by
Brother Mustafaa Muhammad
Nearly two weeks ago on October 18th I was blessed to be present in the city of Memphis to experience the 14th anniversary of the Million Man March and Day of Atonement called by Minister Farrakhan. The Million Man March originally called on 10-16-95 is a special day for me, because it marked the beginning of changing my life for the better by the message of atonement, reconciliation and responsibility given that day.
Now 14 years later many things have changed, however for the masses things remain the same or worse in some cases. We as a community suffer from internal as well as external forces of black on black crime/violence, male/female relationship problems, host of health problems, unemployment, police brutality, imprisonment of our men, broken families, aids/hiv and many other issues.
Therefore the theme of ATONEMENT is as necessary now as it was in 1995 for the black community. As the late Michael Jackson said in his hit song Man in the Mirror, "If you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself and make A Change."
I heard Minister Farrakhan once say during a 1994 speech titled “The crucifixion of Jesus and the imprisonment of Minister Farrakhan” that his only job is “To connect you to God and then God will lead you.” This directly correlates with the bible teachings in Psalm 23:1 which reads,
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want”
As we can see Minister Farrakhan is not interested in setting up a cult of personality worshipers, but rather true men and women who will be connected to and guided by God directly. He constantly reminds us he is a human being and will leave the earth as all flesh and blood humans must, but The Almighty God is eternal and ever-living.
The Hon. Louis Farrakhan is travelling on this road and he asks all of us to join him in this sacred pilgrimage to meet with God. As I mentioned a couple of articles ago, you would do a great disservice to yourself to limit the Minister to just being a spokesperson for the hurt and suffering of black people in America and the world. We, must recognize his desire to see a spiritual awakening in us and the world.
In accordance with the Hon. Louis Farrakhan’s desire to see a spiritual awakening in us, he developed an entire course of study revolving around the self -examination, self- analysis and correction of things in us which inhibit out total development into Godliness. This course of study is called Self improvement: The basis for community development and it currently consists of 21 units of study from various topics like overcoming difficulty, finding balance, atonement, dealing with controversy and centering our self with The God.
In presenting this course of study The Hon. Louis Farrakhan wrote a letter of introduction for the new student. He spoke of his ideas and goals for the course of study,
“This letter is to introduce you to the new study guide material. These study and training units are based upon a speech which I delivered September 21, 1986 in Phoenix, Arizona.
This speech, in my judgment, formally ushers in that which is the launching pad of a worldwide movement.
Each study session is designed on the guidance of Allah to produce: self-examination; self-analysis; self-correction; and, to quicken in each of us, the self-accusing spirit. For, it is only when we are awakened morally that we have to face the self-accusing spirit which leads to our resurrection…
Resurrection is that process that begins with the self-accusing spirit and does not end until we become one in perfect harmony or peace with Allah and His Creation.
If you will notice, this inner voice does the work of a Messenger of Allah (God). Would you knowingly kill one of Allah's (God's) prophets or messengers? What would be the punishment if you did?
Everytime we act to still the voice of correction, coming from within ourselves, we are in fact murdering the Messenger of Allah (God). The result is spiritual blindness, leading to spiritual death, leading ultimately to an untimely physical death.
If we desire to stay alive spiritually, we must never still the voice of Allah (God) within. We must protect it, for in our moral awakening, it is the best friend that we have; for it is Allah (God) working on the inside of us…
The more we feed on truth and right guidance from Allah (God) the stronger the voice becomes. That inner voice is like a seed which can ultimately grow into its perfected state, to be the Mind of God Himself in you. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus..." PHILIPPIANS 2:5”
Each student, after studying the principle under analysis, must then analyze self and critique self. The study sessions, while leading the student to self-examination, first; self-analysis, second; self-correction, third; must simultaneously be therapeutic. Therefore, these sessions must be twofold. consisting of both theory and practice. The practice will refine the theory.”
Further in the actual base of the course Minister Farrakhan explains why self-improvement is important to self, family, community and nation.
“I have chose for my subject: "SELF-IMPROVEMENT: THE BASIS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT." Now, there are many, many developers who buy land and develop that land into communities, towns and cities; placing on this land magnificent structures costing hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars.
This activity of land development is going on in Phoenix and in cities around the country, and, indeed, around the Earth. However, to those who spend those hundreds of millions and billions of dollars building structures: unless we build people; unless the human potential of people is developed; then man, in his underdeveloped state, will ultimately destroy the cities that he has built because of revolution and war.
So, the Scripture is right in teaching, 'What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?' What would it profit us to build magnificent structures, beautiful buildings, magnificent bridges, built with magnificent technology and the soul of those human beings are wretched and deprived and underdeveloped and rotting from within? How does one lose one's soul? What is so important about the soul, or the essence of our being, that if we lose it, we lose everything?
This is why I have chosen the subject, "SELF-IMPROVEMENT: THE BASIS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT." Because it is the improvement of each of us as human beings that is lacking in the world, and because instead of human beings improving, they are degenerating. Then there is no hope for the nations, for they are all on a path of self-destruction.”
