STUDY GUIDE 1
MIXED FEELINGS AND
CONTROVERSY, HOW DO WE HANDLE
IT?
READING MATERIAL
Holy Qur'an
7:59-141
Self-Improvement
Paragraphs 1-3
FACTS
Both the Holy Qur'an and the
Bible place great emphasis upon
the lives of the prophets of
Allah (God) and the mixed
feelings and controversy
surrounding them and their
message. Both books make
consistent reference to the
chiefs or leaders of the people
and their attitude toward the
prophets.
DISCUSSION
Supplement
1) Let us focus
upon the views of the
chiefs/leaders of the people
concerning some of the prophets:
Noah, Hud, Salih, Lot, Shu'aib,
Moses and Jesus.
The Holy Qur'an mentions
prophets that are not named in
the Bible and the Bible mentions
prophets that are not named in
the Holy Qur'an. Some prophets,
such as Moses and Jesus, are
named in both books. The Holy
Qur'an teaches us, "And (We
sent) messengers We have
mentioned to thee before and
messengers We have not mentioned
to thee ..." 4:1 64
The prophets who are mentioned
in the Holy Qur'an are named
because they have a specific
bearing on the life of Muhammad
and his life touches an aspect
of all of their lives.
Consequently, to know the lives
of the prophets is to know
Muhammad and to know what we
will face as followers of
Muhammad.
What did the leaders think of
their prophets? What did they
say of them? What action did
they take concerning them?
Supplement
2) How did the
view of the leaders affect the
view of others? How did the view
of the leaders affect the view
of the followers of the
prophets?
Supplement
3) Who were
those who had a proper view of
the prophet? Why did they have a
proper view? What is the
significance of the Qur'anic
references to the attitudes of
the opponents of the prophets
with such adjectives as blind,
arrogant, haughty, guilty,
transgressors, mischief-makers,
etc.?
Supplement
Mixed
Feelings and Controversy, How do
we handle it? - Page 1
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4)
Let us look at the prophet
himself. What effect did the
attitude of the leadership in
power have on him? What emotion
did he experience on receiving
his call from Allah (God)? How
was he affected by the
overwhelming power of the
opponents of his message? How
did he deal with opposition?
With being despised and
rejected?
Supplement
5) How was the
Honorable Elijah Muhammad
received by the chiefs/leaders?
How did their views affect the
people? How did he handle the
way he was received?
Supplement
6) How is
Minister Farrakhan being
received today? How does the
view of the chiefs/leaders
affect the people? How does it
affect you? How does Minister
Farrakhan handle the mixed
feelings and controversy
surrounding him and his message?
Supplement
7) How do you
handle mixed feelings and
controversy surrounding your
belief, when it is directed at
you? By what method or process
will you produce a change in
others?
Supplement
8) Give an
example of mixed feelings or
controversy surrounding
yourself. How did you handle it?
Looking back, how could you have
done it better?
SUPPLEMENT
1) What the
leaders thought of the prophets,
what they said of them and the
actions they took concerning
them are to be extracted
directly from the Scriptures.
2) A definition
of "View": Manner of looking at
things; opinion; judgment;
belief; power of seeing; range
of vision.
Persecution manifests weakness
in people. Go to the scriptures
to demonstrate that the view of
the opponents prevailed over the
people. Noah, Lot, Hud, Salih,
were unable to convert a
significant number of people.
It is through affecting the view
of the follower of the prophet
that the opponent of the prophet
is able to inject his own
thinking into the midst of the
prophets' followers. When a
believer can be made to doubt,
to entertain evil thoughts about
the prophet, to ultimately
disbelieve, yet remain in the
ranks, then a hypocrite has been
produced in the midst of the
followers.
Mixed
Feelings and Controversy, How do
we handle it? - Page 2
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3)
Those who had a proper view of
the prophet are called
"Believers." What distinguishes
the Believer from the opponents
of the prophet?
The answer lies in the review of
the Qur'anic descriptions of the
attitudes of the opponents.
What is the relationship of
"arrogance" "haughtiness", to
"blindness"? Noah's people are
called "blind". What attitude
did they possess that rendered
them blind?
Here is an excerpt from THE WILL
OF GOD (PART 1) to guide
analysis of the attitude of the
opponents:
Attitude is the manner, the
disposition, the feeling, the
position, with which we regard a
thing. It is a tendency or
orientation, especially of the
Mind. Think of these words. It
is a tendency or orientation of
the Mind. In fact, Attitude can
give you -- or damage --- your
ability to perceive reality...
