FCNNEWSSOURCE
This continues the interview I conducted with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan on May 30, 2000.
Minister Farrakhan: It is difficult for a student to comprehend the ways of a master–the methodology, psychology and spiritual sensitivity of the master. A good teacher prepares the student, not only in the art or science of the profession, but the teacher, if he or she is a good one, recognizes that your gift becomes the means of your trial.
The gifted person, who has the gift but not the character to go along with the gift, must be careful because the gift can become the means of the student’s destruction. A good teacher will carry the gifted one to the threshold of pain and then take them over that threshold, and continues to give the student painful experiences. Why is this? Because to become great in any field, you will inspire the evil emotion of envy in others who want to be great in that field, but cannot equal the one who is supremely gifted of God.
The envy of the envier causes the envier to criticize you harshly, to throw stumbling blocks in your path. If you lack the character to persevere past or through your pain from someone who is in your field, but hates you because you are doing well or better than he or she is doing; if that embitters you; if that becomes an impediment in your spirit, then you cease to become as great an artist or a professional as you could have become if you did not allow the surrounding emotions to become a stumbling block in the pathway of your progress.
In the case of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, he was looking for a student who would be able to carry or share the burden of his mission in his absence–which meant that the student must not only be proficient in the teaching of the message, but the student must be able to bear the pain that goes along with success.
In the case of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, whom God has raised at the end of the world of Satan to be with Him, you would have to endure the wiles and schemes of Satan and how he uses people that you love to overturn you and destroy you. If you only know the teachings and know it well but lack the character to bear the burden, then you are not the one that the teacher was looking for.
Any great master has an idiosyncrasy, if you will, or ways that the student may not understand. If you love the teacher and the instruction, then you will absolutely look pass the things that you don’t understand and one day you will come to understand that what the teacher appeared to be doing to you, he or she was actually doing for you.
One of the hardest things for a student to take is a severe rebuke by the teacher. There is a proverb that says, “The fool despises correction. The wise man changes often, but the fool will not.” What would make the fool change? It will be when he/she comes into a greater knowledge or understanding.
(Note: Minister Farrakhan did not use the word, “fool” in the common derogatory sense of the word. He used it as the scriptures uses this word, as it is defined in Vines’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. According to Vine’s, the word for fool is from a Greek word that signifies “without reason; want of mental sanity and sobriety, a reckless and inconsiderate habit of mind or the lack of common sense perception of the reality of things [both] natural and spiritual.” There are two other Greek adjectives that also define this word, which I intend to get to, be it the will of Allah.)
How did you come into a greater knowledge? You had to be humble enough to recognize it when it came. So, the scriptures says, “Whom the Lord loveth, he chastens much.” Why? Because it is only through the chastening that the process of learning and growing is being refined in the student. If you cannot accept chastening, you cannot become refined in the field that you chose to become great.
Some of us are so gifted, that we seem to do with ease what it takes others real hard work to manifest. The supremely gifted one finds things so easily, that oft-times the supremely gifted one is careless with the gift and never works as hard as he or she should because they accomplish so much with so little ease. So, the gift then becomes the supreme trial for the supremely gifted one. Sometimes you think you know so much till you don’t wish to be taught any more. You want to teach the teacher. As a result, you really become a fool.
The Holy Qur’an teaches that, “He who rejects the religion of Abraham is he who makes a fool of himself.” What is the religion of Abraham? It is found in these words: “Surely I have turned myself to Thee Oh Allah, [My Teacher. That word Teacher is not there] to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth and I am not of the polytheists.” I ultimately have no other Teacher to focus on but you.
“Oh Allah, Thou art the King [Thou art the Master Teacher], there is no God but Thee. Thou art my Lord, [my Nourisher, my Evolver, my Sustainer, my Grower into perfection. You’re the only one] and I am of those who submit.”
That is the heart, mind and soul of Abraham. That is what made him the friend of God and that is what will make any good student the friend of the Master.
“I submit. I surrender. I yield myself over to your mastery of that which I hope to become. Now, put yourself in me.” I tell you, that is love to the 19th power!”
[We laughed.]
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The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught: “The Bible is full of prophecy. The Holy Qur’an is not. The Holy Qur’an is a message directed to Muhammad, the Messenger. This is why it reads, “Say so and so and so. And when they say so and so, you say so and so.” This is a direct message to a student under the teachings and guidance of Allah. I want you to understand these things.” (Theology of Time, August 20, 1972)
How blessed we are today that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, under the guidance of Master Fard Muhammad, prepared his best student, Minister Farrakhan, to say and do as he has for 28 (going on 29 years) throughout America and the world.
One of the best ways that we can show our gratitude to Minister Farrakhan’s Backers, and our understanding of his significance, presence and work; and the times in which we live; and the needs of the Original People of this land is to spread the Saviours’ Day addresses Minister Farrakhan delivered on February 26 and the two he delivered on March 5, 2006–three altogether.
More of Minister Farrakhan’s wisdom, next issue, Allah willing.
