[Editor’s note: This article is a reprint and was published online January 24, 2006.]

The Holy Qur’an teaches: “And they say: Obedience. But when they go out from thy presence, a party of them plan by night doing otherwise than what thou sayest. And Allah writes down what they plan by night, so turn aside from them and trust in Allah. And Allah is sufficient as having charge of affairs.” (4:81)

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Part of the first question I asked the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan for the book entitled, “Closing The Gap,” was: “Brother Minister, this first question concerns a universal phenomenon which affects the relationship between a leader and his staff and followers–divine leaders in particular.

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“From time to time, gaps develop as the leader moves ahead and the followers work to keep pace… Please comment.”

The first part of his remarkable and profound answer was:

“The first thing that I shall do is analyze why gaps appear between leaders of consequence–particular Divine Leaders–and their followers at given times in the growth and development of them in their mission.      

“Whenever a leader is chosen by Allah (God), he is chosen oft-times thousands of years before he comes to birth. He is formed in his mother’s womb under certain circumstances, which makes him for the specific job he is to do, by equipping him with the basic material at birth.

“As he comes into the knowledge of his assignment or mission, the next greatest need for him is to find the adequate and proper help to fulfill the mission that Allah (God) has given him. This is where the problem begins.

“First, he has to grow to understand his mission. In the course of his growth, persons come to help him at every stage of his evolution. As people do not always evolve with the leader, some fall off when the leader is in the seminal stage. Some fall off when the leader is a clot. Some fall off when the leader is embryonic. Some fall off when the leader is in the fetus stage, and some fall off when the leader is a child in understanding. Some others fall off as he begins to mature.

“There are those who think they fully know him and his teachings when they became acquainted with him in the clot stage. However, such people lose sight of him as he evolves and they go out, thinking they fully know him and his teachings. They teach what they know, but a gap develops and widens between them and the leader as he goes through the clot stage; the embryonic stage; the fetus stage; the child stage; and finally becomes the mature man.

“What can prevent this? His help has to evolve with him. All of his help may not necessarily have been formed under the unique circumstances that led to his evolutionary development from before he was actually in physical form, even while that which produced him was being formed. So, now he comes into the world constitutionally fit for his mission, but his helpers may or may not have that base, that brilliance, that insight, that foresight which comes from being Divinely Prepared.

“So his helpers, at best, come according to their own understanding of this man, his mission and his teachings at the moment in time when they first encounter him. But as he continues to grow and evolve, change and mature, perhaps they will not see him in the same way in the next phase of his development as they saw him in the stage when they first came to help him.  Why? Because he sufficed a particular need that was very personal and individual for them. When that need is met, they claim him as their leader. As he evolves more and more, if they do not grow with him, a gap develops,

“Therefore, Allah (God) gives His servants helpers from Himself. That help is the best help because these persons grow along the same lines [the servant] grew. They are formed in the same way he is formed; their hearts are formed in the same way his heart is formed. Therefore, these helpers see into this man what other helpers may not see, because the latter were not made from Allah (God) to be his helper in the same way or degree as the former.

“However, they (the latter) accept the role of a helper. Nevertheless, if they don’t stay in constant submission, in constant obedience, in constant study, and in constant growth, then gaps will develop between the teacher and the student that will lead the student (sometimes) to be critical of the teacher when the teacher grows beyond the particular need of that helper that motivated that helper to first want to help. That is the way I would answer that question.”

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The above ends the first part of his answer.

Now, just how important is Minister Farrakhan’s answer, not just to my question, but to our salvation?

Let’s start with the following excerpt from the Introduction of “Closing The Gap.” It reads: “A few days ago, when the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan saw a draft of this work, he immediately said to me that he wanted to give it away to the Believers as a Saviours’ Day Gift. He hoped that I would have been able to include my commentary in this volume. However, there was simply not enough time. It is my intention, however, to present that fuller volume as soon as I am able, and for the same reason.”

What follows, of course, is not that larger volume with my commentary. However, I would like to make some comments now, especially because of the hour.

This is the 3rd of January. Generally speaking–except for certain wise moves just made by Minister Farrakhan–this year is starting off as last year ended.

Is this overdoing it? No, as we’ll see next article, Allah willing.

Will this year continue as it started?

One morning over coffee in Chicago, Illinois, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad told me a significant truth, which I’m sure he shared with some others. A part of it was that too many of us followed him as the symbolic Moses followed the Wise Man, according to the Holy Qur’an. This tendency or inclination in us continues today in the way we follow Minister Farrakhan.

Minister Farrakhan sees his teacher as far, far above him in wisdom. However, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad did say at his dinner table that he would provide us with one closer to our condition. He definitely had Minister Farrakhan in mind, who is steeped in his wisdom–divine wisdom.

I strongly suggest that we read Surah 18 of the Holy Qur’an, sections 9 and 10, or verses 60-82 as that’s where we are going, Allah willing.

Based on the words of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, especially with reference to him and Minister Farrakhan, we will find that, when we read this wonderful wisdom in this wonderful book, we are reading about ourselves.

May Allah bless us all.

More of the wisdom of his answer, next issue, Allah willing.