THE NATION OF ISLAM FRIDAY CLASS WEEK 19. SELF-IMPROVEMENT The Will of God (part 2) Continued Sections 46-80

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1 THE NATION OF ISLAM S T U D Y C O U R S E FRIDAY CLASS WEEK 19 SELF-IMPROVEMENT The Will of God (part 2) Continued Sections Muhammad University of Islam 2011

2 Study Course Instructions This study course is designed to be done in a course room, mosque, study-group or self-paced at home. Certain parts of this course (Key Word Study) will be done with a partner. Other parts will be done independently (by yourself). When it s time to partner, you and your partner (twin) are to follow the steps provided in this guide. The study course is laid out in the order you do them. It is important not to skip any steps of the guide. THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE TO BE FOLLOWED IN OUR CLASSES. Purpose of this Study Course Guide: The purpose of this study course guide is to guide you through this course of study. Time to Complete: Although the hour and a half that we have for study this evening should allow you to progress through most of this study, however it is strongly recommend that you continue to work on this study course at home at your own pace. Important Note: During the study course session, if you have any questions raise your hand for assistance. Each believer (student) should have a copy of this handout and its instructions to take home and continue studying on their own. All steps may not be completed in the class sessions in its entirety. Study Course Steps Step 1: Key Word Clearing Key words are important words related to key concepts found in the reading. Having a good understanding of the meanings of these words will help each student better understand the important concepts and ideas of the study, as well as eliminate misunderstandings that come with misunderstood words. Use the key word list and definitions found in this packet to do the drill (exercise) a and b. 53.) Select a partner (closest to you) and study the Key Words together, by reviewing the questions and answers to master. (If done in course room or mosque/study group the time allotted is minutes) 54.) First time through: The student has the questions and answers in front of him or her. The partner asks the student the question and the student answers it. He/She can look at the answer if needed. The answer does not have to be word-for-word or memorized; just the concept must be correct. 55.) Second time through: Once finished with the drill the first time, you start again from the beginning, this time without the answers in front of you. Your partner asks the question and you answers. If the answer is incorrect, your partner shows you the answer. Look at the answer again and repeat until you have grasped the concept, then continue to the next one. Step 2: Independent Reading After completing step one, you may begin to read the selected reading materials. Step 3: Check Your Understanding Questions: Time Frame: 30 min Review the lists of questions. Each question is formulated to check your understanding of the key concepts and ideas found in the reading. Answer each question on a sheet of paper and be prepared to discuss your answers at the conclusion of this session. Sufficient time may not be given during class session to answer all of the questions. If you do not finish in class, please continue this step at home. 2

3 KEY WORD CLEARING What is a degree? A degree is any of a series of steps or stages, as in a process or course of action; a point in any scale. It is also an academic title conferred by universities and colleges as an indication of the completion of a course of study, or as an honorary recognition of achievement. What is meant by due season? The phrase due season is used to refer to the appropriate time. What is a title? A title is a descriptive or distinctive appellation, especially one belonging to a person by right of rank, office, attainment, etc.; a name that describes someone's position or job. What is the definition of bidding? Bidding is the ordering or requesting of someone to do something. (something previously stolen, taken away, or lost) back to the original owner or recipient. What is perpetuity? Perpetuity refers to an endless or indefinitely long duration or existence; eternity. What is the meaning of stress? Stress is the physical pressure, pull, or other force exerted on one thing by another; strain. It is a specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism. What is grief? Grief is deep sorrow, especially that caused by someone's death; keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss. What does it mean to reconcile? Reconcile means to restore friendly relations between; cause to coexist in harmony; make or show to be compatible. What does it mean to restore? Restore means to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition; give What is a mausoleum? A mausoleum is a building, especially a large and stately one, housing a tomb or tombs. What is meant by refuge? Refuge is a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble. It is anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief, or escape. 3