The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad asked the question, how strong is the foundation: Can we survive, during his Saviour’s Day 1968 speech? The foundation is of course our connection to Almighty God and the study guides of The Hon. Louis Farrakhan will help us strengthen this foundation.
Now 14 years later many things have changed, however for the masses things remain the same or worse in some cases. We as a community suffer from internal as well as external forces of black on black crime/violence, male/female relationship problems, host of health problems, unemployment, police brutality, imprisonment of our men, broken families, aids/hiv and many other issues.
Therefore the theme of ATONEMENT is as necessary now as it was in 1995 for the black community. As the late Michael Jackson said in his hit song Man in the Mirror, "If you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself and make A Change."
I heard Minister Farrakhan once say during a 1994 speech titled “The crucifixion of Jesus and the imprisonment of Minister Farrakhan” that his only job is “To connect you to God and then God will lead you.” This directly correlates with the bible teachings in Psalm 23:1 which reads,
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want”
As we can see Minister Farrakhan is not interested in setting up a cult of personality worshipers, but rather true men and women who will be connected to and guided by God directly. He constantly reminds us he is a human being and will leave the earth as all flesh and blood humans must, but The Almighty God is eternal and ever-living.
The Hon. Louis Farrakhan is travelling on this road and he asks all of us to join him in this sacred pilgrimage to meet with God. As I mentioned a couple of articles ago, you would do a great disservice to yourself to limit the Minister to just being a spokesperson for the hurt and suffering of black people in America and the world. We, must recognize his desire to see a spiritual awakening in us and the world.
In accordance with the Hon. Louis Farrakhan’s desire to see a spiritual awakening in us, he developed an entire course of study revolving around the self -examination, self- analysis and correction of things in us which inhibit out total development into Godliness. This course of study is called Self improvement: The basis for community development and it currently consists of 21 units of study from various topics like overcoming difficulty, finding balance, atonement, dealing with controversy and centering our self with The God.
In presenting this course of study The Hon. Louis Farrakhan wrote a letter of introduction for the new student. He spoke of his ideas and goals for the course of study,
“This letter is to introduce you to the new study guide material. These study and training units are based upon a speech which I delivered September 21, 1986 in Phoenix, Arizona.
This speech, in my judgment, formally ushers in that which is the launching pad of a worldwide movement.
Each study session is designed on the guidance of Allah to produce: self-examination; self-analysis; self-correction; and, to quicken in each of us, the self-accusing spirit. For, it is only when we are awakened morally that we have to face the self-accusing spirit which leads to our resurrection…
Resurrection is that process that begins with the self-accusing spirit and does not end until we become one in perfect harmony or peace with Allah and His Creation.
If you will notice, this inner voice does the work of a Messenger of Allah (God). Would you knowingly kill one of Allah's (God's) prophets or messengers? What would be the punishment if you did?
Everytime we act to still the voice of correction, coming from within ourselves, we are in fact murdering the Messenger of Allah (God). The result is spiritual blindness, leading to spiritual death, leading ultimately to an untimely physical death.
If we desire to stay alive spiritually, we must never still the voice of Allah (God) within. We must protect it, for in our moral awakening, it is the best friend that we have; for it is Allah (God) working on the inside of us…
The more we feed on truth and right guidance from Allah (God) the stronger the voice becomes. That inner voice is like a seed which can ultimately grow into its perfected state, to be the Mind of God Himself in you. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus..." PHILIPPIANS 2:5”
Each student, after studying the principle under analysis, must then analyze self and critique self. The study sessions, while leading the student to self-examination, first; self-analysis, second; self-correction, third; must simultaneously be therapeutic. Therefore, these sessions must be twofold. consisting of both theory and practice. The practice will refine the theory.”
Further in the actual base of the course Minister Farrakhan explains why self-improvement is important to self, family, community and nation.
“I have chose for my subject: "SELF-IMPROVEMENT: THE BASIS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT." Now, there are many, many developers who buy land and develop that land into communities, towns and cities; placing on this land magnificent structures costing hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars.
This activity of land development is going on in Phoenix and in cities around the country, and, indeed, around the Earth. However, to those who spend those hundreds of millions and billions of dollars building structures: unless we build people; unless the human potential of people is developed; then man, in his underdeveloped state, will ultimately destroy the cities that he has built because of revolution and war.
So, the Scripture is right in teaching, 'What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?' What would it profit us to build magnificent structures, beautiful buildings, magnificent bridges, built with magnificent technology and the soul of those human beings are wretched and deprived and underdeveloped and rotting from within? How does one lose one's soul? What is so important about the soul, or the essence of our being, that if we lose it, we lose everything?
This is why I have chosen the subject, "SELF-IMPROVEMENT: THE BASIS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT." Because it is the improvement of each of us as human beings that is lacking in the world, and because instead of human beings improving, they are degenerating. Then there is no hope for the nations, for they are all on a path of self-destruction.”
The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad asked the question, how strong is the foundation: Can we survive, during his Saviour’s Day 1968 speech? The foundation is of course our connection to Almighty God and the study guides of The Hon. Louis Farrakhan will help us strengthen this foundation.
Order Minister Farrakhan speaks on the Program of The Nation Of Islam Cd set
Thank you for reading these few words.
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