[Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint that was published online on January 13, 2008; and The Final Call will continue to publish articles written by our late and dear Mother Tynnetta Muhammad.]
“The people of Noah rejected the messengers. When their brother Noah said to them: Will you not guard against evil? Surely I am a faithful messenger to you: So keep your duty to Allah and obey me. And I ask of you no reward for it: my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds. So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.” –Holy Qur’an, Surah 26, verses 105-110
As I continue in this series on the meaning of the Whirling Dervishes originating in Konya, Turkey, by its illustrious founder, the 13th Century Sage and Mystical Poet Rumi, I am reflecting upon the Divine Teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and his personal connection to the country and people of Turkey. He spoke very highly about the Turkish people and with references to ancient history and the contemporary world as seen in Divine Prophesy. In a conversation I recall with him, I was inquiring about the home-land of Master W. Fard Muhammad’s mother. He answered me in these words, while referring to the hills, that I would start my search or journey going north of Turkey following the geographic locations in that part of the world.
During his first journey outside of the United States, among the many countries he visited with two of his sons, Turkey stood out for him as a most important center of his travels. He expounded much about the love of the people for us in America. I was blessed to receive one postcard from him during that journey in 1959 and 1960, which was postmarked Turkey and had a picture of the famous St. Sophia mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. Nearly 16 years later in 1975, the year of his departure, I was accompanied by my eldest son, Ishmael and daughter, Madeenah, to visit this country among several others in which we visited this same famous mosque of St. Sophia.
It was from this country that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad described the appearance of one of the scientists (angels) who had a twin brother who visited his home (National Palace) in the year 1974, just prior to his departure. He is the one who sat at his dinner table next to him at his left side, who was described to us as having power over the fire in the atmosphere. I interpreted this as one who came to inform the Honorable Elijah Muhammad of the time that was approaching and preparation for his departure. The rest is now a part of history.
Another family from Turkey also visited with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad who aided him in aspects of global trade and commerce. I was present at the dinner table during one of those visits and was personally instructed to serve them outside of the normal dinner service and to entertain them playing on the piano some of my compositional works. The family members (wife and daughter), were blond-haired with blue eyes. I was a witness of these events that transpired in the life of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad just prior to his departure.
During the renovation and renaming of Mosque Maryam under the spiritual guidance of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, it was this same renewed contact that was made to initiate the contact for the famous calligraphers from Turkey to refurbish the mosque with gold leaf calligraphy inscribed around the dome and the name “Allah” that is inscribed on each of the four pillars supporting the dome.
The gilded eight-pointed star placed in the center of the dome and the calligraphy inscribed around the dome, which bears the 35th verse from the 24th Surah, “The Light,” is all a part of their work. I recall the conversation that I had with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan inside the mosque while renovation had begun on what verse would be inscribed there. I suggested this verse and only the name “Allah” to be inscribed on the four pillars, which is usually used to inscribe the names of the four rightly guided caliphs. Both of these suggestions were accepted and now form part of the beauty of Mosque Maryam completed in 1989 in time for the rededication of our newly-renovated mosque.
The ancient root of the people of Turkey is traced back through the last 6,000 years where they were settled according to the Divine Teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad in Central Asia and Mongolian historians write that they migrated from there to present-day Turkey. They formally ruled the Mongolian territory for almost five centuries. It is during this commingling of the Turkish, Mongolian and Tatars that gave rise to the birth of Ghengis Khan with the Divine Mission to unite these warring factions into one confederation and nation which he accomplished at the early age of 27.
It is some of these cultural traits rooted in Shamanism that existed in these Nomadic Steppes where the world of religion was centered around the movement of the heavens and our solar system, having its origin in the universe itself.
Quoting from the book Mevlani Celaleddin Rumi and The Whirling Dervishes, by Talat Sait Halman/Metin And in the foreword we read: “The day will come,” Mevlani Celaleddin said to his son Veled according to a 14th Century source: “When Konya will flourish and our tomb will rise in the center of the city, arriving wave upon wave, multitudes will visit our mausoleum as will always speak our words. Those who visit the Central Anatolian city of Konya, will bear testimony to the accuracy of the prediction made by the great mystic philosopher and poet whose followers, the Mevlevis (known in the West as ‘The Whirling Dervishes’) kept his ideas, verses and rituals alive for more than seven centuries.
“Particularly, from December 2 to 17 each year or every year, when many thousands from all over the world congregate in Konya to commemorate the anniversary of Mevlana’s passing in 1273 from worldly life to his soul’s union with his Beloved God, his Sufi ideas and humanistic teachings find a new efflorescence. The city that Mevlana called (‘the Mecca of the Heart’) resounds with his dithyrambic poetry and the ritual whirlings of his followers who seek communion with God through love, music and graceful mesmerizing turns.’”
“So judge Thou between me and them openly, and deliver me and the believers who are with me. So We delivered him and those with him in the laden ark. Then We drowned the rest afterwards.” –Holy Qur’an, Surah 26, verses 118-122
To be continued.
