In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful...the Best Knower.

Salaam, Family.

The following is the first in a series of articles that Brother Jabril Muhammad - the author of the articles - has asked to be shared. If you find these articles inspirational and/or useful, please visit his website http://www.writtentestimony.com and sign up for his mail-out list to gain access to these and other Powerful and Informative articles!
================================================== ===============

Farrakhan: The Traveler
For The Final Call
Vol. 12; No. 12 - April 26, 1993


Pain and perseverance over time results in spiritual development

The Historic March 15, 1993 edition of The Final Call newspaper read: "28 years after the death of Malcolm X...The Honorable Elijah Muhammad cleared of all false charges."

Twenty-eight years later, to the day Malcolm X died, his charges against the Honorable Elijah Muhammad were exposed to light and could be seen for what they really were—to those who have eyes with which to see.

Why, in the nature of the purposes of Allah's unlimited wisdom, did it take twenty-eight years—2/21/65 to 2/21/93—for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad to be cleared of the false charges made against him?

Why, in the nature of Allah's matchless Wisdom and timing, has this exposure come out as it has twenty-nine years after Malcolm began to make public that which was in his heart—which he had begun to circulate—against his former teacher?

Malcolm X began his public denunciations of his former teacher and benefactor, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, in the spring of 1964. That was twenty-nine years ago. Malcolm X died on February 21, 1965. That was twenty-eight years ago. What does this signify?

Why, in the nature of Allah's perfect timing, was the Honorable Louis Minister Farrakhan divinely chosen to lead the effort to clear the name of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad—with four Sisters—in such a powerful way, on such special occasion—the honoring of Master Fard Muhammad—and on the 21st of this past February?

Is there anything in Surah 28 and 29 of the Holy Qur'an that Allah Himself intended for us to understand, at this time, in relation to the monumental events centering on the two speeches made by the Honorable Louis Farrakhan on February 21st and the 28th? Is there anything anywhere else in that great book, and in the Bible, and in the histories of the prophets and messengers of the past that bears directly on these huge events? Yes. There is.

Again, consider the relation between the above questions to the questions and points about to be made. Christian theology teaches that even while Jesus was on the cross he was gaining an exceedingly great victory even as, to all appearances, he appeared to be going to his death in defeat. According to the Bible, Jesus died and was buried in a tomb never used before. It is an article of faith—especially in Catholicism—that Jesus descended into hell. That is where, as we have been taught, the devil rules the dead; even though at the start of his mission the devil tried to bribe Jesus, on top of the earth, by offering him the cities of the earth.

Again, Aaron, Peter and Job, and a few others—according to the scriptures—experienced something like what many of us have been taught about Jesus' decent into hell; for a short time. What was all of this for and how does this relate to the clearing of the name of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad? Is there any connection between this and the 22 verses that make up the "story" in the Holy Qur'an about the wise man and Moses (18:60-82; section 9 and 10)?

Is there any real relation between all of the above and the words of Reverend Billy Graham, President Clinton (on the day the latter was inaugurated) and the words of the Honorable Louis Farrakhan, in his open letter to the President, which appeared in The Final Call February 8, 1993; Volume 12, Number 7—which bears directly on the fate of the most powerful nation, of this world, on this earth?

And what about the pain—both past and present—in the above? Why is pain involved in the process of the fulfillment of prophecy—the outworking of the purposes of Allah? Why is it that the greater the aspect in the aims and purposes of Allah the greater the pain—among other difficulty factors?

We are warned, in the New Testament, in plain words, not to despise the prophetic sayings, which originate in the mind and purpose of God Himself. If we are living in the times of the recreation of the heavens and the earth, prophesied of in the scriptures, then we are in a time as it was in the very beginning of God's motions—time itself! Ultimately, we have to go back that far—to time's start—to find a time most like the time we are in.

Is there any new beginning that does not include, or involve pain? The Honorable Elijah Muhammad has said that everything of good has trouble in its infancy. Is this an absolute law based on an eternal principle going back to the origin of life itself? Yes. Does it not follow, then, that if we are in the time of the greatest change since time itself began—which the Honorable Elijah Muhammad said is God's beginning—we are also in the time when human beings are to, and are living through a set of experiences involving pain—to a degree humans never underwent before now? Does not Daniel state that there shall come a time of trouble such as never happened until the time of the end of the world—which is now? Did not Paul tell us that it would be through much trouble that we would enter into the kingdom? Why then do most of us focus more on the pain and less on the aim of Allah? The Honorable Louis Farrakhan has covered this again, and again, and again. The scriptures bear him ample witness. Eventually we will come to understand.

