[Editor’s note: This article was published online on July 21, 2004, and The Final Call will continue to reprint articles written by our late and dear Mother Tynnetta Muhammad.]
Have we not expanded for thee thy breast, And removed from thee thy burden, Which weighed down thy back, And exalted for thee thy mention? –Holy Qur’an, Surah 94, verses 1-4
A week ago, I went to view an exhibit developed by the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago entitled, “Action! An Adventure in Movie Making.” I was accompanied by one of the staff members of The Final Call newspaper, Nubian Muhammad. As we walked through the exhibit halls featuring some of the behind-the-scenes preparation that goes into filmmaking, I recalled several of my past experiences related to the movie industry and the words of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
While in Chicago and in Mexico within the last year of his departure (1974 – 1975), I shared with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad some of my future aspirations and visions concerning our Nation’s cultural development in the arts and sciences of civilization, with particular emphasis on music and the motion picture industry.
Between 1970 and 1971, I was preparing my first musical recording entitled, “The Muslim Song and March of Victory.” This was first recorded in the RCA studios in Mexico City under the musical direction and arrangements of Jesus Chucho Zarzosa. During the interim period leading to the completion of the score and scheduling of the recording session, I made a trip to the Mexican seaport resort of Puerto Vallarta.
I had no initial thought that I would come to meet, perhaps one of the most legendary and controversial couples of Hollywood, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. This is exactly what happened, and from that experience, I had my first entry into the world of Hollywood with a visionary prospect of doing my own film production in a future time on the Life, Love and Teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Without further details at this time, I shared this experience with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad who later commented on my desire to work on such a challenging film project. I also requested his help in writing the script of that film, to which he replied “Inshallah” (if it be the will of Allah). He later told me that a picture is worth a thousand words.
Regarding my musical works, I asked for his guidance and permission to continue in the expression of this Divine gift of music, to which he responded positively. It was the Honorable Elijah Muhammad who first shared with me and others that Music, Color and the Science of Medicine is at the root or essence of God’s true religion.
From these words, I was inspired to create an educational and theatrical production, first presented in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1983 and 1984, entitled “Music, Color and Medicine for the Healing of the Nations.” Inspired from this community production, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan made the following statement: “Let the Cultural Revolution Begin. And let this city of Phoenix be the one that shows the way in the Music, Drama and Dance.” This statement was made in Phoenix, Arizona, on October 11, 1984.
There are many details to this story which will be shared at a later time, but the main point is that everything we think or wish to create of good will manifest at the proper time, either during our lifetime or in future generations to come.
This explains why I believe that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught us another profound truth in the words: “Thought never dies.” Thus, the world of thought and ideas are transferred from one to another through the lives of those who come after us, from generation to generation, until it achieves expression of perfection into infinity. Therefore, there is no death for the righteous.
Richard Burton arranged a meeting for me with his secretary in 1971, now 33 years ago. During that meeting, I discussed my future prospective of the movie industry and the types of films that would be produced. I shared my views that films would project truth. The power of thought, as manifested through the Law of Synchronicity and the Theology of Time, projects all things coming to pass in the appropriate moment and place. During that meeting, I shared my thoughts of writing a script on the life and time of Prophet Muhammad with its expansion into the life of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the birth of the Nation of Islam in America. This would fulfill the words of the Prophet in his statement that he heard the footsteps of Bilal, a Black man and former slave, walking into paradise ahead of him.
Could we now be on the threshold of releasing a film of this magnitude to the world? My future projection at the time was that films would be documented telling the truth combined with feature film techniques of Hollywood to educate people to the reality of God in their lives.
I am writing this article from Los Angeles, California, having departed from Chicago where some of the early movie studios were located before moving and settling in Los Angeles and Hollywood today.
The sequel of this story will be continued.
Surely with difficulty is ease, With difficulty is surely ease. So when thou art free (from anxiety), work hard, And make thy Lord thy exclusive object.
—Holy Qur’an, Surah 94, verses 5-7
