Читать книгу Economic Resurrection - Halim Quddus - Страница 6

"If you want to be successful... develop your life so that your life is dead to that which takes you down and alive only to that which takes you up."

Imam WD. Mohammed

All around us are millions of people who live in financial bondage. They are held captive by fear, addictions, debt and even work. Their lives may reflect the after effect of circumstances and events that happened years ago. They long for freedom, but they don't know how to break free. Maybe you are one of these people. I know I was one of them. For years, I lived on the edge of destruction. I was harming myself and hurting those who love me. My life was a complete mess.

My life was such a mess that one evening my mother said to me, "Son, one day you're going to wake up and find yourself dead". I didn't understand what she was saying at the time, but I believe it was those words that helped me to turn my life around. My mother saw that I was living a life that would only lead to death. The death I'm talking about is not a physical death. I'm referring to a mental, moral, cultural, economical and spiritual death. I believe G'd always provide solutions for the mess we find ourselves in. All we have to do is pay attention.

There was a time in my life, when I was broke, using drugs and in and out of jail. I had sunk so deep into the graveyard of poverty that I couldn't even reach into my pocket for bus fare. When a person lacks the resources to take care of the basic things in life, it affects their psychology, self-worth and leads to depression. What a terrible way to live!

My lifestyle, which was really a death style, was an indication that I needed to wake up. If anyone needed to be resurrected, it surely was me. Although I was out of touch with my true self, I longed to be alive. I wanted more out of life and I was ready to "Be Born Again". Why was I ready? Well, I was tired of robbing myself of the joys and comforts that life has to offer all of us. I knew there had to be a better way. In fact, I knew there was a better way and I was ready to join the ranks of those who were spiritually, mentally, morally, culturally and economically alive.

For years, I walked around thinking about the words my mother spoke to me, "wake up and find yourself dead". What stood out the most in my mind were the words, "wake up". These words were the beginning of an awakening that revitalized my spirit.

Do you remember the song, "Wake Up Everybody" by Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes? The message that comes through this song is this: To realize growth in our community, we have to wake up to our unique gifts and use those gifts to change our life and impact the lives of those around us.

Wake Up Everybody speaks to the need for social consciousness and social responsibility. While this song was recorded in the 70's, the message is relevant to the times we're living in. Don't you think it's time for more people to wake up to their potential and their social responsibility?

RESPONDING TO THE SOCIAL ALARMS

Each one of us have G'd given gifts with which to serve the world. You may have to wake up to certain parts of yourself that have been asleep for years or even decades. Have you been sleepwalking through life? If so, then it's time to wake up. I know that waking up isn't always easy. We have a tendency to want to keep our eyes shut for just a few more minutes. These minutes sometimes turn into hours, days and even years. If we fail to respond to the social alarms that are calling for our attention, we may be in for a rude awakening.

In her book The Gift Of Change, Marianne Williamson says this about the great awakening:

"In our sleep, we began to dream. And some of dreams have turned into nightmares. Suffering is a nightmare. Addiction is a nightmare. Violence is a nightmare. Starvation is a nightmare. War is a nightmare. And the way we will change the world from being a place where these things happen to a place where they no longer do is not through what we do in a traditional sense, but because we wake up from the living nightmare in which they occur. We have been asleep without knowing it, taking part in a great forgetting - of who we are, what our power is, where come from and what we truly need. But a great awakening is on the horizon, stirring like a new dawn in each of us. Its no accident that enlightened masters are called the "awakened ones. " And now a species that has been asleep too long is on the verge of a mass awakening. "

No matter how old you are, what your condition is and what your level of education is, you can rise up and live the life you desire. However, first you have to accept that you are responsible for the way you look at your condition. Why? Because what matters most is not what goes on in society, but what goes on in your head. When you get your head right, then you can work to get your life right. It makes sense, doesn't it?

I knew that if I were to come alive, I would have to change my thinking and ultimately my habits. The habits we develop are crucial because they affect what happens to us in the days and years to come. The past, the present and the future are all closely tied together. So, pay close attention to your habits, because they will influence who you become and what you do.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR HABITS

The habits I developed over the years are what got me deeper into the hole I was sinking into. It's important for me to mention habits because our lives are a reflection of the habits we've developed. My mother raised me to take care of myself, but I chose not to listen. I chose to give into destructive habits that caused me to get stuck in patterns of behavior that would only lead to more self-inflicted pain and self-destruction.

As time went on, I started reflecting on my life and came to the conclusion that I had to develop habits that would support my growth. I had to make a choice. Do I remain who I was and sink deeper into the painful world I had created, or do I go into a cocoon like a caterpillar and emerge as a transformed person, awakened to my true self?

It was time for me to reclaim my power. Yes, I gave my power away to forces that I really had the power to resist. I had to make this decision, because these destructive habits landed me in jail and in rehabilitation several times. The most enlightening experience was a short stay in rehabilitation at Union Memorial Hospital in Union, New Jersey. The time I spent in rehab impacted my life in a big way. I had never been more determined in my life, simply because I wanted to be free from the addiction of drugs, so I could live a dignified and productive life.