Vanity is excessive pride in
one's appearance, one's
qualities, one's abilities and
one's achievements. It is
Conceit. Vanity can lead to
Arrogance. And of course,
anything that is done with the
spirit of conceit lacks real
value. Pride is a high or
inordinate opinion of one's own
dignity, importance, merit or
superiority ... we become
Blinded by Pride, to the Will of
God.
In the discussion, we want to
bring out the fact that
arrogance, pride, haughtiness,
etc. are states of mind which
lead to blindness, or the
inability to see the truth of
the message the prophet brings
from Allah (God).
Since Arrogance led the
opponents of the prophets to
blindness and resulted in their
becoming transgressors and
mischief-makers, the converse is
true. That is, the Attitude of
those who had a proper view, the
Believers, had to be the
opposite of Pride, which is
Humility.
The Holy Qur'an teaches that you
will know the -righteous; they
walk the earth in Humbleness.
Another excerpt from THE WILL OF
GOD:
... So Humility is the state of
mind that each one of us must be
in, in order for God to continue
His Plan of exaltation for any
of us ... Jesus said, 'Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
"Now, no man that is poor is
blessed. I want you to get out
of it, that your poverty is a
blessing...But God is going to
give you someone that will give
you all that you have been
deprived of that has made you
poor..."
Mixed Feelings
and Controversy, How do we
handle it? - Page 3
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The poor man is
humble; he is open to a message,
a word of hope, for he is
searching for the light to bring
him up out of his condition. He
is receptive to the prophet or
messenger. He is joyful to hear
the message.
Jesus said come as a little
child. The child is open to be
taught, open to instruction,
open to correction. The child
knows he is vulnerable and in
need and is happy to receive
guidance and help.
A definition of "humble": "Lowly
in condition; unpretending;
submissive, meek."
4) We are
looking at the development of
the prophets.
The first emotion we experience
at birth is Fear. The first
emotion the prophet feels on
being called is Fear. But the
prophet does not remain afraid
very long. Allah gives him
assurances that there is a Power
with him infinitely greater than
the powers opposing him. He
gives comfort and encouragement
to the prophet when no one else
can, strengthening His servant
in the knowledge that "There is
no God but Allah".
Because of his great love for
his people, the prophet
experiences grief, sometimes
despair, over their rejection of
the message, for he knows that
their destruction is inevitable
unless they accept the Truth.
Allah relieves him of his pain
and sorrow, brings him out of
his depression.
The prophet deals with
opposition, rejection, by
seeking refuge in his Lord, in
Allah (God). He is refreshed and
rejuvenated by his communication
with the God and he stands firm,
resolute, in the face of
opposition and rejection.
5) Clearly, the
Honorable Elijah Muhammad was
received with bitterness,
hostility and vehement
opposition. The attitude of the
opponents did affect people
greatly.
He would always say, "Flee to
Allah" and he practiced what he
preached. He always sought
refuge in Allah. He did not go
to the bottle, to drugs, to the
things of the world to escape
his pain; he drew comfort from
the only True Source of Comfort
there is: Allah (God).
6) Analyze the
reaction of the Jews, the
government, the Negro
leadership, etc. to Minister
Farrakhan. This must have some
effect on those of us who say we
are with him. The study group
should be asked whether they
have encountered opposition from
family, friends, people they
respect, who tell them they are
fools, mad, in error, etc.
because they are with the
Minister. In fact, they say the
very same things that were said
to the prophets.
Mixed Feelings
and Controversy, How do we
handle it? - Page 4
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Minister
Farrakhan is dealing with the
mixed controversy around him the
same way the Honorable Elijah
Muhammad did. He seeks refuge in
Allah. How else could he
withstand the pressure, were
there not an infinitely greater
Power with him than the powers
that are against him?
7) What we want
to do here is arrive at the
conclusion that the way to
produce a change in people is by
setting an example. You cannot
change people by force. You
cannot change people simply by
talking. You must be a living
example of the principles you
enunciate, if you truly want to
produce a change in the thinking
of our people.
8) The study
group coordinator should be
first to give an example. Choose
a situation where you mishandled
the situation as a follower of
the Honorable Elijah Muhammad,
under Minister Louis Farrakhan,
with the intention of handling
the situation properly, but you
failed because of the manner in
which you dealt with the
situation. Then briefly explain
how in retrospect you see where
you could have done it better.
