By Bro. Rodney Perkins
On Feb. 26, 2016 Student Minister Brother James Muhammad came to Bibb County Correctional Facility to speak at the monthly Culture Awareness Program. With the Chapel nearly full, Bro. James came to the rostrum really energized and ready to speak to the young Black men in the room about what real freedom is. He first gave everyone the greetings of Peace from the Student National Prison Reform Minister Bro. Abdullah Muhammad and the Southern Regional Student Minister Bro. Abdul Sharrieff Muhammad.
Bro. James began his message with healing begins in the mind. He told the young men in the Chapel that they are not animals or goons, but that their behavior is that of a beast. He said that if they wanted to be treated differently that they had to act differently. We all need a better understanding of ourselves and Allah. With this knowledge, we can demand respect as a human being. With the knowledge of self and a better understanding of Allah, we can come out of the condition that we are in. The knowledge of self is the knowledge of Allah. These two knowledges go together. We are Black men not colored men. Black is not a color, we are the essence of all color and if there were no Black man or woman, then there wouldn’t be another color on this planet. Our lives do matter.
We have to stop giving our life to our open enemy to control. When we lose respect for our own beautiful Black women that the whole world is after, then we have lost our society and community and there will not be any peace until we make peace with her and ourselves as men. Bro. James stated several times during his message that we should listen to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan for ourselves. That in Min. Farrakhan, Allah has placed the key to our true freedom and that Min. Farrakhan is the door to life and through him we can find true power to overcome the darkness that has consumed us. Min. Farrakhan would guide us to the understanding of self and Allah.
Also, Min. Farrakhan has taught us how important the woman is to the Black man. That in her, we can find peace and support to stand up for ourselves and the whole family will unite, however, this must start with knowledge and understanding.
Bro. James said that we must learn to control our appetite and by controlling your appetite we can control our lower self. There is power in fasting once we learn its purpose. We have lost control of our minds and body and now the devil can make us do anything that he wants. We are easily led to drugs as a source of peace and the devil has made it fair seeming to look to drugs instead of Allah. Without Allah, there is no peace for us, which the devil knows. We, the Black man and women, are spiritual beings. When we work together we have the necessary strength to fight off the darkness. With Allah as our guide, we can be a light in darkness to repel darkness.
In the light of Allah we are free. Without Him we are a prey in the hands of our open oppressor.
We must look to Allah and put on the whole armor of Allah if we want to be healed.
Bro. James closed his message with the news that the Nation of Islam is working to open a transitional house in Chicago for our people. He asked that we contact our family and ask them to get a Final Call subscription for themselves and send donations for the Prison Reform Ministry.
His ending statement was that Min. Farrakhan loves us dearly and has given his life as a Redeemer for us. He asked us to come out to the Study Guide classes to learn all about ourselves.
(Edited by Timeka Muhammad)
