THE NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MOST HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
AND
THE NATION OF ISLAM
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL.
I BEAR WITNESS THAT THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH
AND I BEAR WITNESS THAT MUHAMMAD IS HIS MESSENGER.
October 9, 1988
As–Salaam Alaikum.
Dear Believer:
May this letter find you and your family well and in good spirits with the joy of the expectation
of the dedication of our new National Center.
Although you may be disappointed that the dedication of our National Center has not taken place
as we had planned, you know as well as I that we may plan, but Allah also plans and Allah is the
Best of planners.
The more we struggle to complete the restoration, the more I began to see that it would not take
place on October 9. We can only dedicate this magnificent house once. Allah demands that we
be right when it is dedicated. Moreover, Allah demands that we be right, because we are not just
dedicating a magnificent house to the Lord of the worlds but we are dedicating ourselves to the
Lord of the worlds and His Cause (Resurrection of the dead).
Even if the Mosque were completely ready, Allah has shown me that we are not yet ready and so
we as Believers must be prepared for the dedication. Therefore, under the guidance of Allah, the
dedication will take place on February 26, 1989, giving us four (4) months to properly prepare
ourselves and complete the renovation and restoration of the National Center.
What must we do to be in a state of readiness for the historic occasion spoken and written of by
prophets?
Firstly, I made a call to all who believe in and were touched by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad
to come. Why?
No matter what our sins have been, the Holy Qur’an teaches us the Allah forgives sin altogether.
I know that you, as well as I, want the Blessings of the Forgiveness of Allah for whatever we
have done to offend Him, His Teachings, ourselves and one another.
It is written in the Holy Qur’an that the Believers seek the Forgiveness of Allah and seek His
Mercy. Allah says of Himself, He is Oft-returning to Mercy, the Forgiving. All praise is due to
Allah for these Qualities. Were it not for these Qualities, we would have no chance to see the
Hereafter.
“Except those who repent and amend and make manifest (the truth), these it is to whom I turn
(mercifully); and I am the oft-returning to mercy), the Merciful.” Holy Qur’an 2:160
“O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah and believe in His Messenger – He will give you
two portions of His Mercy, and give you a light in which you shall walk, and forgive you. And
Allah is Forgiving, Merciful –” Holy Qur’an 57:28
“And He it is Who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons evil deeds, and He knows
what you do; and He answers those who believe and do good deeds, and gives them more out of
His grace. And for the disbelievers is a severe chastisement.” Holy Qur’an 42:25,26
My desire is the all Believers put ourselves in position to be forgiven for all of our sins, that
Allah may heal the wounds of the Nation, so that when the house is dedicated, we also stand
before the world a magnificent spiritual house, restored, consecrated, dedicated for the rest of our
lives in fulfillment of these words in our daily prayers: “My prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my
death are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”
There are five (5) major steps that MUST be taken immediately by us, the Believers, in order to
put ourselves in the desired position:
1. Prayer
2. Fasting
3. The Dietary Law of One Meal a Day
4. Charity and Sacrifice
5. Work
I have prepared Study Guide 13 for you during Saviours’ Day, to help you in your efforts to
apply these principles of action over the next four (4) months, so that even as the Mosque is
being made ready, we are being made ready for our dedication. Let us work as best we can to
purify ourselves, not despairing, becoming disheartened or losing faith.
In 1 Kings 9 and 2 Chronicles 7 Solomon dedicates the completed house to Allah (God). Allah
(God) accepted his prayer and supplication, saying “...I have hallowed this house, which thou has
built, to put my name there forever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.”
But He did not make this commitment unconditionally, saying “And if thou wilt walk before me,
as David, thy father, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have
commanded thee, and wilt keep my statues and my ordinances...Then I will establish the throne
of thy Kingdom...But if ye all shall at all run from following me, ye or your children, and will
not keep my commandments and my statues which I have set before you, but go and serve
other gods, and worship them...then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them,
and this house which I have hallowed for my name; will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be
a proverb and a byword among all people.”