4 STEP 3: Check Your Understanding The following questions are for discussion at the conclusion of the study session. The remaining questions can be completed at your own pace as you continue your study at home. You can use your book if you need help answering the questions. Write your answers on a sheet of paper. Questions For Discussion: 1. What is the Cause of Allah and "Will of Allah"? 2. How is the door on prophethood and messengership closed? 3. Why has the titles of this world been negated? 4. Explain what is meant by the phrase Allah appeared in the Person of Master Fard Muhammad? 5. What is meant by deny yourself and pick up your cross? Have you been able to do this? How and Why? 6. How do we become strengthened to endure trials? 7. In the midst of all the wars and chaos currently happening, how can peace be obtained? 8. In terms of Black people, why has Allah given us a special and specific purpose in regards to His Will? Questions For Further Study: 1. Explain the difference between self-negation and self-denial? 2. What is the specific "Will off Allah through Jesus"? 3. Why does Allah ask our help even though He is in no need of it? 4. Give examples of how you believe Allah has tried you with fear, hunger, diminution of fruit, loss of property, loss of lives? 5. Explain and give examples of why the people of the Earth are being plagued? 6. At the time this study course was released, what was the #1 disease in America? Explain why? 7. What made it difficult for the man who spoke with Jesus regarding entering the Kingdom of Heaven to do as he was told? How does that relate to you? What has been difficult for you to give up? 8. Explain the importance of the prayer given by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Muhammad University of Islam

5 THE WILL OF GOD (PART II) A Message From The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan The National Representative of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad 46.) Moses asked that of you to a degree. He asked you not to steal; he asked you not to covet; he asked you not to lie; not to murder. He asked you to honor your Father and Mother. That is basic to righteousness. 47.) But Jesus wanted to take you a step further. In fact, he wanted to give you your degree, so that it would never be necessary for another Man of God to come to you. For you, in your own life, would be a Witness of Allah s (God s) Presence. And if Allah (God) is present in your life, in your being, manifested in your words and in your actions, then you have closed the door on Prophethood; you have closed the door on Messengership by the fact of Allah s (God s) Presence in your life. 48.) We live in that time. The man, Jesus, that came 2,000 years ago, did not come in the time of Redemption and Salvation and Healing. He came 2,000 years too soon. And So, Paul saw him as a man born out of due season. But we are at the right time now. And a man has appeared in the world to redeem Man; to reconcile Man to Allah (God); to cause us to see and hear and know the Will of Allah (God) and then inspire us to willingly submit our Will to do the Will of Allah (God). 49.) That is what that name Muslim, means. It is a big title. It is a great title. It is a most distinguishing and distinctive title that a man or woman can be given. In fact, it is better than Emperor, King, President, secretary of State, Attorney General, Governor, mayor, senator, or Congressman. You glory in these titles: Your Right Reverend Worshipful Master. You glory in these titles! But Allah (God) has come to negate those titles, because you have already negated them by not using those titles in service to the Will of Allah (God). 50.) And so, Kings are falling by the wayside today. In fact, there are just a few left and they are going soon. Presidents are being overturned. There is revolution in every house, every nation, and every government. Governors cannot govern. Mayors cannot mayor. And Worshipful Masters are not being worshipped as Master anymore. You are suffering loss. And it is grievous for you to see, because all of your righteous titles have not led you to obedience to the Will of Allah (God). So the biggest title that a man or woman could have is that I am one who has submitted my Will to do the Will of Allah (God). I am a Muslim. 51.) How can they know Allah s (God s) Will except that they have a teacher? And how could they have a teacher except that he be sent? The rulers of this world are not going to send you a teacher that will give you power or thought to go against their bidding. Pharaoh is not going to send you anybody to teach you against his bidding, even though his bidding is not right-directing. Likewise, Mr. Reagan and Company and the former Presidents of the United States are not going to send you a teacher. The rulers of this world, Black People, are not going to send you a teacher that will give you the spirit to go against their wicked direction! 52.) Allah (God) has to intervene and give you a Teacher. So, when we say that Allah appeared in the 5

