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Some of what I am about to write reminds me of the following scriptures from the Bible and Holy Qur’an.
“But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” -Isaiah 53:5
“When Israel was a child, I loved him as a son, and I called my son out of Egypt. But the more I called to him, the more he rebelled, offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols. It was I who taught Israel how to walk, leading him along by the hand.
“But he doesn’t know or even care that it was I who took care of him. I led Israel along with my ropes of kindness and love. I lifted the yoke from his neck, and I Myself stooped to feed him.
“For my people are determined to desert me. They call me the Most High, but they don’t truly honor me.
“I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy.
“For someday the people will follow the LORD. I will roar like a lion, and my people will return trembling from the west. And I will bring them home again, says the LORD.” –Hosea 11:1-4; 7-8; 10,11)
“Those who believe and do good deeds, for them the Beneficent will surely bring about love.” (Holy Qur’an 19:96) (The Living Bible)
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The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan arrived in Phoenix, Arizona on June 2, 2006.
As we all know, Minister Farrakhan has been under medical supervision to come out of a condition that oft-times includes pain. Pain was an aspect of the context of Minister Farrakhan’s state during the wonderful period of time I was blessed to spend with my Brother.
One might ask, why would Jabril burden Minister Farrakhan off and on throughout June and July with one question after another? Why burden the man sitting in the seat of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad with questions–especially when he is not feeling well?
There were several days when it seemed that he could hardly get out of his car. There were many days when his walk was slow. Not every day–but several days.
I am trying to give you a glimpse or view of the circumstances and condition under which I interviewed him on several days during June and July.
Why did I ask him if he would agree to be questioned? Why did he agree to be interviewed?
If you did not ask yourself those questions, why not? If you did, you are immediately on the right path to understanding something very significant concerning Minister Farrakhan, which touches all of our lives–everywhere on this Earth.
Due to a particular experience I had earlier this year and due to certain moves Minister Farrakhan intended to make, that he shared with me when I first saw him in June, I knew I did not have much time to do that which I wanted to do. It was to ask him a certain group of questions for the completion of the book, Closing the Gap, which has been a work-in-progress for several years.
The core of why I sought to interview him can be seen, in part, in one of the first questions I asked of him.
In Farrakhan: The Traveler; Volume 25, Number 37, I wrote:
“I ended my last article with: ‘Let’s see if his early history contains facts that tally with the interpretation of scriptures God taught the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.’
“As I prepared to do the best I could to continue this line of thought, it occurred to me to raise a question to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan on June 8, 2006, while he was here in Phoenix, Arizona. His wonderful and insightful answer is parenthetical in the course of what I am stating, by Allah’s mercy.
“Minister Jabril: Brother Minister, how would you define the art of conversation? How would you define the best kind of conversation Muslims should be engaging in, especially in this critical hour, as it’s getting darker?” [Italics mine]
Look again at the words: “especially in this critical hour, as it’s getting darker?” I am in no way being insulting. The fact is that we all live our lives under difficult circumstances, with seemingly countless things to do, under many pressures. Some of these are due to inadequacies we have yet to overcome. The broad context is that we are living at the end of the world–something that has never occurred before, which will never occur again.
Therefore, some things get by us or we forget too quickly, etc.
A major factor that also blocks our learning is something that Minister Farrakhan deals with, in this book, brilliantly–even more than that. It’s our judgmental attitude or state of mind.
If you have not read his answer on the nature of conversations, we should do it now. It can affect our lives for the better at once.
Just read and think on the answer he gave about the best kinds of conversations Muslims should be engaging. The effect his words have on you is proof enough of the source of his wisdom. What he said, in answer to that question, tallies with the effect his words have.
What about those who disbelieve or doubt? The Qur’an has adequately answered that. They remain blind or degenerate into spiritual blindness.
With the above said, let’s begin to answer these above questions so we can move on. Every question I asked him was with the “dark hour” in mind. Every answer he gave was on how to help us get through that period, by Allah’s help.
Several times, as he was answering my questions, I was so moved that I shook or squeezed his hand even while he was speaking. Why? I “saw” the “gap” being closed more rapidly when readers read his words. How does this occur?
The answer reminds me of the prophecy contained in the 11th chapter of the Book of Hosea. There it’s written that God would draw us to Himself with thick chords of love.
I am so very thankful to Allah and His Messiah for this opportunity to help Minister Farrakhan in this manner.
Remember, in questioning him, I knew that I was questioning a man whose mind was wanted and obtained by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad for information for others who never met and (mostly) never saw or obtained a “feeling” for the kind of man he was and is.
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I wonder which mosque under Minister Farrakhan’s guidance will top the 100 “A Torchlight For America” books recently ordered by Muhammad’s Mosque No. 32?
More, next issue, Allah willing.