Dear Laborers and Believers, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad told us that the Nation would
never fall again. The only way we can insure ourselves of being the ones who bring about the
fulfillment of this declaration is to dedicate ourselves completely to Allah and then never deviate
from our commitment to Him. We can only protect ourselves from deviation through obedience.
The Great Madhi, Master Fard Muhammad, to Whom praise is due forever, has stated, “THE
RESTRICTIVE LAW IS OUR SUCCESS.” There is no way of circumventing this Truth and
still being successful.
We are exhorted to follow the religion of Abraham, which is obedience to the Will of Allah
(God). This is the key to Peace and the contentment of mind. “And I will give unto thee the
keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever to us shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven,” “and whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19
I appeal to you in the Name of Allah, to reflect on these words, take them into your heart and act
upon them. May Allah Bless, Guide and Protect you. May He strengthen you and make you
successful in your endeavors to His Will.
As–Salaam Alaikum
Your Brother and Servant,
Minister Louis Farrakhan
Servant of the Lost Found Nation of Islam in the West
LF/am
Self-Improvement Study Guides - Study Guide 13: The Price of Redemption
STUDY GUIDE 13
THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION
READING MATERIAL
Holy Qur'an
Surah 12 "Joseph"
Bible
1 Kings, 2 Kings
1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles
"To 'redeem' means to 'buy back'. This suggests that the item being bought back was once owned by the buyer and for some reason he had temporarily lost possession of it. Thus, a price has to be paid for the object to be returned.
What is the price of the redemption of a people who belong to Allah (God) but have become captive in the hands of strangers; who have gone astray from the path of Allah (God) and are living a life contrary to Allah (God) and contrary to the nature of themselves?"
(From: "The Price of Redemption", Final Call, October 3, 1988)
INSTRUCTIONS AND DISCUSSION
1 Read and discuss the Instructions to the Believers.
2) Read and discuss the five (5) words defined in this study guide.
3) What are the qualities of a Redeemer?
4) I included in the above-referenced article, the statement "Our Redeemer liveth, the price of Redemption has been paid." Do you agree with this statement? (Note that it has two parts) What is the basis for your agreement?
5) If the price of Redemption has been paid, is the object of Redemption relieved of obligation? What is the duty of the one who is the object of Redemption?
6) What is the value of obedience to the laws, rules and regulations of Allah (God)?
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE BELIEVERS
1) PRAYER
It takes 21 days, according to scholars, to break old habits and make new ones. Let the Nation of Islam get into the habit of prayer, 5 times a day at the prescribed time and in the prescribed manner.
"Recite that which has been revealed to thee of the Book and keep up prayer. Surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil; and certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest (force). And Allah knows what you do." Holy Qur'an 29:45
Prayer will give us the strength to resist the impediments to our development. Start immediately, beginning with the dawn prayer.
"Keep up prayer from the declining of the sun till the darkness of the night, and the recital of the Qur'an at dawn. Surely the recital of the Qur'an at dawn is witnessed." 17:78
"So when you have finished the prayer, remember Allah standing and sitting and reclining. But when you are secure from danger, keep up regular prayer. Prayer indeed has been enjoined on the believers at fixed times." HQ 4:105
"Successful indeed are the believers...Who are humble in their prayers ... And who shun what is vain ... And who act for the sake of purity ... And who restrain their sexual passions..." 23:1-5
From Self-Improvement Study Guide Number 7, "Building The Will (Part 111)".
"Each morning, let us rise and pray at 5:00a.m. Let us resist the power of sleep and pray with Allah on our minds instead of sleep. During the day, no matter how busy or involved we are in our work, let us excuse ourselves after the noon hour to remember Allah; then we may go right back to our activities. At the end of the day, let us resist tiredness and remember our Lord...
In our study of the prophets, we saw that patience was a pervasive virtue. They were mocked and ridiculed by the disbelievers for long periods of time, but were instructed by Allah to "bear patiently what they say." In overcoming the natural force of impatience, they were rewarded with vision, or the ability to see beyond the present. They could "see" through their patience, that the ends for which they were striving would ultimately come about.