I was tired of trying to be slick and conning people out of their belongings. I wanted to serve people instead of using them for my own selfish reasons. These thoughts were going through my mind as I was getting those mind numbing and slave making drugs out of my system. I was determined to rid myself of the soul-murdering drugs that were killing me slowly. I wanted to get back to the real me. It was time for the real Halim to stand up.

So the question was, "How can I get back to the real me? " I believe that question is answered in the words of Imam W.D. Mohammed:

"Most of us are not respecting the human person in our own bodies. And we wonder how come we have so much trouble and we wonder how come we are suffering so much. We wonder why so many people are taking drugs.

Its because those bodies are only flesh. The human being is gone. If you bring the human being back into those bodies, you will see a difference in the way they behave before the temptation of drugs. When the human being is in the human body, the way that he or she is supposed to be in the human body, we can handle the temptation of drugs. "

By definition the human being is a rational being . It's the ability to think that distinguishes man from animals. It was time for me to start doing some serious thinking about my life and my future.

As you can see, I wasn't doing much rational thinking, I was moving on instinct just like an animal. It was now time for me to look at myself as a human being with expressions of care, love, cooperation, forgiveness and rational thinking. These are the qualities that helped awaken me to my real power.

DISCIPLINING YOURSELF FOR PROSPERITY

While I was at the rehabilitation center, there was a counselor who reminded me of something about myself. One day during a counseling session, he said, "I see something in you and it's spiritual." I said, "I know, but I'm afraid of the responsibility that comes with it." His reply was, "It's good and you should use it." At that moment I started reflecting on the principles that had been instilled in me by my mother and the people who helped to shape my thinking before I went off course. The short stay in rehab was a turning point for me. Since that time , I've never had a desire to put any type of drugs into my body.

Upon leaving rehab , I went to work on myself. My desire was to become stronger in mind and spirit. In spite of the greatness of this nation and all the material and technological advances we have at our disposal, most people lack the discipline it requires to live a prosperous life. Prospering in good and tough times requires discipline . Without discipline, you may be lulled to sleep by those who profit more from you being asleep than from you being awake. I had to form some new habits -habits that would take me where I wanted to go.

KEEP YOUR WORD

First of all, I had to start keeping my word. When you keep your word, you'll start achieving more. Imagine the relationships you can establish and the money you can make, when you keep your word. It's called keeping an agreement with your self and is the basis for establishing trust.

When you keep your word, you'll unleash a great source of power that will keep you going, because you'll be in a determined state. A state that in essence says: be truthful with yourself, don 't make any excuses and don't give up. Have you ever heard the expression?

"My Word Is My Bond"

Your word is important and will ultimately determine how much progress you'll make and how much trust people will put in you. So, what's a bond? It's an agreement that unites or ties things together. If you keep your word, you' 11 achieve your goals at a rapid pace. When you keep your word, you're actually keeping the agreement you've made with yourself.

A word is more than letters joined together. It's a force that has the power to create. When you keep your word you become capable of discovering more about yourself while connecting with your family, friends and associates. Keeping your word will allow you to witness major changes taking place in your life.

As you make your journey through these tough times, it's best that you live the truth, because truth heals and is a liberating force. Resurrection is a process that deals with living the truth. We have to die to the lie, so we can wake-up and prosper.

The word "prosper" means to flourish or thrive. You are destined to prosper, whether it's in your mind, in your soul, at home, in your business, in your career or even at school. Once you wake up to your potential and accept that you deserve to prosper, you'll be unstoppable.

WHY YOU "NEED" TO STAY AWAKE

To get more from yourself, you have to wake up to the great power that's in and around you. Dr. Martin Luther King, had these words to say about being awake:

"One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. But today our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and face the challenge of change. "

This reminds me of the story of Rip Van Winkle, the man in the children's fairy tale who went to sleep for twenty years and woke up to a very different world. While he was sleep, major changes were taking place all around him. Like Rip Van Winkle, many of us are sleeping while social, technological, scientific and financial changes are rapidly taking place in America and throughout the world.

Do you know that people are still sleeping on the power of the Internet? I'm talking about in its ability to generate money. The Internet is a tool that can be used to put money in your pocket. If you're still sleeping on the Internet, it's time for you to wake­ up to its power.

When we wake up, we can help each other. Once we wake up and see the opportunities that are around us, it will be hard for us to fall back to sleep. The potential for a "rebirth" lies within all of us. No matter who you are, or where you've been, you can create the life you want for yourself. I've seen so many examples of people who have overcome incredible challenges to create an extraordinary life for themselves and their family.

You will learn about people throughout this book who have inspired me to rise up and improve my life. I hope that with the message contained in this book, I can inspire you to breakthrough what's been holding you back from living the life you want to live.

THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE

With all of her problems, America is still the greatest country in the world. People from all over the world are struggling to get here. Why? It's because America offers its citizens the opportunity to compete. You and I have the opportunity to become almost anyone we want to be. Unfortunately, most people limit and chain themselves to bad habits, bad jobs and bad relationships. You can release yourself from the chains that bind you and move into a new world of freedom and prosperity.

President Barak Obama showed what's possible for a person who is willing to compete. He showed that we can break through the limitations that have been set on us by other people. Times in America have truly changed. I've lived to witness several American Americans run for president, but I wasn't sure if I would see the time when an African American would be called the president of the United States. This is a great sign of what can happen when a person is ready to compete.

TOGETHER WE RISE

Although my name appears on the cover of this book and my story is sprinkled throughout its pages, this book is not about me. This book is about us! It's about what we can accomplish as a community. We need community life more now than ever before, because being part of a community helps us to cope with the challenges of an ever-changing society and world.

Why is community so important? Because , it's a collective force that pushes people forward. When people unite and work together, major economic breakthroughs can occur. When times get tough and they always do, remember: We can accomplish so little alone and so much together.

We are a community. We share common ideas and principles. We rise and fall together. Now, it 's time for us to work together to improve our economic plight. There is power in community . As social beings , we are driven to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. This is why people join religious communities, organizations , groups, clubs and associations.

It 's part of human nature to want to create something that contributes to society and impacts it in a meaningful way. When you provide products and services to your community, you add to the richness of your community.

THE POWER OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT

Economic Resurrection is about a spirit that lies deep within all of us. It's a spirit that can move us to break through any limitations that hold us back from taking advantage of the opportunities around us. Once tapped into, this spirit can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. This spirit will allow you to prosper and become a powerful force for change in every part of your life -at home, at work, in business, in school and in your community.

The human spirit is strong and can endure great amounts of pressure. The same spirit that allowed me to overcome the dark forces that weighed me down, is the same spirit that enabled me to create a prosperous lifestyle. Tough economic times can actually help you to experience new levels of economic growth. Isn't that what challenges help us to do? If looked at properly, a great challenge can serve as a great motivator.

DO FOR SELF

As a former member of the Nation Of Islam, I was inspired by the Hon. Elijah Muhammad's economic teachings of "DoFor Self '.His leadership helped to awaken the entrepreneur within me. These teachings not only helped me, but they helped thousands of men and woman learn skills that could help them to create their own economy as they worked to build the Nation Of Islam.

We owe a great deal to the Hon. Elijah Muhammad , who was not only a great social reformer , but also a wise business leader who addressed the economic ills of African Americans. He built the Nation Of Islam with nothing more than a third grade education and a desire to see his people elevate their standard of living. That kind of commitment deserves both honor and respect.

ENTREPRENEURS CREATE OPPORTUNITIES

How can we become strong socially if we are economically weak? It 's the lack of money that creates depression , leads to crime, ruin lives and forces people to settle for less. The teachings of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad produced conscious entrepreneurs who wanted to see their community become economically strong. The prosperity of a community depends on it's people's ability to create value. One way of accomplishing this is through manufacturing our own products.

Once considered a manufacturing superpower, "Made In America" was our identity. We have handed much of our manufacturing power to other countries. This shift has made our own citizens rely on our ability to consume rather than to manufacture products. Americans must find economical ways to start manufacturing more of our own products.

As I'm thinking about innovation, creativity and manufacturing, I want to tell you about Shahid Abdullah. Here's a man who after working in the financial world, decided upon retirement, that he would step out and live out his dream of creating his own clothing line. After many years of hard work, Shahid launched "The Bilalian "clothing line, which is designed and manufactured in America. Shahid is living proof that's it's never too late to live your dream.

Manufacturing products in America strengthens our economy by keeping people working. By manufacturing our own products, we'll be able to employ people in our community to get the job done.

I recently watched a segment of World News , which was about products in people's homes that were manufactured in other countries.

The participants volunteered to have all of their imported possessions removed from their home. The results? About 1% of what they owned was manufactured in America. If money is going outside of this country to purchase products, how can we expect the American economy to get stronger?

The same can be said of a community. If the stores in our community are predominately owned by other ethnic groups, how can our community become strong economically ? Our community will never become strong economically as long as our money goes outside our community.

We hear so much about an entrepreneur, but what is an entrepreneur? Simply put, an entrepreneur is one who create opportunities. That's what I've been doing for over 30 years and haven't looked back since.

The path to economic prosperity is not always smooth. Like everyone else, I've faced some tough times. However, I kept pushing, because I knew that I was going through something and would eventually experience a breakthrough. Until you experience your own breakthrough, you have to remain diligent, for as the Qur'an states;

"Verily with every difficulty, there is relief" (94:6)

No matter what happens in your life, economically or otherwise, just keep pushing and bear in mind that relief is on the way.

Just as I've been able to create great opportunities, you too can create opportunities for yourself, your family and your community. Whether it's starting a business or selling a product or service, you can contribute to the economic growth of our community. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book.

Economic Resurrection is a call to action for people who believe they can turn great ideas into great sources of income that can contribute to the economic rebirth of our community.