6 Person of Master Fard Muhammad, we are saying that the Will of Allah (God) the Spirit of Allah (God), the Power of Allah (God) has been manifested in a man who came among us. And that man reached down into the bowels of America and raised up a man from among Black people The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and filled him with the Aim and Purpose of Allah (God), the Will of Allah (God) and asked him, Will you submit? And The Honorable Elijah Muhammad of the Black people of America said, I am the first of those who submit. My prayer, sacrifice, my life and my death, are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. 53.) You cannot say that your prayer, your sacrifice, your life and your death are all for Allah (God) then you refuse to obey Allah (God) and refuse to fight and strive in the Way of Allah (God), for the Cause of Allah (God). What is His Cause? He came to redeem Man; to reconcile Man to Himself and that means Woman, too. He came to find that which was lost. All of humanity is lost, but the Black man of America is the most lost of all human beings, crushed under the foot of the nations of the Earth. 54.) By redeeming you and me first, He gives us a test. Will you, who have been crushed under foot, help Me to reconcile the nations of the Earth, who are lost to Allah (God)? Will you help Me to restore the Earth to its pristine purity and its original beauty? Will you help Me restore Man to his original state, as Cream of the Planet Earth and God of the Universe? Will you help Me to do that? I do not need help, I can do it Myself, but I want to give you the privilege of entering into My Kingdom by asking you to willingly give up your Will. Curb your personal desire(s) to help Me put over My Desire for you. 55.) When I met the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, thirty-one (31) years ago, I was a Musician. My whole life was music; I knew nothing but my music. And thirty (30) days after I met him, he said, It s either your music or me. I am not asking you to play your music, because I don t need a Musician right now. I need someone to help me establish the Will of Allah (God). Farrakhan (I was Louis at that time), will you deny yourself? Will you then pick up the cross? It does not mean an actual cross string one around your neck, drape one over your wall or write it on the door Pick up your cross means to suffer for the sake of righteousness; to suffer for the establishment of the Will of Allah (God). This is because the Scripture teaches that when you practice the Will of Allah (God), some of you will be put in prison. Some of you will be killed for the Will of Allah (God). But are you willing to go through that for Allah s (God s) sake? 56.) The Scriptures of the Holy Qur an say that Allah will certainly try us with something of fear, hunger, diminution of fruit, loss of property and loss of lives; but give good news to those who are patient and steadfast under trial. 57.) You don t submit to Allah (God) without trial. You don t submit to Allah (God) without tribulation. But when it comes, you seek refuge in Almighty God, Allah. And in Him is your repose. And in Him is your and my Sanctuary. When we go to Almighty God, Allah, we get the strength to endure the suffering; to endure the denial and the rejection, the persecution, the evil treatment, the jail, the beatings and even the death, for the sake of Allah s (God s) Plan. 58.) I don t know about you, but I sure want to be one. I want to be one who submits to the Will 6

7 of Allah (God). Oh, you can call me National Representative or The National Spokesman or The Minister. You can call me The Supreme Minister and, if I want to run for some political office, it s Congressman. If that is what I want, that is Vanity. Because all of that is coming to a naught, in just a few minutes. I want to submit my Will to do the Will of Allah (God). I don t want to negate myself by continuing in vanity. I want to deny myself. And I am willing to suffer for the sake of the establishment of Allah s (God s) Will. So now, I am a follower of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad The Jesus of Today. 59.) My Beloved Brothers and Sisters, I am saying to you that you are being asked to submit to the Will of Allah (God). And that Will of Allah (God) is very special. It is the same as the Will of Allah (God) brought by all the Prophets. But with us, it has a special difference. It is dealing with the Resurrection of the minds of Black people, because our minds are even less than the animals. You need a new way of thinking, Black Man and Woman. 60.) And a new way of doing. Not only do you need it, humanity needs it. Who is going to teach humanity? Who is going to help them to see the correctness of the Will of Allah (God)? We must do our part. And this is the way we earn our way into the Kingdom of Allah (God). 61.) Those, of course, who do not care to submit to Allah (God), do the bidding of Pharaoh. And those who do the bidding of Pharaoh are Self-Negating. Pharaoh represents the powers of the world. Reagan? Yes. I say the Pope. Yes. The religious teachers of the world. Yes. They are all out of the way. Now, you may say, Well Farrakhan, why would you say a thing like that? Because it s the Truth. 62.) All of these religious leaders met in Rome; to pray. For what? To pray for peace. Do you think that Allah (God) heard their prayer? That s the prayer of Hypocrites. Why should you pray for that which is clearly written in your Book; that they shall seek peace, but they shall not find it. Allah (God) is going to plague the people of the Earth because of their denial of His Will. They have negated their right to exist in peace. Peace is the fruit of obedience to the Will of Allah (God). It is a Gift of Allah (God). And you want it without submitting? You want peace without obeying Allah s (God s) Command? What a fool you are! 63.) You deny Jesus and you want peace? You reject Muhammad and you want peace? You kill the Prophets in between and you want peace? There is no peace for the wicked! And there is no peace for this world. So Reagan can pray for peace. There is no peace for Mr. Reagan! There is no peace for America! There is no peace for Russia! There is no peace for the nations of the world! For you deny Allah (God). And in denying Allah (God) how can you have peace? You first must make peace with Allah (God) in order to make peace with Man. And you are denying Allah (God) when you reject obedience to His Will. 64.) So look at you. The country (America) is going to Hell on a rocketship. The rocketship (Space Shuttle Challenger) that went up into Space and blew up in a blaze is a sign to you that all of your mathematical calculations that you think will put you in orbit; that will give you perpetuity, are designed to bring you into a flaming, fiery Hell. And that is exactly what you deserve for denying the Will of Allah (God). 65.) You have negated yourself, Reagan. You have negated yourself, Government of America, because you deny Freedom, Justice, and Equality to the people in your midst. You crush the poor under your feet; the poor of America and the poor of the world. How can you have peace? There is no peace for the wicked. 7