-2-
Impatience, or the desire for relief or change, may be removed from us, not by yielding to this natural force, but by seeking refuge in Allah.
Whenever impatience threatens to cause us to turn away from a desired goal, we must go to Allah, the Lord of the ways of ascent, in prayer. Prayer will give us the security and peace of mind that will relieve our irritation. It is in that frame of mind that we then must re-identify with our desired goal. The desire (and the willingness to be patient in order to obtain it) will then return.
Prayer is the re-affirmation of desire. We endure by reaffirming and reidentifying our desire until we reach the goal."
"Let us recite in earnest the following prayer as taught to us by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad:
"O Allah! I seek Thy refuge from anxiety and grief and I seek Thy refuge from lack of strength and laziness and I seek Thy refuge from cowardice and niggardliness and I seek Thy refuge from being overpowered by debt and the oppression of men. 0 Allah! Suffice Thou me with what is lawful to keep me away from what is prohibited and with Thy grace make me free from want of what is besides Thee."
"We, the lost-founds, should repeat the above prayer seven (7) times a day. For it sums up our greatest hindrance to freedom and self-independence." Message To The Blackman p. 152
"Order your children to say the state prayers when they are seven years of age and beat them if they do not do so when they are ten years old." Message To The Blackman p. 143
Prayer is a pillar of Islam and is to be enforced in the home. With respect to the instructions above, do not be harsh or extreme. You are only now enforcing this rule, therefore allow some time for your children to adjust to it. Set the good example and your children will follow it.
2) FASTING
Let the Nation of Islam institute a monthly three-day fast, beginning with the month of October, 1988. After October, the fast will begin on the first Friday of each month.
"O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard against evil." Holy Qur'an 2:183
In Islam, fasting is an institution of the improvement of the moral and spiritual condition of human beings. Fasting, abstention from food in obedience to
-3-
Allah (God), helps us build the will to resist the impediments to self development.
Fasting in the right spirit helps us display repentance. We must be of humble spirit that we may show Allah (God) that we are sick/sorry over all that we have done to offend Him.
Here are the dates of our monthly fasts, beginning in October. (The first Thursday in October has passed, therefore we will fast the second week this month).
THURSDAY SUNDAY
(Fast begins after evening meal) (Fast ends with evening meal)
October 13 October 16
November 3 November 6
December 1 December 4
January 5 January 8
February 2 February 5
We will observe Ramadan in December as taught to us by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. During the first 3 days of December, we will fast, taking water, coffee or tea in the evening. Afterwards, we will resume the abstention from liquids and food between dawn and sunset).
3) ONE MEAL A DAY
"Eat one meal a day or one meal every other day, and it will prolong your life. Do not think that you will starve. On the contrary, you will be treating yourself to life, and a life filled with sickless days. You can hardly get sick eating this way.
In eating once a day or once every other day, you must not eat between meals. And, you should try to eat at the same hour tomorrow as you eat today. Do not change your meal hours if you can help it. Do not even drink juices, milk, or soft drinks between meals.
And, do not eat candies or fruits between meals. You are welcome to drink water, but I know you will not want too much water between meals since your stomach will not call for it. You may drink coffee between meals, but do not fill your cup with half sugar and half cream and pour coffee on top of that (smile).
-4-
This (that I am trying to teach you) is the way that He (Almighty Allah) has taught me for you. I have given to you in this book the type of food that you should eat as Allah has given it to me."
(From, How To Eat To Live, by The Honorable Elijah Muhammad)
4) CHARITY AND SACRIFICE
"And the parable of those who spend their wealth to seek Allah's pleasure and for the strengthening of their souls is as the parable of a garden on elevated ground, upon which heavy rain falls, so it brings forth its fruit twofold: but if heavy rain falls not on it, light rain suffices. And Allah is Seer of what you do." Holy Qur'an 2:265
Charity is a principle of action which is necessary for the spiritual advancement of man. The advancement we make through charity is towards Allah.