In chapter 10 of the present edition of This Is The One (which includes a little over 68,000 words more than the edition which came out 22 years ago) we read:

"This indeed is the time of the unveiling, or of the revealing and fulfillment of the prophecies contained in the Bible and in the Holy Qur'an concerning these days in which we live.

"It is written that at a certain point in time, on this earth, One would appear and bring into existence, or into reality the greatest series of changes since the beginning of creation. In several places in the Bible and in the Holy Qur'an we read that this One would begin—in His Person—and at the time of His arrival, the process of creating a new heaven and a new earth. That One has arrived. That creative change is in motion now.

"The coming of Master Fard Muhammad; the raising of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad; the initial setting up of the Nation of Islam, in the 1930s; the ups and downs of the Nation; its development from 1935 to 1975; the departure of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, in 1975; the change that followed, in the Nation, on the rise to leadership by Imam Warith Deen Muhammad; the rise of the Honorable Louis Farrakhan, in 1977 and the developments that have occurred since: here is where the scientist must look, if they are to really see into the core of the fantastic transformations which many can see, and all can feel.

"Don't look only into outerspace. What they are looking at, in outerspace, has already occurred, long ago. Some of those stars, the light of which we see, no longer exist. It is in this—the wisdom that fuels the Nation of Islam in the West—that the scientists can find the understanding of the origin of life and the key of the governance of the universe.

"One of the prime, or major components in the core, of that which is generating the universally tremendous changes, is the revelation of previously concealed secrets of the most important matters.

"Whenever we come into the knowledge of that which we previously did not know, we are changed by that knowledge. The greater the knowledge, the greater the change. (I know these are broad generalizations.) Our potential for change increases when the following conditions exist: 1) there is something we ardently, or strongly desire to know or understand; 2) that which we want to know is of great significance to us; 3) we have some sense of that which we seek to know because some hints have been given; 4) that which we have a great desire to know and understand is finally disclosed to us in a manner that we can understand."

A few lines down it continues:

"Consider it like this. Picture a person, whose desire to understand something reaches its greatest intensity. The matter (or subject) that this person seeks to know, and understand, is of great value, utility and has close relevance, or connection to that person's life and concerns. When that person gains that increased knowledge and enters that understanding which meets, or satisfies, the intensity of his/her desire to understand; the energy; or the power that is released, or that is generated in that person, produces great changes in that person. This person is now able to generate stupendous changes in the world

"When, however, the desired object, or subject, one desires to understand, is the Supreme reality—God Himself—and the person's desire is rooted in an intense love; and at the same time God loves that person and wants that person to understand Him; the resulting union, or unity, which is born out of this intense mutual love, initiates a process that generates more power than the process of fusion which fuels the sun!"

There are two observations that I can only touch lightly within the limits of this article, as we proceed to examine, to some extent, the answers to the above questions that have already divinely come through both the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Louis Farrakhan.

There is a principle in higher mathematics, some of which is involved in computers that applies here. It goes like this: the more improbable an event the more information it yields. What could have been more improbable, in the eyes of the majority of the people in this country and the world, than the rise and success of Minister Farrakhan, starting fifteen and a half (15-1/2) years ago this month, in rebuilding the Nation of Islam?

Whether or not an event is improbable to us is a matter of one's state of mind, and the quality and the depth or width of our knowledge, and, in some cases, power. What is impossible for one is easy for another. What is possible for some is improbable for others. (Remember, we are only touching these matters.)

There are many ways to come at this principle: the more improbable the event, the more information it yields. White folks point out that according to a law of nature (one of the laws of aerodynamics) the bumble bee's wing span is too short for his body's weight. So, it is not supposed to be able to fly. Yet, it flies.

The simple reality is that this insect flies by an aspect of that law of which these scientists are ignorant. This insect flies in violation of their understanding of this law. This insect is, however, flying in accord with aspects of this law that is beyond (and in this sense, higher) than what they know; than what they see, or of which they are even aware.

So, as the scientists come to learn the "higher," or less ordinary aspect of this same natural law, the less improbable this insect's ability to fly will seem to them. In other words, the bee's activities make more and more sense as they gain more sense. Increased knowledge and understanding reduces the sense, view, and feeling of the improbable. Meantime, Allah created this bee. He never doubted that it could fly. And, it always has, ever since He created it.