Then have the members of the
group give examples.
Holy Qur'an
SECTION 8:Noah
59 Certainly We sent Noah to
his people, so he said my
people, serve Allah, you have no
god other than Him. Indeed I
fear for you the chastisement of
a grievous day.
60 The chiefs of his people
said: Surely we see thee in
clear error.
61 He said my people, there
is no error in me, but I am a
messenger from the Lord of the
worlds.
62 I deliver to you the
messages of my Lord, and I offer
you good advice, and I know from
Allah what you know not.
63 Do you wonder that a
reminder has come to you from
your Lord through a man from
among you, that he may warn you
and that you may guard against
evil, and that mercy may be
shown to you?
64 But they called him a
liar, so We delivered him and
those with him in the ark, and
We drowned those who rejected
Our messages. Surely they were a
blind people!
SECTION 9:Hud
65 And to ‘Ad a (We sent)
their
brother Hud. He said my people,
serve Allah, you have no god
other than Him. Will you not
then guard against evil?
66 The chiefs of those who
disbelieved from among his
people said: Certainly we see
thee in folly, and we certainly
think thee to be of the liars.
67 He said my people, there
is no folly in me, but I am a
messenger of the Lord of the
worlds.
68 I deliver to you the
messages of my Lord and I am a
faithful adviser to you.
69 Do you wonder that a
reminder has come to you from
your Lord through a man from
among you that he may warn you?
And remember when He made you
successors after Noah’s people a
and increased you in excellence
of make. So remember the
bounties of Allah, that you may
be successful.
70 They said: Hast thou come
to us that we may serve Allah
alone, and give up that which
our fathers used to serve? Then
bring to us what thou
threatenest us with, if thou art
of the truthful.
71 He said: Indeed
uncleanness and wrath from your
Lord have lighted upon you. Do
you dispute with me about names
which you and your fathers have
named? Allah has not sent any
authority for them. Wait, then;
I too with you am of those who
wait.
72 So We delivered him and
those with him by mercy from Us,
and We cut off the roots of
those who rejected Our messages
and were not believers.
SECTION 10:Salih and Lot
73 And to Thamud a (We
sent)their brother Salih. He
said my people, serve Allah, you
have no god other than Him.
Clear proof has indeed come to
you from your Lord. This is
Allah’s she-camel —a sign for
you —so leave her alone to
pasture in Allah’s earth, and do
her no harm, lest painful
chastisement overtake you.
74 And remember when He made
you successors after ‘Ad and
settled you in the land —you
make mansions on its plains and
hew out houses in the mountains.
So remember Allah’s bounties and
act not corruptly in the land,
making mischief.
75 The arrogant chiefs of his
people said to those who were
weak, to those who believed from
among them: Do you know
that Salih is one
sent by his Lord? They said:
Surely we are believers in that
wherewith he has been sent.
76 Those who were haughty
said: Surely we are disbelievers
in that which you believe.
77 Then they hamstrung the
she-camel and revolted against
their Lord's commandment, and
said; O Salih, bring us that
with which thou threatenest us,
if thou art of the messengers.
78 So the earthquake seized
them, and they were motionless
bodies in their abodes.
79 So he turned away from
them and said: O my people, I
delivered to you the message of
my Lord and gave you good
advice, but you love not good
advisers.
80 And (We sent)Lot, when he
said to his people: Do you
commit an abomination which no
one in the world did before you?
81 Surely you come to males
with lust instead of females.
Nay, you are a people exceeding
bounds.
82 And the answer of his
people was no other than that
they said: Turn them out of your
town; surely they are a people
who aspire to purity!
83 So We delivered him and
his followers, except his wife
—she was of those who remained
behind.
84 And We rained upon them a
rain. See, then, what was the
end of the guilty!
SECTION 11:Shu‘aib
85 And to Midian (We sent)
their brother Shu’aib. e said: O
my people, serve Allah, you have
no god other than Him. Clear
proof indeed has come to you
from your Lord, so give full
measure and weight and diminish
not to men their things, and
make not mischief in the land
after its reform. This is better
for you, if you are believers.
86 And lie not in wait on
every road, threatening and
turning away from Allah’s way
him who believes in Him and
seeking to make it crooked. And
remember when you were few, then
He multiplied you, and see what
was the end of the
mischief-makers!