The Arabic word for Sacrifice is "Qurban", which means "To draw near". We must give of what we need, that is, we must sacrifice, to draw closer to Allah.
To give only of that which we feel comfortable parting with is charity. We receive credit for this act of kindness. But what we are after is not just credit, but purification. Establishment of Truth requires sacrifice.
"O you who believe, shall I lead you to a merchandise which will deliver you from a painful chastisement? You should believe in Allah and His Messenger, and strive hard in Allah's way with your wealth and your lives. That is better for you, did you but know!" Holy Qur'an 61:10,11
Sacrifice means "the surrender of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim." It is from the word "Sacer", meaning "holy". The significance of this is that the more we sacrifice, the closer we become to Allah.
"Nay, whoever submits himself entirely to Allah, and he is the doer of good to others, he has his reward from his Lord, and there is no fear for such nor shall they grieve." 2:112
In the 9th Surah of the Holy Qur'an, "The Immunity", verses 38-42, it speaks of the Tabuk Expedition, when the Muslims had to confront the strength and opposition of the Roman army. They had to overcome many hindrances to raising an army, including drought, heat and a long journey. This effort required great sacrifice on the part of the believers. Indeed, the sacrifice required was so great that it drove the hypocrites from among the believers.
-5-
"Had it been a near gain and a short journey, they would certainly have followed thee, but the hard journey was too long for them. And they will swear by Allah: If we had been able, we would have gone forth with you. They cause their own souls to perish; and Allah knows that they are liars." 9:42
5) WORK
What is "work"? IT is Force X Distance; the exertion of energy on an object that is not moving on its own, resulting in the movement of that object. No matter how much force is applied, if the result is not motion, there has been no work.
In the April 10, 1988 issue of the Final Call, I wrote an article entitled, "We Must Depend On Allah and Ourselves". In it I reminded the Believers that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad has warned us against sitting at home waiting on a mystery god! He has said we can't sit down; we can't lay down. We must get up and go to work doing something for ourselves!
In the Lessons given to us by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, we are given the following question and answer:
"Will you sit at home and wait for that mystery god to bring you food?"
"Emphatically, No. Me and my people have been lost from home for three hundred and seventy-nine years, have tried this so-called mystery god for bread, clothing and a home, and we receive nothing but hard times, hunger, naked and out of doors; also we were beat and killed by the ones who advocated that kind of god and no relief came to us until the Son of Man came to our aid, by the name of our Prophet, W. D. Fard."
The National Center Drive to repurchase our mosque and school began in earnest on February 26, 1988, when laborers from around the country gathered here in Chicago.
In order to complete our mosque and school, additional funds are necessary. More funds will be required to complete the Salaam Restaurant Complex. February 27, 1988 will represent a full year, within which we were able to redeem what was lost. We know that we worked because we made motion. We were successful because of work. We applied force to an object (our own inertia) and made motion.
In order to restore what we have redeemed and retire the bank note which was necessary to close the transaction, every Believer is hereby requested to pledge to raise $1,000 over the next four (4) months.
-6-
2) PURIFICATION
"Surely Allah loves those who turn much to Him and He loves those who purify themselves." Holy Qur'an 2:222
PURE Being that and nothing else. Freed from anything of an inferior or contaminating kind; free from extraneous matter. Clear, free from blemishes; untainted, unaffected; chaste; immaculate; genuine.
Noun Clarification, distillation, refinement; sanctification. Purifier, cleanser. Purity, innocence, virtue, immaculance.
Adjective Clean, pristine, taintless, uncontaminated, unpolluted, unadulterated, unmixed, single, sheer; undefiled, unstained, impeccable, untarnished, unblemished.
Adverb Purely, solely, simply, barely, merely, only (unity).
Arabic meaning, "pure": 'to make sincere, devoted, chosen, single-minded, single hearted, exclusive, entirely.
SINCERE Free from deceit, hypocrisy or falseness. Earnest, genuine, real. Truthful, candid, honest, clean, unmixed.
