THE HOUSE THAT ELIJAH BUILT IS NOW DIVIDED

THE HOUSE THAT ELIJAH BUILT IS NOW DIVIDED

By Fahim A. Knight-El

I really enjoy receiving the many email correspondences that I often receive from membersof the Nation of Islam, in particular and from the various Nation of Islam factions in general. Moreover, for those who do not know, that since the death of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad in 1975, many Nation of Islam sects, schisms and splinter groups have arisen all claiming heir apparent to the teachings of messenger Elijah Muhammad and many claim to be devout followers of his mission and program; and according to them they are following the life giving teachings to the exact letter and intent pursuant to what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught in which they denote as the ‘original teachings’. They have also labeled factions such as the one led by Minister Louis Farrakhan as having deviated from what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught (I think some of Farrakhan's critics would argue that he is slowly transitioning his Nation of Islam towards Sunni Orthodox Islam and away from Muhammad’s teachings of Black Religious Nationalism). Many Nation of Islam loyalist claim this new direction as being clear evidence and proof positive of Farrakhan's revamping the Life Giving Teachings; and to them this alone serves as a distinct delineation and separation from Elijah's theology and they believe that what is being taught and advocated by the popular and charismatic Minister Louis Farrakhan is a derivation from the original teachings (I will somewhat reserve my opinion). Reference: Abdul Salaam book titled: "Is the White Man Still the Devil: The Nation of Islam, (The Honorable) Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X"

Some claim to be followers of Seventhfam (I do not know if this Nation of Islam cyberspace forum functions as a physical temple or mosque), the Coalition for the Remembrance of Honorable Elijah Muhammad (headed by Munir Muhammad out of Chicago), Lance Shabazz (this brother did a complete flip-flop—claimed to be a follower of Elijah Muhammad in New York during the late 1960s and 1970s, but he is a premier NOI archivist and a friend of my friend John Shabazz) others claim to be followers of Minister Eric Muhammad (who leads a small group of Muslims in Atlanta under the guise of Mosque # 15), others claim to be followers of Solomon Royall (the United Nations of Islam located in Kansas City, Kansas and Maryland), and even others claim to be followers of Silis Muhammad (the Lost-Found Nation of Islam headquartered in Atlanta) and yet others claim to be followers of John Muhammad (the decease brother of Elijah Muhammad), Marvin Muhammad (founder of the New Nation of Islam who calls himself the Son of Man and is from Leland, Mississippi), Levi Karim (Detroit, Michigan who publishes the "Muhammad Speaks" newspaper), etc., and there are many more. I have had discussions with them all and was not impressed with any of them. Most of these off shoot Black Muslim groups are led by ego driven hustlers and con men who are driven by the quest of materialism and all of them desire to sit in Elijah's seat and I have found all of them unqualified to sit in the master's seat.

I am not writing this piece to be disrespectful towards the work and mission of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. What I admired about Elijah Muhammad was his commitment to black people, his program spoke for itself. He worked for 44 years to raise us up as a dignified nation of people (the proof was in the puddin and he just didn't talk about doing for-self, but he built businesses and created a revival in black entrepreneurship, perhaps not seen since the movement of Marcus Mosiah Garvey). I loved the Honorable Elijah Muhammad because he never wavered and he was committed to the empowerment and upliftment of Black people, as I stated above he built businesses, schools, and trained scholars who could debate and defend his teachings, mission and program. There would not have been a Muhammad Ali, a world class boxer who after winning the 1960 gold medal in Rome as a light heavy weight and shortly after told white folk that he was renouncing his slave name Cassius Clay and renounced Christianity for Islam. If he had not heard Elijah, he would have been like any other Negro boxer out of Louisville, Kentucky (blind, deaf and dumb). The Honorable Elijah Muhammad stood Muhammad Ali up on the world stage and gave him something to say. He gave Ali the knowledge of self and kind, thus, Ali knew that the Vietnam War was an unjust war and he refused to be inducted into the United States Arm Forces and fight brown people in South-East Asia. I think many of these pretenders to Elijah’s throne are religious hustlers and pimps who have not built anything of worthwhile since Elijah's departure. I personally do not follow any of them, if I desire to know what Elijah taught, I have all his books in my library and one of my favorite books that he wrote was titled, "Message to the Blackman in America" which lays out the systematic theology of the Nation of Islam and I have all the "Supreme Wisdom" lessons in my possession. In addition, I have the powerful "Theology of Time" series that I often listen to. Elijah Muhammad did not appoint any of them as his successor and he did not even leave a Will or Trust executor over his estate and the Nation of Islam estate. He did not choose his son Imam Warith Deen Mohammed to succeed him in 1975.