87 And if there is a party of
you who believe in that
wherewith I am sent and another
party who believe not, then wait
patiently till Allah judges
between us; and He is the Best
of Judges.
Part 9
88 The arrogant chiefs of his
people said: We will certainly
turn thee out, O Shu‘aib, and
those who believe with thee from
our town, or you shall come back
to our religion. He said: Even
though we dislike (it)?
89 Indeed we should have
forged a lie against Allah, if
we go back to your religion
after Allah has delivered us
from it. And it is not for us to
go back to it, unless Allah our
Lord please. Our Lord
comprehends all things in His
knowledge. In Allah do we trust.
Our Lord, decide between us and
our people with truth, and Thou
art the Best of Deciders.
90 And the chiefs of his
people, who disbelieved, said:
If you follow Shu‘aib, you are
surely losers.
91 So the earthquake overtook
them, and they were motionless
bodies in their abode a —
92 Those who called Shu‘aib a
liar were as though they had
never dwelt therein —those who
called Shu‘aib a liar, they were
the losers.
93 So he turned away from
them and said: O my people,
indeed I delivered to you the
messages of my Lord and I gave
you good advice; how, then,
should I be sorry for a
disbelieving people?
SECTION 12:Makkans
warned of Punishment
94 And We did not send a
prophet to a town but We seized
its people with distress and
affliction that they might
humble themselves.
95 Then We changed the evil
for good, till they became
affluent and said: Distress and
happiness did indeed touch our
fathers. So We took them by
surprise while they perceived
not.
96 And if the people of the
towns had believed and kept
their duty, We would certainly
have opened for them blessings
from the heavens and the earth.
But they rejected, so We seized
them for what they earned.
97 Are the people of the
towns, then, secure from Our
punishment coming to them by
night while they sleep?
98 Or, are the people of the
towns secure from Our punishment
coming to them in the morning
while they play?
99 Are they secure from
Allah’s plan? But none feels
secure from Allah’s plan except
the people who perish.
SECTION 13:Moses sent to
Pharaoh with signs
100 Is it not clear to those
who inherit the earth after its
(former) residents that, if We
please, We would afflict them
for their sins, and seal their
hearts so they would not hear?
101 Such were the towns some
of whose news We have related to
thee
And certainly their messengers
came to them with clear
arguments, but they would not
believe what they had rejected
before. Thus does Allah seal the
hearts of the disbelievers.
102 And We found not in most
of them (faithfulness to)
covenant; and We found most of
them to be transgressors.
103 Then, after them, We sent
Moses with Our messages to
Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they
disbelieved them. See, then,
what was the end of the
mischief-makers!
104 And Moses said: O
Pharaoh, surely I am a messenger
from the Lord of the worlds,
105 Worthy of not saying
anything about Allah except the
truth. I have come to you indeed
with clear proof from your Lord,
so let the Children of Israel go
with me.
106 He said: If thou hast
come with a sign, produce it, if
thou art truthful.
107 So he threw his rod, then
lo! it was a serpent manifest.
108 And he drew forth his
hand, and lo! it was white to
the beholders.
SECTION 14:Pharaoh
summons Enchanters
109 The chiefs of Pharaoh’s
people said: Surely this is a
skilful enchanter!
110 He intends to turn you
out of your land. What do you
advise?
111 They said: Put him off
and his brother, and send
summoners into the cities,
112 To bring to thee every
skilful enchanter.
113 And the enchanters came
to Pharaoh, saying: We must
surely have a reward if we
prevail.
114 He said: Yes, and you
shall certainly be of those who
are near (to me).
115 They said: O Moses, wilt
thou cast, or shall we (be the
first to) cast?
116 He said: Cast. So when
they cast, they deceived the
people’s eyes and overawed them,
and they produced a mighty
enchantment.
117 And We revealed to Moses:
Cast thy rod. Then lo! it
swallowed up their lies.
118 So the truth was
established, and that which they
did became null.
119 There they were
vanquished, and they went back
abased.
120 And the enchanters fell
down prostrate —
121 They said: We believe in
the Lord of the worlds,
122 The Lord of Moses and
Aaron.
123 Pharaoh said: You believe
in Him before I give you
permission! Surely this is a
plot which you have plotted in
the city, to turn out of it its
people, but you shall know!
