The Debate Over the Interview of Min. Farrakhan in Muslim Journal

January 1, 2009

While you all certainly have the right to a rebuttal, those who disagree with the printing of the interview of Minister Farrakhan in the Muslim Journal, we hope you keep in mind that there is actually more at hand here than just Min. Farrakhan.

Min. Farrakhan, by his own admission, knows that his days are limited. He has already stepped down (symbolically) from the head of his own organization. What about those men and women in his organization who may be looking to see who will be accepting of them when “their leader” passes, just as our leader has passed.

Maybe an inkling of acceptance from “us” would be enough to speak volumes to them. Prophet Muhammed, after a battle where Muslim men were killed, turned around and married a Jewish woman and used his marriage to her as an opportunity to return all of the booty/property of her people to them, even after people had been killed.

Sometimes, as we stand at the top of the barrel where we have made our way out of, let us not slam down shut the cover on those who may have found a way to climb out themselves, even if they took another 30 years in doing so. Let Allah be their judge.

Recall ahadith: “There are some who act as though they are the inheritors of the hellfire, until they are an arms length from it, change their ways and enter Paradise. There are some who act as thought they are inheritors of the Paradise, until they are an arms length away from it and change their ways and enter the Hellfire.”

I think some of our sense of self-righteousness is a sin. Let not our own actions be cause to turn away from faith one seeking their way to it.

Muslim Journal has been running articles from students of Imam W. Deen Mohammed ever since his passing and still continuing, and some from prominent Imams and some from “regular” believers. Make out of Min. Farrakhan’s interview only what it is, an interview with a prominent leader, no, not “our leader.” As I indicated in the foreword to the interview, “No, we don’t need another hero.”

Perhaps the interview actually gives credence to why we don’t need another leader. All of the Imams have been and will be welcomed and have been contacted to give their perspectives on the Leadership and School of Thought of Imam W. Deen Mohammed. Imam Darnell Karim’s interview on this subject is now at Part III in this issue.

We have carried on page 4 of every Muslim Journal our support for the Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed for nearly 34 years, and since his death we have added that Muslim Journal recognizes the School of Thought/Mathhab of Imam W. Deen Mohammed on that same page.

The forward printed in the front of the interview noted that there would be disagreement with this interview, but I still feel that sometimes to shut out a thing makes it more important that what it is, no one is running away from the leadership of Imam Mohammed. I don’t expect to see Imams running to Min. Farrakhan to show them the way.

But perhaps some would have felt that “if the Muslim Journal had not blocked him,” he would have gotten a response from the Imams. Let the full picture be shown!

If Min. Farrakhan has pointed out his concerns over the cause of death of Imam Mohammed, how would our community feel if such comes to pass and then it is discovered that Min. Farrakhan made that an issue and sent it to the Muslim Journal, and the Muslim Journal “swept it under the rug?” If no one else feels that to be a credible concern, then it falls where it may.

To refer to the interview of Min. Farrakhan as “entering our houses” from the wrong door, please note that the newspaper pages are public display and not the private quarters of any one. What better place to have public discourse than on the pages of a public newspaper.

Once, Imam Mohammed said that we even make “not eating pork” to be more important than what it is, when Allah Himself permits the eating of some of it in dire straits. While we close in the walls of our own house so tight that we cannot even move freely about among ourselves, the world is moving on, without us.

Again, please do not make the interview with Minister Farrakhan out to be more than what it was, an interview with a leader who is among the few remaining leaders who came out of the House of Elijah.

I am certain our readers have the intelligence to accept what they like and dismiss what they dislike, and not tear their hair out about anything in between. Let us “teach ourselves to think.”

We do not have to be spoon fed our every thought.

by Ayesha K. Mustafaa and D. Shahid Abdul-Karim

Ayesha K. Mustafaa is the editor of Muslim Journal Newspaper. D. Shahid Abdul-Karim is the online editor and New England/Northeast U.S. for the Muslim Journal. Muslim Journal Newspaper is committed to disseminate unadulterated news to the reading public as an independent newspaper that recognizes Islam as a Promoter of Freedom, Justice, and Equality.

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Written by nashid · Filed Under Africans in America

Comments

475Comments2009-01-01+14%3A30%3A00nashid to “The Debate Over the Interview of Min. Farrakhan in Muslim Journal”

Robert_Saeed on January 6th, 2009 3:24 am

You speak as if Allah is not in charge of our affairs whether one is in the Nation of Islam or practicing Al-Islam.. Iman W. D. Mohammed and Minster Farrakhan in spite of their ssubstantive public differences kept their followers from shedding each others blood as is being done in the so called world of Al-Islam in the East and the old Nation of Islam. Public discourse and transparency are paramount to bringing us all from darkness to light. Congratulations to the Muslim Journal for the interview with Minister Farrakhan. May Allah bless the good works of Iman W.D. Mohammed to outlive the myopic and shortsightedness of those who claim to follow him. May the Nation of Islam grow to its full potential and beyond and help all of humanity find pleasure with Allah.
Malik Rahim on January 6th, 2009 8:19 am

I thank the Muslim Journal for the interview with Minister Farrakhan. This controversy is truly baffling when Minister Farrakhan has done so much for the Islamic world in and outside the country. While many of these criticizing Imams write editorials from behind their desks, Minister Farrakhan has been the only one who has been taking the message of Islam to the streets to reform people. And so has his followers.

