JABRIL.MUHAMMAD
“… Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon besides Him … .” Holy Qur’an 22:62
I thank Sister Latonja Muhammad and Brother Cedric Muhammad for their words that, I put on the back page of the fourth edition of Is It Possible That The Honorable Elijah Muhammad Is Still Physically Alive???
On the back page of that book Brother Cedric wrote:
“That Jabril Muhammad is able to include so much information from a variety of sources in such a small amount of space, as he simultaneously writes from his own perspective, is quite an accomplishment and one that ensures the reader explores this controversial subject with the benefit of more than one point of view.
“In just 98 pages the author makes a provocative introduction regarding the underlying logic, historic context, and tangible importance of considering the possibility that the man who visibly led the Nation of Islam for 40 years did not die, and as a result, has not lost his guiding influence over the community that he gave birth to and taught and trained.
“But in between those two points of view, the book should more than adequately engage students and educators of Black history; journalists in the Black and mainstream media; leading academics and intellectuals who have weighed the impact of Islam in the Black community in America; and the most serious of religious scholars, theologians and scriptural scientists. In fact, several chapters particularly lend themselves to embrace from each of these groups, simultaneously.
“As is evident, from the onset of the book, Jabril Muhammad’s work is actually part of the story that it tells, having grown out of a letter written to two men, one of which was Minister Farrakhan, begun on December 25, 1975. Through a very interesting turn of events, and some important encouragement, described in this final edition’s first three chapters, the letter evolved into a book.
“College students, journalists, historians, theologians, older followers of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, as well as newer members of the Nation of Islam under the leadership of Minister Louis Farrakhan would all benefit from a reading and even deep study of this book, which is only ‘small’ in terms of its physical size.”
I have a few comments to make on their words. This is the 29th of December of 2009. I was determined, by the help of Allah, to end this year with Minister Farrakhan’s reaction to this question, contained in the book titled, Closing The Gap. That is 1000 percent related to the title, Is It Possible That The Honorable Elijah Muhammad Is Still Physically Alive??? Of course, that book’s position is that he is very much alive. That book’s title is related to Mother Tynnetta Muhammad’s column and she is a very credible witness of her husband and that Minister Farrakhan’s position is known worldwide is that he is very much alive.
Brother Jabril: Brother Minister, I have a few questions related to the 113th and 114th Surahs of the Holy Qur’an.
These Surahs deal with the same subject, with emphasis on different aspects of the same evils, which bring in the intense darkness when it comes. What I want you to do, by the help of Allah, for us is to comment on this and help us all focus on what we’re faced with properly. What I need for us is your insight; your commentary on this big subject.
Minister Farrakhan: It is interesting to note that the Holy Qur’an closes with these two chapters of refuge, because, it is what is in these two chapters, that tries the mind, heart, spirit and soul of a Believer. If the Believer does what these two chapters tell us to do, we can get through the darkness into the brightness of a new day, which really is the Hereafter.
I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn. Well, if we’re going through a period of intense darkness, this chapter is telling us that the darkness is not permanent. After intense darkness, comes the dawn of a new day. So we are exhorted to seek refuge in Him, Who is the light of that dawn of a brand new day. Then you focus on the Lord of the dawn from the evil of what he — and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, in parenthesis said, “What Yakub created.” Well he created an opposing world. He created a world of sport and play; a world of rebellion against the way; the life; the law; the word of God.
In this intense darkness this rebellion goes to its limit. This idea of his world goes to the extreme in tempting the Believer to engage in those things that would make the Believer unworthy of the dawn and to perish in the darkness. I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn from the evil of what he (Yakub) created. What did he do? He made an opponent; an opposer to God.
A Yusuf Ali translation says, “I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn from the mischief of created things.” Well this that Yakub, the father of this world made, was a mischief-maker. In the closing days and hours, of his rule, he makes extreme mischief with created things.
Well what are the created things that he makes mischief with? He poisons the water. He poisons the air. He poisons the earth. He takes the natural inclination; the sexual drive in the human for reproduction and he twists it into a grotesque manifestation of filth and debauchery. He takes the atom, which is a created thing, and he makes mischief with it. He takes chemistry–which is a created thing–he makes mischief with it.
In essence, all of us– the Believer and the non-Believer–have to pass through this terrible darkness. The only way out is to seek refuge in Him, Who is the Lord of the dawn, the Master of that new day; that new life; that new word; that new law that is eternal. I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn from the evil of what Yakub made from the intense darkness when it comes.
We are entering a very dark hour where all of this evil and mischief, that the enemy has scientifically produced, reaches its apex. It creates a period of intense darkness–a darkness that will not allow anyone in it to see past it, unless our hope is in the Lord of the dawn.
That Lord has given the Believer light. That light is that which we must cling to, in that hour of darkness, and the hope in the Lord of the Dawn that will get us through this darkness.
I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn from him who cast evil suggestions in firm resolutions. The enemy will make evil look so appealing; so tempting that the suggestion of evil will be a great trial, particularly for the Believer. For the Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, “That the last great test of the Believer, that he has to go through, to get to the other side, is the fire of temptation.”
Well what will the enemy tempt us with? He will tempt us with the things that we desire, or the things that we want. He’s well able to offer it with, of course, strings attached. But if our hope is in the Lord of the dawn then we will pass up the evil suggestion that comes in a firm resolve and the evil of the envier when he envies.
