JABRIL.MUHAMMAD
[Editor’s Note: This is a reppost and was published online May 16, 2003.]
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them has the light shined.” (–Isaiah 9:2)
“… certainly We sent Moses with Our messages, saying: Bring forth your people from darkness into light … .” (–Holy Qur’an 14: 5)
“Allah has indeed sent down to you a Reminder–a Messenger who recites to you the clear messages of Allah so that he may bring forth those who believe and do good deeds from darkness into light. (–Holy Qur’an 65:10,11)
We continue the words of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan on “As-Salaam-Alaikum:”
“I sat with some of the powerful so-called gang leaders in Chicago recently [1994]. They said to me, ‘If we’re eating out of paper cups and paper plates, don’t take the paper cups and the paper plates away on the promise of a real plate. But when you give me the real plate, I can throw the paper one away.’ “
He was saying some of the Brothers sell drugs.
” ‘We don’t want to,’ he said, ‘but when you offer us something better then we’ll throw that away.’
“Well, Allah has come to offer us something better. Even if you don’t see it yet, the offer made by Allah is as true as the earth that you stand on. In fact, it is truer than the earth because the earth is standing on God’s truth.
“So when God promises you money, good homes and friendship in all walks of life–He’s not a liar. He’s able to release it to you, when He pleases, as He pleases. But when He offers it to you, if you believe, then throw down the garbage that He has asked you to put away. Throw down the garbage and accept faith.
“What is faith? It is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not yet seen. But I may not have seen the money, but I won’t rob anybody because I know a change is coming. I just got to stay on course, because I am a man of peace. I am a woman of peace.
“So when I give you the greetings, that means you should feel secure that nothing spoken from my mouth is with an intent to do you harm. These hands shall never be lifted to do you harm, but from me, I offer you peace. I offer you security and safety. I got your back. I offer you peace.
“Don’t you know, Brothers and Sisters, if we would just take that theme that I opened this dialogue with you on, take it home with you; think on it and today, before you get home, try to act now, as a man and a woman of peace.
“Make your Sister say she don’t have to worry about you; you’re not going to slander her; you’re not going to backbite her; you’re not going to talk evil of her. Even if you know her faults, go to her like a Sister. But don’t go to her in a self-righteous way. We’re too evil to be so self-righteous.
“Go to Allah first and say, ‘Allah, I would like to talk to my Sister. Allah, I would like to talk to my Brother. Will you facilitate the way for me? Open her heart or his heart so that he may receive what I have to say. Help me, Allah, to say it in a way that makes it easy for her or him to receive it.’
“I would bound you that we don’t do this. We don’t pray to Allah for one another, to help us in our approach to one another. Nor do we pray for one another.”
Minister Farrakhan then raised serious and penetrating questions to his audience, asking them how often they have literally prayed for those in authority from among themselves.
He said, “That’s a heavy question.” And, indeed, it is. He continued:
“Do you think any one of these men or women, in position of authority, can handle this without God’s help; without your help and without your prayers?
“When I was in the church, they had written a prayer that we pray for those in authority in the church, and we used to have to say it. Even though we didn’t pay it any attention, we had to say it.”
He then raised the same type of questions of those in authority. He asked: “How many times have you … [prayed for] one of your Brothers or Sisters … to Allah?”
He asked “How many times have you said: ‘Oh Allah, I’m having difficulty with Brother so-and- so.’ “
Minister Farrakhan went on to show in beautiful, touching, heartfelt and sincere words how they ought to pray for those under their authority to help their Brothers and Sisters.
” ‘Help me to inspire Brother so- and-so, because I believe he’s sincere. I know you sent him. I don’t believe Satan sent him. Touch his heart that when I speak to him tonight about his failure in duty; his default in duty, help me to say the right words that will inspire him to make a change so that the Mosque could continue to grow.’ ”
Then he showed again how the Believers ought to pray for their leadership. Minister Farrakhan is indeed a profound peacemaker, whose teachings have universal application.
He said, “Instead of praying for one another, then you speak like this: ‘That nigger … That no good … If that so-and-so tell me one so- and-so thing about so-and-so people, I’ll bust his so-and-so …’
“Peace be unto you. It’s a beautiful greeting. But it’s so much more beautiful when it is carried into practice.
“Peace be unto you. Peace, be. Allah says “Be!” and it is. So what you’re saying is peace be a state of condition, in the present tense, now, peace be; meaning, I am not thinking about yesterday.
“Peace be unto you, right now. Not only do I want God’s peace to be on you, but I’m offering you peace because between us, we have not had the right kind of relationship. But today I want to make it right. Peace be unto you.
“When somebody offers it back to you, or when somebody offers you peace, you have a duty that God imposes upon every Believer, to return the peace equal to, if not better than.
“So when somebody says, ‘Peace be unto you,’ the reply will be, ‘And unto you be peace and the mercy of Allah.’ I not only offer you back peace, I went one step up on you. I want you to have more peace. I want you to have the mercy of Allah, which will give you more peace. That’s Islam. ‘Unto you be peace.’
“If we would just try to live it, just try. Islam is the practice of obedience.”
As it was in the case of his teacher, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Minister Farrakhan’s beautiful heart was also described in the scriptures. I am among those who have spoken on this subject. Please consider visiting www.writtentestimony.com to learn how you may obtain some of the lectures.
More next issue, Allah willing.
