. When a person becomes angry, he has the choice to control his anger by responding to it in a way sanctioned by the Qur''an, and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (saws), or, he could give in to the wave of emotion, and behave in a way that displeases Allah, but delights Satan. Though the word khamr in Arabic means literally ''the drink made from grapes'', it was also used figuratively for intoxicating liquors made from wheat, barley, raisins, dates, and honey. The Arabic word sukarah (intoxicated) implies that this Command prohibits not only drinking but every kind of intoxicant. Every intoxicating thing is in itself unlawful, the offense of intoxication becomes more heinous, when the Prayer is offered, in such a state.

The unlawfulness of spying is not only applicable to individuals but also to the Islamic government. The duty of forbidding the people to do evil that the Shari`ah (Islamic Law) has entrusted to the government, does not require that it should establish a system of spying, to inquire too curiously, into the people''s secret evils, and then punish them. As for the hidden evils spying is not the way to reform them, but it is education, preaching, counseling, collective training of the people and trying to create a pure social environment. Uttering a false accusation against a person in his absence is defaming while describing a real defect in him is backbiting. A''ishah says: Rumors about this slander went on spreading in the city for about a month, which caused great distress and anguish to the Holy Prophet (saws). I cried, due to helplessness, and my parents were sick with mental agony.