See also, Cleanness, Improvement, Innocence, Morality. Antonyms; impurity, wickedness.
IMPROVEMENT: Enrichment, advancement, elevation, increase, recovery. Cultivation, refinement, polish; reformation, progress, correction, development, elaboration, purification, reconstruction, reclamation.
"O thou who wrappest thyself up, Arise and Warn, And thy Lord do magnify and thy garments do purify..." 74:1-4
"But all things commending ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned..." 2 Corinthians 6:6
"Then Paul took the men and the next day, purifying himself with them, entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until an offering should be offered for every one of them." Acts 21:26
-9-
3) RESTORATION
"FOR THE SON OF MAN IS COME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST' Luke 19:10
"And I will restore to you the years that the locusts hath eaten... And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord, your God, Who hath dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be ashamed..." Joel 2:25,26
The act of restoring; renewal, revival, or reestablishment. A return of something to a former, original, normal or unimpaired condition. A representation or reconstruction of an ancient building, extinct animal or the like, showing it in its original state. Restitution of something taken away or lost. A putting back into a former position, dignity, etc. To rebuild, renew, replace, reinstate. To rescue. To save.
Noun - Replacement, reinstatement, resurrection, rehabilitation, reconstitution, reparation, redemption, reorganization, recovery.
Verb - Put back, give back, reclaim, recover, correct, remedy, right. Cure.
Arabic: "Restore": "Adda": "To deliver".
"Radda": "To return something to someone"
"For the Son of Man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for Many". Matthew 20:28
"And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elijah truly shall first come and restore all things ... But I say unto you that Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they desired. Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them." Matthew 17:10-12
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual restore such and one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Acts 6:1
"I pray you, let us cease this exacting of interest ... Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive yards, and their house ... We will restore them, and will require nothing of them, that they should do according to this promise." Nehemiah 5:10-12
-10-
The sale of the Nation's products, including the Final Call Newspaper and ads and subscriptions to the newspaper, our tapes, books and records, and the Clean -N- Fresh personal care products is not only a source of income to the Nation and to the Believer who actively engages in these sales, but it also serves as an effective means of making contact with our people. We should continue to host victory parties and to seek donations to the National Center. In the near future, you will receive information on the implementation of the 5 year Plan.
The ultimate goal is the resurrection of our people. Fill the mosques! The great Mahdi, Master Fard Muhammad, to Whom praise is due forever, told us to "Work cheerfully and fear not. You are the Best, the Righteous, the Powerful."
FIVE MEANINGFUL WORDS
1) PREPARATION
A measure by which one prepares for something. The act of preparing; to put in proper condition or readiness. Planning and making ready for something expected or thought possible.
Noun Preparation, arrangement, provision, rehearsal; anticipation, expectation, precaution; groundwork, substructure, base, basis, foundation, scaffold, scaffolding.
Verb Prepare, arrange, provide, ready, roughhew, make ready, lay foundation of, prime, groom, rehearse; forearm; clear for action; equip, arm, man; fit out, fit up, array, outfit, appoint, furnish, dress. Mature, ripen, mellow, season, bring to maturity, elaborate, perfect, complete, develop. Prepare oneself, get ready, be on guard, foresee.
Adjective Available, ready, primed, groomed, armed, on guard, foresighted.
Antonyms Suddenness, surprise, unexpected, incomplete, unprepared.