I think there needs to be more humility and just take a moment to look at Minister Farrakhan's track record with the people. Allah (SWT) says in the Quran that He does not guide the disbeliever and that He knows best where to place His message. Look at the man's work.

I humbly submit that Minister Farrakhan is the embodiment of the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH)
Brother Mustafaa on January 7th, 2009 4:38 am

In the Name of ALLAH, the Beneficent, the Merciful

As-Salaam Alaikum

I pray that the Muslim followers of the so-called Al-Islam will grow to recognize the value of Master Fard Muhammad and The Hon. Elijah Muhammad in the progression of the of the Islamic message. I love both Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) and The Hon. Elijah Muhammad and make no distinction between the two.

Minister Farrakhan plays a siginificant role in helping the harmony or balance of dealing with the two aforementioned men.

Brother Mustafaa
http://brothermustafaa.com
nashid on January 9th, 2009 7:44 am

Peace be unto you Mr.Lee X Slave.

The open defiance of the followers of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad under the guidance of the Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan is no secret and is known worldwide.

It is a defiance that pop culture enjoys. It seems, so does the N.O.I.

But the first pillar of Islam give no legitimacy to believing that Allah came in the person of Fard Muhammed as those under the guidance of the Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan profess and defend.

The N.O.I.'s concept of Fard Muhammad does not uphold the pillars of Islam but instead causes them to crumble. For that concept to be true, Al-Islam's foremost universal principle has to be taken down quite a few notches. Under the guidance of the Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan, god at one point in time, was a human being, a white man, and he and those under his guidance have pictures to prove it.

Engage the purveyors of alcohol and pork and wannabe Arab Negroes with the Qur'an and the Prophet's sunnah and you'll find them responding and even changing with time.

But that would require scrutinizing their behavior and testing their allegiance to certain criteria that they also profess. If they say they are Muslims, then the criteria is clear.

"We do not force Our beliefs onto anyone, We simply believe what We believe, if We are in error Allah the Glorious the most High will be Our Judge not some student of a student."

How absurd. While we cannot force our beliefs on anyone, as humans we are required to make judgments. That is how we fail or make progress.

Allah Alone is the Granter of respite. It is His power only. Iblis requested respite from Allah to prove his worthiness to rule. Even though Iblis said "Lord the power to grant respite is Yours alone". I know it is Allah's power alone to grant that respite to Iblis. I know this.

But I still curse his ass.

In time, the Fard Muhammad concept of being god in person will change and will be abandoned. Just like the other thought to be intractable principles of the N.O.I. have changed.

Afterwards, all will hear, "All Praise is due to Allah".

I bear witness : Allah, He is One. Allah is Eternal. He did not give birth to a child, And He was not born of a parent, And there is nothing existing like Him.

Now that is real defiance.

Peace
Mr. Lee X Slave on January 9th, 2009 8:56 am

We the Muslims followers of The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, under the Divine Guidance of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, stand with the rest of the Student s of Allah in honoring and Up holding the Pillars of Islam. We however feel that We do not have to take a test or show some allegiance to all these Muslim or Islamic Thought Police. Who by the way prostrate every Friday or Jummah, with purveyors of Pork and Alcohol, in the Black Community and through out this wickedly great nation of Ours, I guess this is okay since they are "Real Muslims"= Arabs and most Immigrant Muslims, the wanna be Arab negro does not say a mumbling word to their religious massa's. I am not trying to be mean, but We do not force Our beliefs onto anyone, We simply believe what We believe, if We are in error Allah the Glorious the most High will be Our Judge not some student of a student.
lucille on January 29th, 2009 5:16 pm

Does anyone have access to the article so that I can see what all the hoopla is about?
nashid on January 30th, 2009 1:59 pm

lucille – you can find the article here: http://www.athreedayjourney.com/africans-in-america/than...target=”_blank”>http://www.athreedayjourney.com/africans-in-ameri...
nashid on January 30th, 2009 3:18 pm

lucille – The original article is found in the Muslim Journal only.
RaiulBaztepo on March 28th, 2009 8:28 pm

Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo
William A Barrett on June 5th, 2009 5:42 pm

Enter text right here!As-Salaamu-Alaykum, It was an excellent decision of Imaam W.D.MOHAMMED in choosing a woman AYESHA K MUSTAFAA aseditor of Muslim Journal news paper, with a dedicated, committed staff.The interview with minister Farrakhan whom also is dedicated.as a student to his teacher,Honourable Elijah Mohammed was good.He has the right to express his thoughts.The students of Imaam W D MOHAMMED received his statement that to remake the world for peace we must first remake the mind(thinking)In-Al Quraan Surah(chapter)2-Ayat(verse)256,itreads ''Let there be no compulsion in religion,truth stands out clear from error,ect. Jaza-ka-llah.As-Salaamu-Alaykum.