This article is not being written in defense of Arabs and their brand of Islam, it was they who in the 8^th Century initiated the Tran-Saharan slave trade, which I will definitely not defend the role Islam and Muslims have played in the enslavement of African people. This automatically places me squarely in opposition to anyone advocating Sunni Islam or Shia Islam for black people because of this historical factor—their religious colonialism was about domination and perpetuating Arabism on the African continent. But as a ploy our enemies are quick to throughout the wrongs of the Arab slave makers relative to African slavery as a point of reference to minimize, demise and diminish the dehumanization affects of Chattel Slavery that was carried out by the Europeans and the lasting trauma it has had on people of African descent. I am deliberately and briefly citing the role Islam and Arabs played on the African continent as a point of contention with me. But here is the difference between people of European descent such as the former enslaved Irish; they still have land in Europe called Ireland and have a culture and tradition that connects them to a history and past in which the Irish people rally around the glorious history of their European ancestors. However, there was a big difference between what took place with the indentured Irish servants who were brought to the Caribbean in bondage than what took place with those Africans who were victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Middle Passage. 

I do not think over 100 million Irish were kidnapped and brought to the Americas as Chattel slaves in which many Africans were killed and thrown overboard on the vicious trip across the Atlantic Ocean. Chattel Slavery was based on economics and it was justified by creating a theory of black inferiority and white superiority. Moreover, its was one of the greatest crimes ever committed against humanity. Also, the African slave trade ended in the United States in 1807 meaning the importing of slaves as a commodity from Africa allegedly ended the buying and selling of slaves across international waters. The system of Chattel Slavery lasted from 1555-1865 (310), but the dehumanization process still haunts 40 to 50 million so-called American Negroes today who are victims of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome. We were robbed from the crown of our heads to base of our feet of the knowledge of self; moreover, in this process we lost our God, land, names, culture, folkway, mores, religion, etc., in fact, we lost our minds (and received no reparations for the historical damage). If an Irishman comes to the United States today, moreover, they would immediately become the recipient and benefactor of white privilege based on our system of living in a ‘pigmentocracy’ and not a democracy

Let me say this right off the back, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad did not teach Dianetics or Scientology and he definitely did not tell us to follow L. Ron Hubbard. He gave us all we needed in the realm of theology and philosophy in his series of lectures titled: "The Theology of Time"; I have not come in contact with a school of thought that has matched what he gave us and what Master Fard Muhammad gave us in the early 1930s. Many of us, including myself, were touched by the power of the life giving teachings and are students of their magnificent wisdom. The Church of Scientology, perhaps have transformed a lot of God Seeking and God fearing white people in gathering a glimpse into the understanding of God and the necessity of being spiritually rooted (all truth and knowledge belongs to the original man, even the philosophy of Scientology is a derivative of our ancient teachings). They now understand that God is man and man is God. The Messenger even stated that the white man who accepts Islam would be considered our brother in faith (Islam), but he is not your brother by nature. Life ultimately brings us all to certain conclusions and where ever we are in space and time that is where we are supposed to be. If Minister Eric Muhammad and others feels that they should challenge Minister Farrakhan's position on this issue of Dianetics and Scientology that is their right and if Minister Louis Farrakhan thinks he should take his Nation of Islam towards Scientology that is his right. I do not have to agree with it, but this is some of the reasons I left organized religion a long time ago, the in-fighting and the ego tripping. I do not follow the Nation of Islam movements closely anymore; although I had heard a few years ago that Minister Farrakhan had introduced Scientology to the members of the Nation of Islam. I do not blame him because if we were truly rooted in the life giving teachings no one could dupe us and/or mislead us into accepting something other than what our Lord and Savior has given us. The Messenger laid out his teachings in "Message to the Blackman in America" and we should be teaching the followers of L. Ron Hubbard and the Church of Scientology and not be seeking guidance from them, if we truly believe in the power of the "Supreme Wisdom Lessons" and what Elijah Muhammad taught us.

