Malcolm X: The Future Belongs to Those Who…

A world famous American Muslim named Malcolm X once said,

“The future belongs to those who prepare for it.”

This statement, which is often misquoted, is a practical wisdom that points to a very profound and fundamental element of religion, our existence. In one way or another we are all concerned with our future and its outcome. Even the atheist, the person who believes that there is no afterlife, is at the very least concerned about death, which is at some point in the unknown future. And whether that future be fifty years or fifty seconds away it is, at some level, a concern to all of mankind. But the reason Malcolm X’s statement is so profound is because it draws a simple but reasonable answer to the many possibilities that may occur in our future. In other words it points us in the right direction by suggesting that those who prepare for the future are the ones who hold the key to their own future. And I am not taking this quote in the context of Malcolm X’s time on the Earth or with respect to his political and ideological association. No, I am taking it purely at face value and applying merely as I see it in the context of my life today.

Preparing for future is an interesting proposition. But how can we prepare for the future if we do not even know why we are here, here on the face of Earth? Modern Western Science is not telling us why. Perhaps science discusses various ideas of how we came to be, but it often avoids the “why”. But in the Islamic Sciences this question has been answered. Allah Almighty said in the Qur’an,

“I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me.” (51:56, Tran. Pickthal)

This means that our reason for being here, on this Earth, is only to worship our Creator. Thinking on this a bit puts a number of things in perspective for the Believer. The first being, the purpose of life itself. Today’s people have lost this understanding. We all have lost this understanding, Muslims, Christians, Jews. Today, it doesn’t even matter what religion you are. It doesn’t matter what color or what part of the world you came from. People from newborns to those that are ready for their graves, North; South; East and West are carrying emptiness in their heart. Life has become sour and everything that they do has become a pain. A reason to complain. And no one is satisfied with anything. This is true for men and women; children, adults and the elderly. We do not realize that trying to fill our heart’s emptiness with things of this world will never satisfy us. Perhaps, we can satisfy our stomach’s with things of this world; we can satisfy our physical bodies with things of this world but our heart, it is a place that the world cannot satisfy.

A man may have everything, he could own half of Manhattan but not be in peace. He will only run after more and more. Running after everything, when he already has everything. But he had to run after these things because there was nothing that he acquired that could replace that emptiness inside his heart and slowly he loses his mind. Because it’s a maddening cycle that makes tyrants, tyrants.

Doubt is what continuously empties the heart. It slowly empties the heart of that which satisfies the heart, belief. Belief in Allah Almighty and the Afterlife, removing any doubt from the heart by the grace of Allah Almighty fills the heart, it satisfies the heart. Allah Almighty said in the Qur’an,

“I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me.” (51:56, Tran. Pickthal)

He also said of mankind,

“And they are ordered naught else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright, and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion.” (98:05, Tran. Pickthal)

It is here that the word Arabic word mukhlisin is translated as “pure”, but means more than just our English translation of those whom are pure. This purity is matter free from contamination particularly in one’s intention, in other words those who are sincere. Allah Almighty defines sincere religion saying,

“Surely pure religion is for Allah only.” (39:03, Tran. Pickthal)

Therefore, performing the acts that have been set forth, the admission from the tongue that there is a Creator and Lord of the Heavens and Earth. The act of praying, fasting, alms giving and devotional pilgrimage are indeed the admission of faith through one’s actions. But the purity of these acts comes from the heart, and in the heart is where you find one’s sincerity; one’s intention. When we use our tongue to worship our Lord sincerely, that fills some of the emptiness in our hearts; when we pray with sincerity we find that emptiness receding; when we fast, give to the poor and perform the pilgrimage, that is when we find our hearts being satisfied. When we put high the things that our Creator puts high and put low those things our Creator puts low that is when we are being sincere.

This is how the Believer prepares for the future. This is how the Believer prepares for the next life. By putting high what Allah Almighty loves and putting low that which is hated by him, making this more than just words or empty actions but part of our lifestyle. So brother Malcolm (ra) was onto something here and perhaps if he were still with us he would have explained a little more about this. But he is not here and we are and it is time that we stop running from death as if we cannot die. It is time to stop acting as if we are so free, we are prisoners between our two breaths and if one of those two breaths are taken away, thats it. Where is the freedom in that? We are not free to do whatever we want, this life has a great reward at a heavy price and its our time, right now to prepare for our future with sincerity.

 

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