8 4 Pray for it! Gather all of your scholars and scientists together and pray, one and all. There is no peace. 66.) The Lord has commanded us to tell you Death and Destruction shall be at your door, henceforth, now and forever until you submit. 67.) What is your Number One (#1) disease in America? Heart failure! What are you suffering from, America? Heart failure. Young men dying of heart attacks. What is your problem? Stress. Why are you stressed? High blood pressure. I m getting a stroke... Who is talking? You say, Well, I m eating too much. You have eaten too much; but Allah (God) intends to see that you eat less by giving you a Famine. Allah (God) intends to see that you don t stuff yourself. Allah (God) intends to give you a loss of appetite. The Holy Qur an says, By the time! Surely man is in loss, except those who believe and do good. You can t just believe; you must do good. And doing good means being in harmony with the Will of Allah (God). 68.) The Bible teaches that we shall see signs in the Sun, Moon, and Stars. And on Earth, the distress of nations, as men s hearts fail them with Fear because of what they see coming upon the Earth, the sea, and the waves roaring. Today, this heart failure is because you refuse to submit; you won t do Allah s (God s) Will. So Allah (God) is negating your Will. And when He negates your Will, that causes you to grieve, because you are suffering loss now. Why shouldn t you lose? You are being canceled out by the Power of a Superior Will. And that is the Will of Allah (God), coming through the Mahdi, Master Fard Muhammad, Himself. You are being negated. You cannot oppose Him and win! You will lose. And you are continuously losing because in denying the Will of Allah (God), you have negated your right to exist. 69.) Beloved, I appeal to you, Muslims and Christians, all of you, take this prayer that The Honorable Elijah Muhammad gave us and put it into practice: I seek refuge in Allah from anxiety and grief. To seek refuge means to find a shelter or protection from danger or trouble. To find shelter in anything that one can find recourse in for aid, relief, and escape. And I am telling you that there is no escape except in the God Who is negating your Will to establish His Own. He is On Time. He is Present in the world. 70.) You have anxiety, distress, or uneasiness of mind, caused by apprehension of danger and misfortune. You are in grave danger. You are going to suffer great misfortune and great anxieties because you refuse to bow to the Will of Allah (God). What about grief? Yes, you will suffer pain, mental suffering, and distress over affliction of loss. You are losing your home, you are losing your cars, you are losing you loved ones. You have lost your minds. President Reagan is not in his right mind; he has the heart of a beast today, like Nebuchadnezzar. You Will continue to suffer loss and ruin because you have negated yourself by denying the Will of Allah (God). You do not want to put forth an effort to obey Allah s (God s) Will. 71.) And so you can sit in the Mosque all day long; it doesn t make any difference, because if you will not work the Will of Allah (God), you have denied His Will. Therefore, you are sitting in the Mosque in a state of Self-Negation, not Self-Denial. You have a ruined soul. seek refuge in Allah from cowardice. And what is cowardice, but a lack of courage to face danger, difficulty, and opposition? He never promised you a rose garden. He never said the road would be easy. But if you do not have the courage to face the opposition, to face the difficulty, then you will suffer grief, fear, loss, anxiety, stress and strokes and death because you have negated your right to exist. 8

