JABRIL.MUHAMMAD
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said this in front of others in 1954:
“I want to help you to clear your own self of that misunderstanding as God Almighty Allah has revealed it to me … They have mixed our brother intertwining the history of Jesus of 2,000 years ago with that of the history or prophesy of what they called the coming of the Messiah and what we say the coming of the Mahdi.
“They have taken and mixed these two prophecies or these two histories together. And also you will find in that same history of the Bible some portions of it dealing with the Messenger of the Mahdi instead of dealing directly with the Jesus of 2,000 years ago. Therefore today it is such confused history that you cannot understand it without divine guidance.
“What you are looking for or rather what you think that has happened is now happening in this day.”
This involves the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. He did not see him until the following Saviour’s Day convention in 1955.The Honorable Elijah Muhammad was looking for him. How do I know this?
Let’s enter this limited discussion through a brief commentary on the meaning of three words, that appear on the front cover of the fifth (in the order that we received them) written Lesson left to us by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
It’s an important Lesson. This Lesson, called by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, The Problem Book, (although it’s untitled) is composed of approximately 45% of the total number of words that compose these six Lessons.
These three words are “thorough,” “knowledge” and “mathematical.” By Allah’s help I’ll get to their definitions next issue.
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Among the major changes that have occurred since this book first appeared are: the Honorable Elijah Muhammad has departed and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan arose to rebuild the Nation of Islam. The position of each man has changed during this passage of time. Therefore, there is no way to intelligently reproduce This Is The One without some reference to these changes and their implications.
There have been changes in the function of each man. More often than not, in this world, titles are used to feed egos and seldom to describe actual functions. Not so in the case of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Louis Farrakhan.
Take for instance these two names: “Jesus” and “the Christ.” There were many boy babies named Jesus 2,000 years ago. Many people in that part of the world expected a very important person, described in prophecy under various names, or titles to appear around that time. In the scriptures names, or titles describe character or function.
It is beyond the scope of this introduction to explore the derivations or the roots of the titles or terms “Messiah” or “Christ.” The main point I wish to make is that Jesus (or Isa, in the language that he spoke) was his first name. However, Christ was not his last name nor was it his family name. Nevertheless, people seem to take for granted that Christ was the last or family name of Jesus.
This point may seem to be of little importance. That’s a mistake; for if Isa (Jesus), of 2,000 years ago, was not the Christ, then the Christ was yet to come. Moreover, if we are looking into the past for someone who is alive–in the present–we may not recognize him even while looking into his face.
Take for example the fact that Mr. William Clinton is now the president of the United States. “President” is one of his titles. When we say “President Clinton” we do not mean the word or title “president” is his first name. Likewise, as was just noted, Messiah or Christ was not the family name of a man born 2,000 years ago. Nor will it prove to be anymore than a significant aspect, or function, of the one who performs according to that function.
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad referred to himself as the Messenger of Allah. So did we who followed him. This reference, on our part, was from recognition of his relationship to the Supreme Being, mixed with awe–or at the least, a profound respect. Again, we used this title from an emotion of deep love. Very often many of us used it as a convenient and short way to refer to this wonderful man we followed. But how many of us really understood this title and its implications?
Many of us, whether we follow the Minister Farrakhan or not, still use this term, or title, “Messenger.”
However, we have entered another dimension. It is a fact that cannot be overlooked. In a major way this new dimension revolves around the Honorable Louis Farrakhan.
Whether one thinks that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad died, in 1975, or not, the fact is he is not present in the ordinary sense of that word. And yet he is.
He is not in our midst in the sense that we can pick up an ordinary telephone, dial his number and hear his voice on the other end, as many of us did. He is not delivering a message to Black people, America and to the world. And yet he is. It is my intention to make clear what I mean by this in the tenth chapter of this book
“IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD IS STILL PHYSICALLY ALIVE ???”
I am under no illusions that this book contains the definitive or conclusive statement that at least on paper, puts an end to the controversy. That kind of thinking is insane. After all, there may be millions of copies of the Holy Qur’an in America, Authored by Him, Who introduced Himself, at the beginning of this beautiful book, by stating that He is the Best Knower.
In the sixth Surah of the Holy Qur’an He raises the question: “What thing is weightiest in testimony?” He states, in effect, that His own word is weightiest. Nevertheless, a great many people, in and outside of America, have conflicting views about the word of God. Such disputes are at the root of much bloodshed. Look at Palestine, for instance.
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad made very clear, time and again, that no mistake was made in what he was taught. He declared that he was given the utmost of truth. He boldly announced that he had the absolute cure for the ills of Black people, as well as the most equitable solution to America’s most explosive problem: the problem between Black and White.
Nevertheless, there certainly is no universal agreement about what he said; nor even about who should be the rightful heir to his seat in his absence; even though that issue should be by now beyond dispute.
Is there a way by which, on paper at least, the truth of this entire matter can be made so clear that arguments to the contrary look, as my Brother, Minister Akbar Muhammad would put it, “Totally out of order”?
Is there a method, by which every honest seeker of truth could agree that would generate unity without any lost of self-respect; and which would synthesize, or so compose, whatever is of good in all of the conflicting views now held about Master Fard Muhammad; the Honorable Elijah Muhammad; the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam? Yes. There is.
More next issue, Allah willing.