If you look back on the life, the work and successes of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, we will see what most would call paradoxes. And, so it has been in the course of the events that have taken place since his departure in 1975. Indeed, patience (sabr) is required to understand and benefit from the outworking of the divine plan, as the prophetic sayings are divinely fulfilled today.

In the introduction of a book, titled, "Life and death in the New Testament," by Xavier Leon-Dufur, whose subtitle is "The Teachings of Jesus and Paul," we read: "In his account of the ministry of Paul, Father Leon-Dufur describes a paradox often found in the life of Jesus' disciples: that new life and possibilities arise, as God's gift, from amidst misfortunes and setbacks."

The Holy Qur'an teaches, "After difficulty comes ease." Another translation goes deeper in English. It reads, in effect, that right in the difficulty is the ease, or the way out to a better condition. The question is, can we see it? Allah always provides the way to Him and success—ofttimes (Surah 65) from sources where we imagined not. One writer puts it, in effect, this way, that in every difficulty, or seemingly impossible hardship, or situation, is the seed of the equivalent or superior benefit or condition in contrast to the bad condition the person(s) are/were in. However, we must make Allah's will our will. (Minister Farrakhan has restated these principles in his study guides in a manner understandable to everyone.)

What we (most) call paradoxes, puzzles, and the like, is not that to Allah, as the Honorable Louis Farrakhan makes clear in study guide 18. The higher we rise into the mind of God the less confusing things are—until even the source of confusion vanishes.

To bring about exceptionally new and good circumstances—a brand new universal order—Almighty God, Allah is using His matchless Wisdom to initiate or allow that which He wills, directly or through others, which at times seems to go contrary to the wisdom, insights, or the way the majority of human beings view things.

In the early 1980s, the Honorable Louis Farrakhan wrote a monumental article in The Final Call titled: "We Must Grow To Accept Responsibility." He wrote, in part:

"The Honorable Elijah Muhammad gave to each of his followers a great challenge. That challenge was for us to grow, mature, and ripen into the correct understanding of His word and work; then, we would be capable of shouldering, the responsibility of His mission. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad consistently taught us that his mission was and is the resurrection of the mentally dead Black people of America and the world.

' "We understand that resurrection is a process: it begins with our coming into the knowledge of experiences, trials and tribulations, we grow. Hopefully, we grow to the point where we are able to shoulder the work of building an independent nation that is described in the Bible and the Qur'an as the 'Kingdom of God,' or the 'Kingdom of Islam.'

' "The process of growth is slow and painful; so is the process of resurrecting a people from death into Divine Life. The elements that produce that growth are the words of truth, as well as the varying circumstances produced by that struggle. Many are resentful of the process by which growth comes yet we love the results. The process is indeed difficult. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad knew most of the first group of his followers would turn back and abort their growth. This pained him much. However, he understood that a remnant of the first group of his followers would ripen and mature into understanding. They then would be in the best condition: ready to use, ready for action, ready to take on the responsibility of his mission. These are they which the Qur'an refers to as the 'foremost' group.

' "O you who believe, should any one of you turn back from his religion, then Allah will bring a people, whom He loves and who love Him, humble towards believers, mighty against the disbelievers, striving hard in Allah's way and not fearing the censure of any censurer. This is Allah's grace—He gives it to whom He pleases. And Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing. (Holy Qur'an 5:54)'

"The Honorable Elijah Muhammad was left by Allah in the person of Master Fard Muhammad with a mission and with a demonstration for three and one half years. That demonstration would allow the Honorable Elijah Muhammad to draw from his Teacher in order that he might be nurtured and nourished as he grew into the understanding of the Word of God, and develop the best method to carry out the work of the resurrection of our mentally dead people.

' "The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said to some of us that it would take him 40 years to understand his mission. This means that the first 40 years of his work among us would ripen him into the ultimate understanding of his mission. Then he would be ready for that which God intended to ultimately use him for, and at the same time, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad would be putting us through a similar course by giving us the word and making for us an example of how that word should be carried into practice. His word and his example would give us the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations, and create for us the necessary circumstances that would test the very fiber of our being. Although the process would be excruciatingly painful, if we persevered to the end of that process we would be ripened into the maturity that would enable us to stand up to the responsibility of the mission. This is what is meant in the Scriptures where it reads, 'the race is not to the swift, but to those who ENDURE to the end.' "

Towards the close of this very wonderful article the Honorable Louis Farrakhan spoke a little about even the value that darkness has, under certain circumstances. He pointed out that which ripens in the darkness.

More next issue, Allah willing.