JABRIL.MUHAMMAD
As I’ve already mentioned in past articles, many of the scholars, in the Holy Qur’an, believe that this passage (involving Moses and the wise man) is a vision of Moses. Some believe he received this vision before he began his mission, and this was part of his preparation for his work. Others believe he received it during his mission. Meanwhile, a great many believe we are reading actual history; that is, he did meet this wise man, at the meeting place of two real rivers, on this earth. Therefore, these scholars think, their views are that the conversations between Moses and his teacher, as well as the actions of the wise man, really took place.
The scholars, who believe the passage is historical, also believe it has very deep spiritual significance. They believe that it was divinely intended to teach lessons beyond that which man could learn on his own. In other words, they believe the lessons Moses learned are lessons (or points to lessons) that can only be learned from God, due to their very extraordinary nature and scope.
We may recall that Moses was learned in all of the wisdom of the Egyptians. Even so, with all of that which he knew, he yet did not have the key to the solution of the problems of his people. He was unable to free his people and lead them to a much better condition of life on his own power. It was only after he met God that he could do for his people that which he could not do with all of his learning from the slave makers of his people. Furthermore, without the continued backing and guidance of God he would not have succeeded in leading his people to the promised land.
Look at Black people in America before and since the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. This is not stated to insult anyone, but an honest and full evaluation of all the relevant facts, testify to the fact that the key to the resolution of the problems of Black people– in every dimension of life and even of the nations of the earth–has come through the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, who like the historical Moses, declared that he met God, was guided and backed by Him to be successful.
Despite the progress and gains of Black people, since 1865, we are still in a miserable state of condition. This condition encompasses all strata, or levels, of our people. Even leading followers of Dr. Martin Luther King, have acknowledged, that despite all of these “gains” we have made, going by their methods, little or no progress has been made in significant areas of Black life. They are coming to see that their methods are ineffective. The condition of the masses of Blacks has hardly changed for the better since Dr. King died. Why? Their methods are based on knowledge, the understanding of which, simply cannot generate enough light, nor wisdom to enable us to resolve the problems of Black people–and others–in America; nor else where, for that matter.
The well-respected Dr. Kenneth Clark came to see before he died, “that integration” won’t work. Insincere friendship be tween Black and White will not work, as the Honorable Elijah Muhammad said time and again. It won’t work in any relationship.
With all that we–Black folks–have learned, since slavery; despite positions in government; in the institutions of learning; in the military; in the various fields of science and industry and wherever we may be as professionals; with all the learning of these modern so-called Egyptians, Romans and Babylonians, we still can’t free ourselves from them. Our status is still defined by them. We still are the most confused, backward and disunited folk on earth, when it comes to self and what is good for self. So, from His infinite wisdom, power, and love, God has com e and given us a modern Moses, and for him (and us) He has produced a modern Aaron. The former is the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the latter is the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.
We, as a people, and specifically, those of us who are acknowledged Muslims–from the early nineteen thirties until February 1975–have acted by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, as the Moses (whether real or symbolic), acted by that un-named wise man, in Surah 18 of the Holy Qur’an. I’m not saying that we did this in every respect and all the time. How ever, we did act that way at important times, and in significant situations, in large enough numbers to justify this assertion.
We met the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, symbolically, at the juncture of the two rivers, as Moses met the wise man. I agree with the observation of the scholars, who see the place where Moses met the wise man, at the point where “human” knowledge and wisdom runs out and “divine” knowledge and wisdom begins, to put it briefly.
When we first accepted him, it was on his terms, as Moses accepted his teacher on the teacher’s terms. This acceptance was key to the permission granted to Moses by his teacher that allowed Moses to travel with his teacher. So it was between us, the students, and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, our teacher.
Among those of us, who followed him, were many who dis pleased God, as it was written in I Corinthians 10:5- 11, and elsewhere, of many of the followers of Moses. These verses read: “But with many of them God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were for examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters. … Neither let us put Christ to the test, as some of them also tested him, and were destroyed by serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.”
When we understand, we’ll see that the scriptures teach that those people prefigured us. They were types of us, who are now living at the end of this age or world’s time.
What was the problem of the followers of Moses? Well, we can save a little space, and your precious time, by asking, what are our problems? More specifically, during our stay in America, under White folk, we have been made enemies of God. By being made haters of ourselves, we have been made haters of our own nature and the God of our nature, from whom we descended. We’ve been made to hate God in us. This includes the hate of our Black skin, but, as I’m emphasizing, it goes deeper. This hate goes right to the core of our being: our nature.
Self-hate is at the root of much of our double talk; our confused talk; our ambivalent talk; especially in relation to White folk and in our talk of God, our concepts of love, hate, forgiveness, and in short, a host of subjects, or realities that are “close” to us. Again, this self-hate is at the root of our “insane” behavior in relation to what is best for ourselves. The work of the Honor able Elijah Muhammad and his student, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, includes bringing our true self to ourselves in a way that helps us to love ourselves and one another. This is the basis of all of the success now entering or to come in our lives and in our future.
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad has said that this time period is the first time God has desired to make Himself known in 66 trillion years. That is a million billions (or a billion millions) times sixty-six! We are lucky to be alive at the time of the ending of what God has decided to end; including the mysteries pertaining to Himself. We are blessed indeed!
More next issue, Allah willing.