124 I shall certainly cut off
your hands and your feet on
opposite sides, then I shall
crucify you all together!
125 They said: Surely to our
Lord do we return.
126 And thou takest revenge
on us only because we believed
in the messages of our Lord when
they came to us. Our Lord, pour
out on us patience and cause us
to die in submission (to Thee)!
SECTION 15:Israelites’
Persecution continues
127 And the chiefs of
Pharaoh’s people said: Wilt thou
leave Moses and his people to
make mischief in the land and
forsake thee and thy gods? He
said: We will slay their sons
and spare their women, and
surely we are dominant over
them.
128 Moses said to his people:
Ask help from Allah and be
patient. Surely the land is
Allah’s —He gives it for an
inheritance to such of His
servants as He pleases. And the
end is for those who keep their
duty.
129 They said: We were
persecuted before thou camest to
us and since thou hast come to
us. He said: It may be that your
Lord will destroy your enemy and
make you rulers in the land,
then He will see how you act.
SECTION 16:Moses shows
more Signs
130 And certainly We overtook
Pharaoh’s people with droughts
and diminution of fruits that
they might be mindful.
131 But when good befell them
they said: This is due to us.
And when evil afflicted them,
they attributed it to the
ill-luck of Moses and those with
him. Surely their evil fortune
is only from Allah, but most of
them know not.
132 And they said: Whatever
sign thou mayest bring to us to
charm us therewith —we shall not
believe in thee.
133 So We sent upon them
widespread death, and the
locusts and the lice and the
frogs and the blood —clear
signs. But they behaved
haughtily and they were a guilty
people.
134 And when the plague a
fell upon them, they said: O
Moses, pray for us to thy Lord
as He has made promise with
thee. If thou remove the plague
from us, we will certainly
believe in thee and will let the
Children of Israel go with thee.
135 But when We removed the
plague from them till a term
which they should attain, lo!
they broke (their promise).
136 So We exacted retribution
from them and drowned them in
the sea, because they rejected
Our signs and were heedless of
them.
137 And We made the people
who were deemed weak to inherit
the eastern lands and the
western ones which We had
blessed. And the good word of
thy Lord was fulfilled in the
Children of Israel —because of
their patience. And We destroyed
what Pharaoh and his people had
wrought and what they had built.
138 And We took the Children
of Israel across the sea. Then
they came to a people who were
devoted to their idols. They
said: O Moses, make for us a god
as they have gods. He said:
Surely you are an ignorant
people!
139 (As to) these, that
wherein they are engaged shall
be destroyed and that which they
do is vain.
140 He said: Shall I seek for
you a god other than Allah,
while He has made you excel
(all) created things?
141 And when We delivered you
from Pharaoh’s people, who
subjected you to severe torment,
killing your sons and sparing
your women. And therein was a
great trial from your Lord.
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Self-Improvement
I want to say that I am very
happy and honored to have this
opportunity to be here in
Phoenix, Arizona tonight. And I
want to thank all who made this
evening possible. To Brother
Jabril Muhammad and the
Believers in Mosque No. 32, here
in Phoenix; to all of the
friends and well-wishers; to the
Chicano and American Indian
Brothers and Sisters who
welcomed me here; to the
distinguished pastors; to the
members of the Black religious
community; I am very, grateful
--- to the staff of the Plaza
Symphony Hall; to the Police
Chief and all of those who
helped to make this evening a
peaceful evening; we thank you
from depths of our heart. Thank
you, very very much.
I would also like to thank
Minister Don and Sister Tynetta
Muhammad and all of those who
spoke kindly of me and welcomed
me to this beautiful city. I am
very honored to come here. I am
very honored to choose such a
city in which to live and do the
work of the Honorable Elijah
Muhammad.
Mixed feelings and controversy
surrounded the Honorable Elijah
Muhammad when he first moved to
Phoenix. Likewise, those mixed
feelings surround Brother
Farrakhan in my coming into this
area. These mixed feelings of
apprehension and fear and love
and hope come because the man
and his message is understood by
many in the Black community, but
misunderstood and purposely
misrepresented by those in other
communities and this is what
creates such controversy around
myself -- my person --- and the
message that I represent. But, I
am so grateful to Almighty God
that all of you are here tonight
to listen for yourselves; to
make a judgment for yourselves.
I think that is the most
intelligent posture that we
should hold.
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