[Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint and was published online on February 2, 2007.]
On an AME Church marquee I recently saw these words: “Our favorite attitude should be gratitude.” I smiled and nodded my head in agreement. Later, I thought on these words with gratitude to Allah, as I thought on the words of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad on and to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.
I thought of the magnificently wise ways he guided his Minister to a position of which he only came to gradually see for the wisest reasons.
You can read of much of this magnificent guidance in “Closing The Gap.” I then thought on the book titled “Is It Possible That The Honorable Elijah Muhammad Is Still Physically Alive?”
Minister Farrakhan has said that it was by means of that letter that he came to see that his teacher was and is still alive. If you ever listen to his first public announcement, in 1981, that his teacher was still alive, he mentions that letter and other critical factors that were supplementary that led to his conviction that his teacher was still physically alive.
Without going into the details here, he was so convinced that he publicly stated and wrote in The Final Call that if he could be proven wrong, in his conviction, that he would stop teaching. Have you ever thought of this? Did you know of this? Why not?
He first suggested to me that I should publish the letter twenty-five years ago in 1982. It became a little book the next year. It has had a very peculiar history from that time to now among those of us who follow him.
Please allow the following digression for a moment. We who follow Minister Farrakhan would do well to study the ways in which people, who are referred to as very intelligent, from all kinds of professions, the world over, publicly differ with one another.
We would do well to study the behavior of those who differ with others in ways that others disapprove of and, in fact, states it should be censored. In short, I’m suggesting that we give a little more attention, than we have, to how the intelligent class of this world differs from one another. And in so doing, take notice of the words that describe those whose behavior they disapprove, who often lose their composure and are given to anger; who often demonstrate overweening arrogance, obvious narrow-mindedness, shortsightedness, loss of mental balance and more.
We agree that we are–not in a–but in the school wherein we are studying “supreme wisdom.” Therefore, part of our personal study should also include the best attitude to have. That study should also include something of the divine science of argumentation and drop the pseudo science of pontification.
We can find much of this in the answers of Minister Farrakhan in “Closing The Gap.”
A first class example of what I am writing of here is Minister Farrakhan’s manner of handling himself with such a delicate, dangerously explosive and yet just about one of the most potentially enlightening subjects imaginable. It’s over the fact that his teacher is alive. During this time period, which is becoming increasingly dark, this subject increases the darkness or generates more light, depending on how we handle it. We ought to take better note of how Minister Farrakhan handles himself on this subject.
And think over the fact that no one has had a more powerful experience with the fact that his teacher is alive than he has. Others have had and continue to have their spiritual experiences (visions)–as it was written of us–but the point is that no one has had a spiritual experience (vision) with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad that has had such a world wide effect as did Minister Farrakhan.
But how has he handled himself? With arrogance, whether over-bearing or subtle? No! With intellectual cowardice that is covered with bravado? No! With the attitude that smells (or says) ‘I know something you don’t know and therefore, I am better than you are?’ Indeed not!
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, more than once ‘God never speaks or does anything without a purpose.” His purpose pervades the universe. Scientists know that some uniform purpose rules every aspect of the universe through the laws that govern every atom that makes it up. They call it the rule of law.
I brought up the previous point because it leads to a major, or critical question, or set of questions, concerning chapter 23, verse 50 of the Holy Qur’an, which reads, “And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign …”
Allah’s prophets are signs of the last one. They all reflect the life and work of the last Messenger. However, there is special mention in the Holy Qur’an on the fact that Jesus was a sign.
Now, it’s very interesting, as the Honorable Elijah Muhammad once observed, that “… the Holy Qur’an, nor the Bible, tells us what Jesus and his mother were signs of.”
This forces two vital questions. One: Why did Allah hold this back? Two: How can we know the answer which He held back from the answer others give? In other words, how can we tell which is His answer once He reveals His answer?
His answer to the first question is, “That is done for protection, and to serve as a test between the knowledge of believers and disbelievers in the last days of this world.”
With the above, I only wish to make a point about Minister Farrakhan’s manner in this most critical area of our knowledge and in this most dangerous time in history. It revolves around the definitions of the words “test” and “trial.” If we can emulate Minister Farrakhan’s way, in this very critical area of information, it ought to be easier for us to do better in other areas.
The two following passages bear directly on Minister Farrakhan’s way, which is the way of his teacher, whom he represents to us. Here they are.
“None dispute concerning the messages of Allah but those who disbelieve, so let not their control in the land deceive thee.” (Holy Qur’an 40:4)
“Call to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the best manner. Surely thy Lord knows best him who strays from His path, and He knows best those who go aright.” (Holy Qur’an 16:125)
Minister Farrakhan does not “dispute” truth and he argues in “the best manner.” And, he “represents” his teacher. The word “represent” means, briefly, “to present a likeness or image of; portray; depict.”
Again, “represent” means, “to be a likeness or image of, as a picture or statue may be; to present in words; describe, state, or set forth; to describe as having a specified character.”
I hope to go further into the above, next issue Allah willing. Meanwhile, Believers ought to never be disputing over Allah’s truths. We should always discuss His truths in the best manner, with others, regardless to who they are.
