2006 Annual Muslim Convention

"Our religions tell us that a parable of our own life is as a parable of plant life that we can see. 

You plant a seed. The seed seems to be dead. It is a dead thing, not living. But if you plant it in the right circumstances or environment, it becomes a living thing and opens up and shows what was locked up in itself. Locked up in that small dead thing was a beautiful life. And it is freed from that prison cell. 

The dead seed is freed and comes up a beautiful life. Our food from grain, looking or appearing to be dead corn, tomatoes, wheat, or whatever it is and all the life that G-d has made serves a purpose. The grass we take for granted, but the grass does not only give us beautiful sight for the front and back yard, the golf course. 

The grass, if you let it grow, makes a cushion for the small living things that have to survive on the earth, like ants and other small creatures, crawling in and out of the soil. The grass gives a cushion, so when the cows step on it or when you step on it, those small creatures have a cushion to protect them from being squashed or killed. 

Wheat grass especially reveals its origin. Its origin is a small seed that appears to be dead. It grows up, and the last thing it gives you is the seed at the top. It shows you its beginning. And it holds its original beginning up high. The Prophets of the Scriptures are like this. They had this kind of thinking and they identified with developmental growth into better form and bigger form and more enriched form. 

Then they saw that G-d wanted them to give back, as these plants give back. And they give more than they originally had. They had one seed, and they give back many seeds. 

Some bear fruits so beautiful and flowers so beautiful. And others bear that that is food for us on our tables Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and on until Sunday and over and over again, they give us food. 

So we all should be developmental in our life, and our progress should move from stage to stage. And we should not be so selfish that we don't share our life and give something of our life to those who are in our environment. Especially to the small and the weak, who will be crushed by the foot of the cow or man."  Imam W. Deen Mohammed