The Temple/Mosque structure is a beautiful sanctuary for learning the Life Giving Teachings as long as the officers, ministers, captains, secretaries, Lieutenants, first officers, etc., are following what Messenger Muhammad taught and are training the Fruit of Islam (FOI), the men who belongs to Islam in North America in a proper and correct manner and MGT-GCC classes are properly training the sisters, then this will eventually transition into money, good homes, and friendship in all walks of life; moreover, not only for high ranking members, but for the entire Nation of Islam. This is where Islam is embraced not as a religion, but as a way of life. There are big fields that await the wide awake man/woman and just as Master Fard Muhammad gave the Honorable Elijah Muhammad an examination (we too must pass an examination) and he was mandated to answer all of Master Fard Muhammad's questions 100% percent correctly before he could move on to said Lesson # 1. Mathematics is Islam and Islam is mathematics; meaning our way of life has to be in accord with an exact science (the program and teachings), thus, anything else would ultimately lead to a failure in our examination, which also must be rooted in the Islamic way of life. These lessons and teachings must be studied from his books (meaning the Messenger's exact words) written in: "Message to the Blackman in America," How to Eat to Live" Book 1 & book# 2, "Fall of America" "Flag of Islam" and "Our Savior Has Arrived". These are his words and we learnt much from his words. I do not need these various “Saviors” to interpret Elijah’s words for me.

I respect the life giving teachings and the program, as it was giving and taught by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. I can never deny my roots and the present path that I am on today was a direct result of being exposed to the life giving teaching, which led me to think outside the box. Many of the alternative book titles that I often cite, quote and reference on my Blog in many ways only verified what Messenger Muhammad told us in his writings titled, "The Fall of America", I believe this book was first published in 1973 or 1974. It was this foundation that led me to begin questioning things around me. The Nation of Islam scholars and ministers that I came in contact with were often well read such as: Abdul Allah Muhammad, Khallid Abdul Muhammad, Jabril Muhammad, Abdul Akbar Muhammad, Abdul Alim Muhammad, Abdul Rahman Muhammad, Tynetta Muhammad, Ava Muhammad, Abdul Khadir Muhammad, Jamil Muhammad, etc., and there were many more that assisted me in developing an alternative worldview. So I am forever in debt to the ministers and scholars of the Nation of Islam.

It was them who guided me to pick up William Cooper's book titled, "Behold the Pale Horse" and Eustace Mullins book titled, "The Secrets of the Federal Reserve". Moreover, I respect one's belief system and even if there are things that I might disagree on; people are entitled to their religious worldview and their interpretation of how they may see the present events unfolding. I personally have chosen to be a Free Thinker and do good from this realm and hopefully make a contribution towards the uplifting of Black people and humanity.

The Book titled, "Behold A Pale Horse" was written by William Cooper in 1991, he was a former high ranking Naval Intelligence officer for the United States Government. He had access to confidential classified information that was highly sensitive materials. He exposed topics ranging from captured UFO ships and Aliens, he wrote about secret concentration camps in the desert, he exposes the Hidden Hand and Elitist Dynastic Families, he decodes the Protocols of the Learnt Elders of Zion (so-called Jewish Conspiracy), he exposes the International banking families, and gives a good objective analysis on the Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission and the Bilderberg and the global Illuminati agenda. He was assassinated by U.S. Government agents and local law enforcement in November 2001, at his home in Arizona. Many classify him and his work as 'conspiracy theory', but I am a student of his works and find much of what he wrote about to be the truth. But there are two other great books titled, "The Committee of 300" written by John Coleman, and "None Dare Call it Conspiracy" authored by Gary Allen and Larry Abraham. Moreover, these are prerequisites to decoding the messages of the Unseen Hand. And for those who are interested in my reading list here is an article Link that I wrote pertaining to some of the books that I have in my personal library http://fahimknightsworld.blogspot.com/2010/04/whats-in-your-library-here-is-glimpse.html.

