[Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint that was published online on May 16, 2005.]
“And he said unto Abram, ‘Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years …’ .” (Genesis 15: 13,14)
The word “anniversary” basically means “the annual recurrence of a date marking a notable event; the celebration of an anniversary.” Each day of every year witnesses an anniversary of one event or another.
Excluding, for a moment, the Tenth Anniversary of the Million Man March, among many significant anniversaries this year are two that occurred 50 years ago, and a third that occurred 100 years ago. The first is the fiftieth anniversary of The Bandung Conference. That conference took place in Bandung, Indonesia from the 18th to the 25th of April 1955.
Representatives of 29 African and Asian nations met with the aim of promoting economic and cultural cooperation among their nations and to oppose “colonialism.”
Fifty years later, on this past April 25th, The Indian Express reported on the meeting of representatives of 106 nations that “the Bandung spirit has been a guidance, and a rallying cry, for generations of Asian and African leaders,” Yudhoyono [Indonesia’s President] said, referring to the 1955 meeting. “It was this same spirit that inspired us yesterday, in Jakarta, to establish a New Asian-African Strategic Partnership” that “would pool together the vast resources, and the tremendous creative energies of Asia and Africa.”
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“The Bandung celebration came on the heels of an Asia-Africa summit in Jakarta, a two-day conference intended to rekindle the spirit of the original.”
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“The Jakarta summit’s formal sessions ended on Saturday with the declaration outlining steps to increase Asian-African trade, economic and cultural links. Africa may benefit the most from the fresh effort to forge links between the two continents. Asia has four times Africa’s population, but its GDP is roughly 14 times Africa’s.
“The declaration, after two days of talks in Jakarta attended by the leaders of three-quarters of the world’s population, pledged to boost trade and investment ties and stressed multilateral approaches to solving conflicts.” [Emphasis mine.]
China and Japan were both participants in this conference held last month in Indonesia, where they made efforts to come closer together.
The other two anniversaries I’m thinking of involve Albert Einstein and can be summed up in the opening words of the May 2005 edition of Monthly Review, which reads:
“2005 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Albert Einstein and the centennial of the publication of five of his major scientific papers that transformed the study of physics. Einstein’s insights were so revolutionary that they challenged not only established doctrine in the natural sciences, but even altered the way ordinary people saw their world. By the 1920s, he had achieved international popular renown on a scale that would not become usual until the rise of the contemporary celebrity saturated tabloids and cable news channels.”
In honor of his article, entitled “Albert Einstein’s Forgotten Legacy,” Ze’ev Rosenkranz writes in the April 22, 2005 issue of Forward Forum:
“This year there are countless conferences, exhibitions and publications dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein’s annus mirabilis, the miracle year in which he revolutionized our concepts of time, space, energy and matter.”
His death, which occurred on April 18, 1955, made front-page news the world over.
A not well-known fact was that Reverend Adam Clayton Powell, who was also a Representative in the United States Congress, attended the Bandung conference 50 years ago.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan would have been a very welcomed sight if he had attended the conference of representatives of the 106 nations that were in Indonesia a few days ago. His presence would have made worldwide news.
Sister Sherice’s column–which is to revolve around the theme of “flowers while you live”–is soon to appear in this great newspaper. I hope it will include interviews of those Brothers and Sisters who have traveled overseas with Minister Farrakhan and witnessed the outpouring of profound love and respect for him from world leaders and their people the world over, particularly in Africa and Asia.
This feature should boost more interest in this wonderful newspaper. Those travelers with the Traveler are living witnesses of that which the majority of us do not know. I’m eager to learn what they saw and heard of which I’m ignorant.
Now, what they witnessed overseas must be understood in the light of the fact that we are in a most significant time, since time began. We’re nearing the most momentous event of this era to have ever taken place since time began. It’s mentioned in a wide variety of ways. It’s connected with the anniversaries mentioned above.
Daniel (12:1) refers to this time as “a time of terrible suffering, the worst in all of history.” But, the verse continues: “And your people who have their names written in The Book will be protected.” (Contemporary English Version)
The New Living Translation states: “Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued.”
The New Life reads: “And there will be a time of trouble, the worst since there was a nation. But at that time, every one whose name is written in the Book will be taken out of the trouble.”
When shall this happen? When Michael stands up. Stands up for what? For the salvation of God’s people! That’s now.
How long was it since nations began? Was it when the first move of God was made? Certainly that move created time.
So it was written in Habakkuk 1:5 that God said: “I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” This is that time.
This work, that He has put into effect, is referred to as “his work, his strange work … his strange act.” That’s happening now.
What could it be that God would do that would be so strange, that would be so amazing, that people would not believe even though they be looking right at it and it would be clearly explained to them?
It is–as it was written in the Bible and the Holy Qur’an–that one day God Almighty would make a new heavens and a new earth. Believe it or not, it’s the rise of a dead nation–Black people in America–to eternal life!
This is the first (and the last) anniversary of the recreation of the heavens and the earth. It has begun right here and right now, among Black people of America. You say, “I can’t see it.” That’s all right. You will. You don’t have the power to resist Him Who knows us best; Who love us the most, Who is resurrecting us from death! Who is lovingly using Minister Farrakhan to do his work.
You’ve always thought there was something special about you and those like you–haven’t you? But we’ve never gotten beyond just a feel that takes us into the understanding. Now, that understanding is available, through Minister Farrakhan, who is making things so clear, we can’t say we can’t see how to walk. He is so humble, he does not get in the way of your seeing clearly.
How do these anniversaries I’ve mentioned above fit together and apply to Minister Farrakhan’s work and our salvation?
More, next issue, Allah willing.
