JABRIL.MUHAMMAD
The very fact that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has to teach Black people how to properly greet each other is a sign of the presence in the world of the Mahdi and the Messiah.
Please remember the above, as we cover what I hope we will, here and in the next few articles.
What were the signs that were written of in the scriptures that clearly point out this time as the time of the physical presence of the Mahdi and the Messiah? What are those current events and conditions, described in the scriptures, and called signs, that are proofs that the Mahdi and the Messiah are presently bringing in a perfect world?
Many have stated and written that it is the confluence or the convergence–the coming together at the same time–of a specific set of events, that when understood, tells us that this time is the time when God has taken charge and is making a total change of everyone and everything.
A couple of days ago, I read in the May 21 edition of The Arizona Republic, in the section called Letters to the Editor, the following:
“Anybody else see this stuff?”
“About 9:30 p.m. Sunday, my neighbors and I were outside our home near 21st Avenue and Rose Garden when we saw something in the sky. There were four of them–round bright discs with black rotating circles in them. They seemed to have appeared right out of the Big Dipper and then flew/glided/zoomed toward the east.
“Did anyone else see these things? It was completely different than the lights up north seven years ago.
“Please tell me someone else saw this and I’m not going crazy.”
I was writing on certain points about Minister Farrakhan, which involves “signs,” when I read this letter. It reminded me of a specific sign that is mentioned in Matthew 24:30. It reads: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes on the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (King James Version)
We read, in the 24th chapter of Matthew that Jesus spoke of those signs that will show the arrival or presence of the Son of man to a future generation. If we are that generation, should we not at least read these signs in the scriptures that we have in our homes? Read them and then look around.
These signs are described in several places in the Bible, such as in the 13th chapter of Mark and in the 17th and 21st chapters of Luke. Many other signs are given in the Bible and in the Holy Qur’an. The latter book also gives us different views of the same signs that are in the Bible and of other signs not mentioned in the Bible.
Look at the wording, “the sign of the Son of man in heaven É” What is the reality that is referred to here? The Greek word, which is transliterated “semeion,” is translated into English with these words: “a sign, mark, token; that by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others and is known.”
It further means: “a sign, prodigy, portent, i.e. an unusual occurrence; transcending the common course of nature; of signs portending remarkable events soon to happen; of miracles and wonders by which God authenticates the men; sent by him, or by which men prove that the cause they are pleading is God’s.” (Strong’s Concordance).
Meanwhile, was there a mistake or an error involved in the description of this particular sign referred to “as the sign of the Son of man in heaven”? Is this the sign of the Son of man? Or is it a the, in a certain respect? What does “in heaven” mean, in this context? Is this the sign of all signs? Or is it that which openly impacts the nations of the earth?
Some translations use words that signify that this sign will appear in the sky. Others show that the words “heaven” and “sky” refer to the same reality.
Now, what is it about this sign that causes the nations to mourn? The definition above is insufficient. We’ll continue this, next issue, Allah willing.
Let’s continue Minister Farrakhan’s teachings on “As-Salaam-Alaikum” and how we ought to demonstrate the principles in the greetings of peace that we continually offer to each other.
“Brother [so and so], the other day when you said thus and so, I thought that you could have said it better; because so-and-so felt injured by what you said. So-and-so didn’t say it to you. So-and-so said it to me. I wanted to pass it on to you, so that you could make it right with Sister and/or Brother so-and-so.
“Then, there are other circumstances when you should work to bring both parties together. In other words, you’re practicing being honorable.
“You must practice controlling those emotions that trigger the misuse of your tongue. You don’t say the thing that bothers you to the party who has injured you. You say it to somebody who knows nothing about it to affect them with your pain.
” ‘You know what that Sister did to me? Just a little of my hair was showing from under my headpiece, and that Sister said, ‘Who are you trying to attract, with that baby hair all out from under your headpiece? You’re looking like a little old strumpet.’
“Well now, don’t go tell the Sister right then. Wait until the circumstance is over. First of all, calm down. Correct yourself. Then later say, ‘Thank you, Sister, for pointing that out to me.’ Then later say, ‘Sister, may I speak to you, please?’
” ‘My dear Sister, we’re trying to be better. I know you’re trying and working very hard to build a Sisterhood. But when you spoke to me in the manner that you did, you spoke the truth. My hair was out. I want to be right. So I appreciated your correcting me.
” ‘But Sister, some other Sister that you might speak to like that, might be offended, because I can’t be a Muslim and a strumpet too. Evil is a bad name after faith. So while I can accept the correction that you gave me, I would appreciate it if you never again speak to me, your Sister, in the manner that you did, because I am Allah’s child, not necessarily yours. So would you refrain from that in the future?’
“And say this to your Sister/Brother with a smile and in a kindly manner.
“Some Believers–whether in authority or not–will reject such good words of correction, even when spoken in a kindly manner, with, ‘You don’t talk to me that way!’
“But now if you’re the right kind of person (or official), you say, ‘Oh Sister/Brother, thank you for pointing that out to me. Will you forgive me for using that language? And I promise you, I won’t do that again.’
“With this the Brotherhood and the Sisterhood is strengthened.”
There are two more points Minister Farrakhan made respecting our practice of the principles in the greetings of peace. They will appear in the next two articles, Allah willing.