Holy Qur'an
"But the Messenger and those who believe with him strive hard with their property and their persons. And it is these for whom are the good things and these it is who are successful ... Allah has prepared for them Gardens wherein flow rivers, to abide therein. That is the great achievement." 9:88,89
-7-
"And if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the bode of the Hereafter, then surely Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a mighty reward." 33:29
"He it is Who sends blessings on you, and so do His angels, that He may bring you forth out of darkness into light. And He is ever Merciful to the believers. Their salutation on the day they meet Him will be Peace! And He has prepared for them an honorable reward." 33:43-44
"Vie with one another for forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden the extensiveness of which is as the extensiveness of the heaven and the earth - it is prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers. That is the Grace of Allah; He gives it to whom He pleases. And Allah is the Lord of Mighty Grace." 57:21
Bible
"BEHOLD! I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before Me..." Malachi 3:1
"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Isaiah 40:3
"And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought there, so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building." 1 Kings 6:7
"They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready, but none goeth to the battle; for my wrath is upon all their multitude." Ezekiel 7:14
"And Samuel spoke unto all of the house of Israel, saying, if ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods ... from among you and prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only; and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." 1 Samuel 7:3
"Be ye, therefore, ready also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not." Luke 12:40
"But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry...For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand..." 2 Timothy 4:5,6
"O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own." 1 Chronicles 29:16
-8-
"He Who has made the Qur'an binding on thee will surely bring thee back to the Place of Return. Say My Lord knows best him who has brought the guidance and him who is in manifest error ... And call not with Allah any other god. There is no God but He. Everything will perish but He. His is the judgment and to Him you will be brought back." Holy Qur'an 28:85, 88
"And certainly We tried before them Pharoah's people and a noble messenger came to them, Saying: Deliver to me the servants of Allah. Surely I am a faithful messenger to you. And exalt not yourselves against Allah. Surely I bring to you a clear authority." 44:17-19
"And We indeed delivered the Children of Israel from the abasing chastisement, from Pharaoh. Surely he was haughty, prodigal. And certainly We chose them above the nations, having knowledge. And We gave them signs wherein was clear blessing." 44:30-33
4) CONSECRATION
The act of consecrating; dedication to the service and worship of God. To consecrate is to make or declare sacred; to set apart; devote, dedicate to a purpose; make something an object of honor or veneration. From "secr": "sacred, holy"
Verb. Sanctify, hallow, enshrine, anoint, bless
"And who, then, is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?" 1 Chronicles 29:5
"For the law maketh men high priests who have infirmity, but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore." Hebrews 7:28
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus...By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, Through the veil, that is to say, his flesh ... And having a high priest over the house of God, Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of laith, having our hearts spr4nkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:20
5) DEDICATION
Devotion, adherence, loyalty.
Dedicate: To set apart and consecrate to a sacred purpose; to devote wholly and earnestly, as to a person or purpose.
-11-
"Behold, I build a house to the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths and on the new moons and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel." 2 Chronicles 2:4
"And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly; for they kept the of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days." 2 Chronicles 7:9
LAW, RULES AND REGULATIONS - THE VALUE OF OBEDIENCE
Beloved, there is much that we have yet to learn about Allah's (God's) Will and our suffering for the sake of purification.
Allah (God), the Sovereign of the Universe, has established rules and laws governing everything in His Creation. Nothing in this Creation disobeys the laws under which it is created, governed and controlled, from the tiniest insect to the huge planets and stars, except Man.
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught us that the so-called Indians were exiled from that part of the Earth, Asia, to this wilderness, for breaking the Laws of Islam. "Islam" means "Obedience to the Will of God." "Exile" means "prolonged separation from one's country or home, as by stress of circumstances; expulsion from one's native land by authoritative decree." Breaking the Law of Islam means we rebelled against obeying our Sovereign Lord.
The fall of the so-called Indians, members of the Aboriginal People of the Earth, was due ' to rebellion; the fall of the Black Man, member of the Aboriginal People of the Earth, was due to rebellion. The Caucasian was made in the nature of rebellion. So, our rebellion, white, red and black, has earned us all a place here in America, where in our rebellion we can heap punishment and evil upon each other.
Allah (God) permitted the Caucasian (so-called white man) to take this country from the so-called Indian and bring millions of Black people into slavery in the Western Hemisphere. This was to be a prison for all of us until we learned. the price of rebellion and decided we had enough and were willing to submit to Allah (God) that He might get us out of the condition that our rebellion against Him has placed us in -- Death-- spiritually, mentally, morally, politically and economically.
The Bible depicts us as stiff-necked, hard-hearted and rebellious people, lost sheep who follow the devices and desires of our own hearts and who refuse to submit to the Will of Allah (God). It is this rebellion, dear Brothers and Sisters, that has reduced humanity to the level of the beasts of the field and even below.