9 5 72.) I appeal to you in the name of Allah, and I appeal to you from the guidance of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad: Let us do the Will of God. Not do this selfish, I don t smoke, I don t drink, I don t fornicate, I don t commit adultery. Yes, I am a good person. Good for whom? Good for yourself? You are good for nothing! Unless you are working to change the conditions around you. You cannot change those conditions without methods; you cannot change those conditions without direction. So if you deny the direction coming from the Director The Honorable Elijah Muhammad there again is more SelfNegation. 73.) So sit up in the Church and die of Self-Negation. Because your righteousness is a filthy rag because you are not involved in the effort of redeeming yourself and others, healing the wounds of others, along with the wounds of yourself. You are not involved in that divine work. So if you are not involved in that work, then wherever you are sitting, you are negating your existence. It is so sad that you can be in the House of God, sitting in the House of Refuge. And God is destroying His Own House. 74.) The other day, the roof fell in on some church. An airplane fell out of the sky a few years ago, fell on a Pillar of Fire Church, and sent it up in smoke killing the people in it. These are signs to you, that the Church has become a mausoleum with dead men s bones in it; singing hymns of praise to vanity. 75.) You think of your righteousness, you think of your goodness, but you do nothing to make another person good. You walk by the weak and you walk by the wicked and you walk by those who hunger and thirst for a better life and you care nothing for them. You have negated your own existence because you are denying the Will of Allah (God). 76.) You are out there every day seeking to make a dollar. There is nothing wrong with making a dollar; Allah promises He will give you that. But to seek a dollar and to deny the Will of Allah (God); to seek a dollar and take the dollar to fatten your bank account; to go and buy fine homes and fine cars and will not work for the poor, work for the underprivileged, work for those who are denied Justice in the society. I think you have negated yourself. And this is why Jesus said, It would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to see the Kingdom of God. This is because a rich man is not willing to deny himself and help the poor and underprivileged. 77.) Beloved, I am appealing to you in this prayer that The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught us to say seven (7) times a day: O Allah, I seek Thy Refuge form anxiety and grief. And I seek Thy Refuge from the lack of strength and laziness. And I seek Thy refuge from being overpowered by debt and the oppression of men. O Allah, suffice Thou me with what is lawful and keep me away from what is prohibited. And with Thy Grace make me free from want of what is beside Thee. 78.) I don t want what is beside Your Will. Make me obedient to Your Will. Make me a Muslim. The Christians, say, Fix me. They don t want a position where they choose for themselves. They say, Lord, fix me. Lord, fix me. Lord, make me... What do you want to be made? I want to be made, like Jesus, to say, Not my Will be done, but Thy Will be done, in the Heavens above and the Earth beneath. And when we can say, thy Will be done and not mine and mean it, then go to work to know God s Will and then to do God s Will, we have become the Righteous. We have become a Muslim. We have come to the right path. We have come to the path of God s Divine Favour. Is this what you would like to be? If you would, then from this point on, I tell you, know God s Will and then do it. 9

10 79.) So let all Muslims, Christians, and Jews who hear this broadcast know that the Mosque, the Church, and Synagogue is no House of Refuge. There is no House of Refuge for anyone except in the Lord of the Worlds; in doing the Will of God. Do not get angry with me if we point out your failure(s) in working the Will of God. But your wickedness is working your own vanity and calling it the Will of God, so do not blame me. Blame yourself. I am just a Reminder. I am just a Warner. I am just one who comes in the name of my Father, the Sender, The Honorable Elijah Muhammad. For without Him, I would have nothing to say. Without Him, I would have no guidance to give. I come in His name as it is written, as a Comfort to you, a Warning to you, and a Reminder to you. 80.) May Allah (God) bless you, each and every one of you, to hear this Reminder and not to just take it lightly; but to make up your mind that you are going to be one of those who does the Will of God. Thank you for listening. As-Salaam Alaikum. 10