JABRIL.MUHAMMAD
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad first saw the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan in 1955 and gave him his assignment.
In 1956, I heard a few words about envy, from the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. That was the first time I’d learned of envy and why it can, or will, produce murder. He stated this.
Later, in my life, I learned how and why people, who are envious cover it up in many ways.
We can read in the Holy Qur’an:
16:125 Call to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the best manner. Surely thy Lord knows best him who strays from His path, and He knows best those who go aright.
18:34 And he had fruit. So he said to his companion, while he argued with him: I have greater wealth than thou, and am mightier in followers.
29:46 And argue not with the People of the Book except by what is best, save such of them as act unjustly. But say: We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him we submit.
2:8 And there are some people who say: We believe in God and the Last Day and they are not believers.
2:9 They seek to deceive God and those who believe, and they deceive only themselves and they perceive not.
2:10 In their hearts is a disease, so God increased their disease, and for them is a painful chastisement because they lie.
2:11 And when it is said to them, Make not mischief in the land, they say: We are but peacemakers.
2:12 Now surely they are the mischief-makers, but they perceive not.
2:13 And when it is said to them, Believe as the people believe, they say: Shall we believe as the fools believe? Now surely they are the fools, but they know not.
2:14 And when they meet those who believe, they say, We believe; and when they are alone with their devils, they say: Surely we are with you, we were only mocking.
2:15 God will pay them back their mockery, and He leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.
2:16 These are they who buy error for guidance, so their bargain brings no gain, nor are they guided.
2:17 Their parable is as the parable of one who kindles a fire but when it illumines all around him, God takes away their light, and leaves them in darkness–they cannot see.
2:18 Deaf dumb, (and) blind, so they return not:
2:19 Or like abundant rain from the clouds in which is darkness, and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder-peal, for fear of death. And God encompasses the disbelievers.
*********
Minister Farrakhan: Now, more than ever, I realize why I was blessed, to be chosen to sit in his seat, as a mercy for us, for our people and even for the enemy. I thank you Brother Jabril for reacquainting me with the pain of my life in trial. Probably one of the greatest trials was to see the house that our father built that we helped him to build, by his masterful direction, to see it destroyed. To see people lose their sanity; lose their lives; lose their faith; go back to the world of the enemy and Mosques that we helped sacrifice to build, just taken from us and given over to another way of thinking; and yet after that, because that was the son of my father, I would never give in to suggestions to do him harm or any believer that followed him into hypocrisy, for the Messenger told me that, “We all would leave but we all would one day return.” It is because of that belief in his word and my love for them and my hope for their return, it’s like you keep the lamp lit on the door that shows them the way home.
Thank you.
Minister Farrakhan: One thing I forgot was in 1961. I brought the play “Orgena” to Chicago and we had two performances at the Dunbar High School. And on the last performance the Honorable Elijah Muhammad slipped into the theater, the auditorium, sat way in the balcony to see the performance. And he sent for me to be with him the next day.
In the performance of “Orgena,” there’s a scene where a brother plays the part of a homosexual and a sister plays the part of a prostitute that is reformed by the call of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. In the play I do a song that was written by one of the brothers in the Mosque and I added aspect to it but, my part was very small. It’s called “Chains.” I was in chains singing, “Look at my chains.”
The next morning the Messenger sends for me. I’m in the living room with him at 4847 South Woodlawn Avenue. He’s real close to me like you are and he says, “Brother, I was there and I saw the play.” He said, “Brother, when you catch a fish you don’t leave it on the banks, as it will continue to flop around until it falls back in the water.” He says, “In order to play such part of a prostitute the sister would have to think like that or to play such part as the old life, they have to go back into that life in their mind in order to play and portray such part and it could lead them back into such life.” He said, “Brother, I saw your performance of the chains. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place as you were singing.”
He says, “I was preaching one Sunday on the prodigal son and the Savior came that night and we had dinner and He asked me, ‘Karriem, how did things go?’ Somebody that was at the Temple, said ‘Oh Master’ (whatever they call Him–Prophet Fard they called Him) ‘Oh he really taught. There wasn’t a dry eye in the Temple.’ ”
He said, “Brother” his face got very stern and He looked at me and said, “Brother don’t make my people cry for I came to wipe away all their tears.” So he said, “Now Brother” he says, “You are a very talented man.” He said, “But your greatest talent is in the spiritual. So I want you to give up this as of today. I want your word to me that you will not do this again.” I said, “You have my word, Dear Apostle. I won’t do this again.” He says, “Thank you Brother. Thank you.”
Now for the second time he’s asking me to give up music. He’s pointing out to me that my greatest strength is in the spiritual even though my musical talent is great. Then I sent him a tape of songs that I had sung in the studio and he was angry. “Did not I tell you–you told me that you were going to give it up Brother?”
I said, “Yes sir. I did give it up, Dear Apostle. But I wanted to put it in a tape so that we can have a record of it.” The Honorable Elijah Muhammad responded with: “Oh, Ok Brother.”
More next issue, Allah willing.