-12-
I of the Native American rituals of traditional religion that I know of, inflict suffering for the sake of purification, that they might once again gain the Allah, Whom they call "Grandfather".
The Caucasian people have set up rules, laws and regulations governing this society and its institutions. Most of these laws, called "common law", spring from their (Caucasians) understanding of Divine Law. Many of these laws, rules and regulations are made to insure the safety and security of people and property from the evil intentions and actions of others.
Of course, there are many laws that are unjust and these laws are changed by our protest against these unjust laws. Civil disobedience in the civil rights movement was not designed to create chaos in the society, but to rid society of unjust laws, thereby making a better and healthier society for us all.
When we act outside of the parameters of the laws of this society, we may find ourselves incarcerated (imprisoned). At that point, yet another, even more restrictive set of rules and regulations is activated in our lives, governing the relationship between those confined and those who are the guards and overseers of those confined. There are rules concerning what we should say or do, when we can say or do it, how we should act and dress. Some of these rules may seem stringent and some even foolish, however, they are designed to train the inmate to recognize and respect rules and regulations.
Allah (God) says to us in the Holy Qur'an, "obey Allah and His Messenger and those in authority over you", whether they are of your faith or not. We are admonished to respect authority, because that is the way to Peace.
Respect for authority and rules and regulations governing our daily activities, whether developed by Caucasian people or Original people, would serve us better than rebelling against those rules because they are against some of our personal desires. Is this not what led to our being there in the first place? Was it not the violation of Divine Laws governing our relationship with Allah (God) that gave our enemies the chance to kidnap and enslave us, depriving us of our freedom, our name, our religion, our language, our family and loved ones? Should not our suffering serve to make us better able to handle ourselves and the Divine Laws governing every: respect of life?
What would we think of a person who would enter into our home, knowing the rules of behavior we have established, yet would try to get around them, disrespecting the sacredness of the home? How do we feel when someone disregards our privacy without thought or consideration? Does this not anger us?
We must learn to be respectful of the laws, rules and regulations of people and their societies and cultures, otherwise, we will not be able to build good relationships
-13-
them or enter into their societies. This may be the lesson that we most need to learn to secure our freedom permanently.
In the Bible, Jonah rebelled against the Will of Allah (God) in running away from that which he was commanded to do. He was swallowed by a whale and imprisoned in-its belly, which the writers describe as "Hell". It was in this time of need that he cried out to God and in crying out to God he realized that it was God Who permitted him to fall into adverse circumstances that he would know the price of rebellion and rejection of his duty. It was when he cried out to God, or submitted that he would do what God commanded him, that the whale spat him out.
We must learn to obey Allah's (God's) Will. We do this by learning how to respect little laws, for when we take liberties with small laws that are designed for our safety and security, it leads to breaking Divine Laws which are designed for our safety and security spiritually with Allah (God).
When we are driving down the street, we should stop at the stop sign; we should proceed with caution where the sign directs us to proceed with caution; we should not go down a one way street in the wrong direction; we should stop at railroad crossings. Don't excuse yourself from the rules that are for your own protection and the protection of others. As we take chances, we do not rain ourselves to obey. 'We feed the spirit of rebellion until we become hardened in the way of rebellion; then it is easy to rebel against Allah (God) Himself. In excusing ourselves from rules and regulations, we make ourselves the criterion by which we judge the veracity or goodness of the rules and regulations, thereby setting ourselves up as judges.
In our prayers, we ask Allah to "make Muhammad successful" as He did make Abraham successful. We pray the prayer of Abraham, who said, "I am the first of those who submit." It is through our submission that we come up out of the condition of hell that our rebellion has placed us in.
Even if we do not fully understand why we must submit, we must submit until understanding comes. 'The dwellers of the desert say: We believe. Say: You believe not, but say, We submit; and faith has not yet entered into your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not diminish (anything) of your deeds. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.' Holy Qur'an 49:14.
-14-