I think the Nation of Islam has always made an open and unapologetic appeal to black Americans relative to a shared historical and culture experience that was rooted in Chattel Slavery, white supremacy and it challenged white denial (often this plank was bold and taught without fear of the powers-that-be). Elijah Muhammad understood that in order to move black people, he had to find not only a theological reference point, but psychological methods to alleviate the historical fear factor by redefining black-manhood. So when a black person accepts Islam under the theological precepts of the Nation of Islam there is already a willingness and openness to go beyond the traditional teachings of western society. They are also exposed to a gamut of non-traditional information that eventually will force them to immediately begin to think outside the box. Elijah Muhammad often stated that my teachings could be summed up in six words, "accept your own and be yourself". They often drilled the concept of self-identity and self-reliance in which this too was rooted in the teachings of black pride. They are good at getting black people to believe in themselves—this automatically builds positive self-esteem and creates a will to getup and do something for ourselves. The Muslims put a lot of emphasis on history and they teach that the black man and black woman had a glorious history as kings and queens before the advent of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Middle Passage. They recruit a lot of their members from the prison and correctional institutions throughout America and give this sector hope and inspiration unlike any other religious order in America. They lead by example—cleanliness is taught, discipline, thriftiness, the importance of family life, etc.

They have a tight knit community where they provide shelter, food and clothing to these brothers who are exiting the penitentiaries; it is a deep sense of love and affection that is being shown to the least of these. They are able to reform drug addicts, criminals, conmen, prostitutes and pimps, etc., and turn them into law abiding productive citizens who have accepted the Black Muslim Program. Yet, this was more true thirty years ago and it is a bit stereotypical today because the Nation of Islam now attracts people from all social classes and stratum—black intellectuals, business persons, academics, college students, medical doctors, lawyers, etc., it no longer can be labeled as an organization that only attracts black dissidents. Perhaps no other recent groups and/or organizations with the exception of the late Yahwah Ben Yahweh (Hurlon Mitchell) who founded the black Hebrew Israelite group called the Nation of Yahweh have had the type of success reforming blacks than the Nation of Islam. Lastly, Dr. Malachi York-El duplicated some of the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and he enjoyed a level of success with the same sector.

Islam has to be taught by example—the people have to visually see and recognize God's presences in us as Muslims and they have to know that we are sincere about their personal salvation and most of all they have to know that we are connected to their personal struggles. They can not just see us as "big shots' wearing $2,000.00 tailored made suits and hand crafted reptile shoes and yet we own nothing when it comes to business and commerce; how can they respect us when we are still begging the white man and our ex-slave master's children for a job? Yet, we have graduated from MoreHouse College and other black educational institutions in the Atlanta University Complex and are still 21st Century slaves. First, we must truly get up and do something for ourselves, but the Lost-Found see us as Muslims who claim to have Supreme Wisdom, which is supposed to lead us to Supreme Understanding as faltering in our job, duty and responsibility. We have not mastered the art of acquiring food, clothing, and shelter for the masses of our people. Black people are tired of useless rhetoric which only amounts to a good hustle for those petite bourgeoisie leaders who continues to sell us that Mystery God in the sky that does not exist. The program has lost steam and black people just do not see us as their hope anymore. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught us not awaken the dead unless you have something for the dead to do. He also said my teachings can be summed up in six words "accept your own and be yourself."

Let me reiterate this again; the present day Nation of Islam has very little to offer the masses of Black people; thus, we have very little that we can call our own and possess no land that we can call our own. This is the foundation of all sovereign and civilized people. The former followers of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam from 1934-1975 made tremendous strides because they made unselfish sacrifices in which Messenger Muhammad took our pennies, nickels and dimes and built a Nation (his son Imam Warith Deen Mohammed destroyed the good works of his father and this later caused various splinter groups to arise). Those who received their Xs after 1975, in reality, aren’t made of anything (and have not built anything since Elijah made his transition in February 1975). We have nothing to lead and attract people to and therefore, the Mega Christian Churches have more to offer the Lost-Found than us who are holding our meetings in storefront mosques and temples. We do not need to reinvent the wheel or create a new template; the Messenger gave us the example relative to how he laid out the program. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad attracted committed laborers and his ministers taught day and night in the ghettos and streets across America in order to reach down to the least of these (he taught us that every fish had a coin in its mouth). They systematically put the "Muhammad Speaks" newspaper in our people hands (this organ became one of the most widely circulated newspapers in black America) and the Messenger said my best minister is the "Muhammad Speaks" and he also said my best followers are still in the streets. We are no longer on the corners, projects, college campus, etc., and dope dens proselytizing the life giving teachings (and raising our people from a dead level) and inviting them the so-called American Negro to the Life Giving Teachings. I truly miss Elijah.

Fahim A. Knight, Chief Researcher for keeping it Real Think Tank located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of goodwill, of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolism and reinterpreted the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlightened world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EI can be reached at fahimknight@ yahoo.com.

Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,

Fahim A. Knight-El