Well there’s a lot of envy in the world. But the greatest envy is the envy of the enemy of God who sees a people that he has trodden under foot supplanting his rule. So envy is the mother of hatred. Hatred is the mother of murder. It is the murder of the righteous, out of the envy of the wicked for the great position that God is giving to the righteous. Those of us who know what that position is, and are trying to qualify to be a part of what God makes new, must be able to get through the hatred; the murder and really, the overshadowing of death. I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn from the evil of the envier when he envies.
All of these things contribute to the intense darkness. All of these things are used to trick and trip the Believer up; making them doubt what God is preparing him, or her, for. All of these are part of one great evil that produces the intense darkness, but these are components of that darkness.
The last chapter says I seek refuge in the Lord of men; the King of men; the God of men. Well He’s the nurturer of men. He’s our only sovereign. He is the true God. So we should seek refuge in Him, from the evil whispering of a slinking devil, who whispers into the hearts of men.
Well when you’re going through all that you’re going through in the proceeding chapter, what comes up in your heart and mind? What whispering comes up in your own self that takes you away from the reward of faithfulness? These whisperings not only come from self, but it comes from outside of self from among the jinn and the men.
Well jinn here, as the Holy Qur’an and the scholars say, “Represents those fiery spirits.” But to me it represents those who have not been nurtured into the divine. So they are very emotional beings —the fire of anger; the fire of disappointment; the fire of deception; betrayal. These are emotions that come from those who may surround the Believer.
There are whisperings from within ourselves when we don’t understand, or getting weak in our faith, or whispering that comes from those around us who have not matured into the word of God. They are very emotional persons who are guided by their feelings rather than by intelligence.
Then whispering that come from men. Men, to me, meaning, more mature people. Mature in the word of God. Mature in the way of God. But the arch deceiver has affected them. As the Bible teaches that, “The dragon will take down a third part of the stars of heaven.” The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, “This is not just talking about scholars of Islam, but some of the Holy wise Scientists themselves.”
If a Scientist goes down and he starts whispering into the hearts of Believers that are on the path of faith — that’s a heavy, heavy, trial for us. So hold fast to that handle as the Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught, that will never break off from us unless we break off from it. The Holy Qur’an says, “Hold fast to the rope of Islam and be not disunited.”
Well under a trial like the ones in the 113th and 114th surahs, it would be hard to remain united with that which becomes a victim of the darkness of the evil suggestions of the hatred; of the murder plots of the whispering. So Allah says in the Qur’an, “He will separate us and put like with like.” So under such darkness the hypocrites will be with the hypocrites. The disbelievers will be with the disbelievers. And through the darkness the Believers carrying his light with him will find another Believer and remain united with those who persevere and are steadfast under such a tremendous trial.
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad gave us a prayer to say. It is a prayer of refuge. This prayer of refuge, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad asked us to say it seven times a day. “I seek refuge in Allah from anxiety and grief, from the lack of strength and laziness, from cowardice and niggardliness. From being overpowered by debt and the oppression of men.”
The supplicant asks, “Suffice thou me with what is lawful and keep me away from what is prohibited. And with your grace make me free from want of what is beside you.”
If we acted on this prayer, and the things that this prayer is asking Allah to give us refuge from, this ties to the last two chapters of refuge. Because when the darkness comes and so many fall, we would be full of anxiety. We may lose cherished possessions and people whom we love which bring about grief.
In that hour we seek refuge from anxiety and grief. And then, the loss of strength, which is attacking our faith, for the scripture says, “The race is not to the swift, or the strong, but to that one who can endure to the end.” That is great faith. Great strength.
When you seek refuge in Allah from the lack of strength and then the lack of strength makes one lazy in the performance of duty. Because even though we’re going through a dark period that does not absolve us from requisite duty; duty to God; duty to self; duty to wife; duty to children; duty to community and duty to nation. So when you lose strength then you become lazy in the performance of duty.
Then, of course, you seek refuge from niggardliness, miserliness, not willing to share what we know, or what we have with a fellow-suffering Believer.
In that hour famine may arise in the land. If the Believer has a bowl of soup and brother Believer has none, then a brother Believer has a claim on half of that bowl. But, if we’re niggardly, or miserly, and want to hoard and hold, then we are doubting that Allah would be sufficient for us.
We seek refuge from anxiety and grief and from the lack of strength and laziness and from cowardice and niggardliness. Niggardliness is cowardice because it shows fear that the God will not suffice me tomorrow, as He sufficed me today. So I should be niggardly with my substance today in fear that I won’t have something tomorrow.
Cowardice in the hour of trial would cause us to fall. So we must seek refuge in Allah and challenge what we fear. Allah says, “Surely I will try you with something of fear, hunger, lost of property; lost of life, diminution of fruit. So give good news to those who are patient and steadfast under trial because they seek refuge in Allah, the Lord of the dawn; the Lord of men; the King of men and the God of men.”
Then, “I seek refuge from being overpowered by debt and the oppression of men.” Debt is a form of slavery and oppression. So in a dark hour you don’t want to get into debt, you want to strive to get out of debt because by means of debt you’ll be oppressed — “I’ll take your car.” “I’ll take your home.” “I’ll take whatever you owe because you don’t have money to pay your note then you lose it.”
Well, seek refuge in Allah.
Lastly, “Suffice thou me with what is lawful” in a season of great temptation when evil is made fair seeming. Please, Allah, suffice me. Be sufficient for me in what is lawful in your sight and make me free from any want of what is beside what you want for me and for us.
If we can do that, more than likely, we will survive the darkness into the dawn of a brand new day.
Brother Jabril: Thank you, Brother Minister.
More next issue, Allah willing.
