Never Helpless

One of the most heart wrenching experiences is to hear, see or know that someone you care about is in pain and you can not help them.
When a Mother hears a child cry, she finds it hard to remain seated or at a distance. We find it hard not to go to the child's aid, even though we may not be able to address the pain. When a baby is teething, they cry and are irritable. The 'Mommy' knows that the baby is teething and that it is a natural process for the good of the child. There is very little mom can do to change the fact that the child is in pain. She can only comfort the baby with medicine, teething rings or some other temporary method.

Then there are the older children who we see in pain and we can do little about. When the child becomes older and acquires a little knowledge it becomes a bit more difficult to ease their pain. Take for instance a teenager (or an adult for that matter); in order to effectively relieve their pain, they have to listen to the advice or direction that you give them. 

Who hears the messages of Allah recited to him then persists in haughtiness, as though he had not heard them. So announce to him a painful chastisement.--Holy Qu'ran 45:8.

That is where we are right now in our lives, in the Black community and sadly, that is where we are in this world. Divine Guidance of the Hon. Min. Louis Farrakhan has been rejected and we are feeling the pain of it. Only Allah's direct intervention can help us now. Recently, over the New Year's weekend, The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan gave a grim forecast for the future of our community and this world-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc3XtOZq2Eo. As he shared this truth, you could hear the pain in his voice and he said it pained him to say it.


Can we help those that we love avoid the pain? How would we help those we love avoid the pain? Do we sit by helpless? 


One of the commentators asked the Hon. Min. Farrakhan, "What can we do?", he responded by saying that we can work with those that will work with us but he did not say we can turn these negative circumstances around.


We are not helpless when we see our people and our loved ones in pain, we can give them the Good News, the Gospel from His Servant who will guide them to Allah. For it is Allah who is the Best of Helpers. 


However, when the Guidance comes, when the truth is recited to us, we cannot continue to close our ears and minds. Doing so could very well be the death of us.

One last bone for 2010

If you haven't heard there are two sisters in the south that have been incarcerated since 1996. They were involved in a robbery which 'netted' a mere $11.

The governor of Miss. (yes, one of the most notoriously racist states in the union), Gov. Haley Barbour is releasing the sisters on the condition that one give up an organ to the other who is in need.
One the surface, it's wonderful our sisters won't be incarcerated any more. However, how can you ethically mandate that she give up an organ! The release does not even address the egregious sentencing!!!

http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/National_News_2/article_7499.shtml

From this blogger's personal perspective, this release from the governor's office is a weak attempt to appease the immediate Black community of Mississippi for the death of Frederick Carter who was found hanging from a tree in a predominantly White community in Leflore county in addition to being a political move for an upcoming election (probably more toward the latter). 

We are just about at the end of accepting justice in piddly little increments. Too often when we begin to make our voices heard about injustices we are thrown a proverbial bone then our cry becomes a lull. With the sisters' release does that mean the unjust life sentence that was issued in the first place will be allowed to be meted out to another Black person who finds themselves in the justice system? Will they receive an apology for the harsh sentencing?
They caught the attention of the public but what about the hundreds possibly thousands of others who have sentences that are painfully unjust? This one dry 'bone' of justice (from the state of Miss. no less) should not lull us to sleep not even for a minute. Case in point, the headline from The Christian Science Monitor website Dec. 31 reads

"NAACP: Sisters' release makes Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour 'shining example'

Just last week, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour was in hot water over his apparent approval of the all-white Citizens Council in the 1960s. But Thursday the NAACP lauded him for suspending the life sentences of two black sisters."

SERIOUSLY!!!??? 

TO BE WITH CHILD

"I repeat: If you accept Allah (God) and follow me and if you give birth to 100 children, each of you girls and women is considered more blessed and right in the eyes of Allah (God) than those who try to kill the birth seed."--The Honorable Elijah Muhammad (How To Eat To Live, Bk I)

     Normally when we hear that phrase, the image of an expectant mother comes to mind. Not very often at all do we consider the relevance of the father's presence in a child's life. 

     In this world when we see one another and deal with one another, we don't consider the people that are behind us that really in truth make us who we are. Sometimes we may consider the husband or the wife but more often than not we don't think of the children that are behind us. Children are glimpses humanity in its purest form.

They have yet to be tainted with the harshness of the world.

     Imagine the so-called holidays, Muslim or otherwise, without children. They don't even remotely look the same without their presence. 

     Children bring joy to the experience of everything, they truly complete us. They ground us and make us remember what is important when we see them and interact with them as we struggle to fulfill their needs (materially and spiritually). 

They are Allah (God's) mercy to us. If we only understood that and truly knew that, we would cease to hear about child abductions, disappearances, molestation and abuse. 

Needless Things, Needless Words

Recently a lovely sister shared with me and others that the Hon. Min. Louis Farrakhan said in a meeting that "Every word is a creature and every creature is a treasure." That phrase is one whose depth absolutely must be plumbed!!!
If every word is a creature (and it is) then when we use the wrong words or add unnecessary words we disrupt/destroy an atmosphere and usually cause damage or create circumstances that are unnecessary.
Needless comments and quip remarks often lead to extended dialog that is truly unnecessary or creates a 'mis-communications'.
In my community there is a general order that states "Talk to no one, only in the line of duty." It is our duty to deliver the greetings of peace to one another when we meet. We are enjoined to deliver greetings of peace greater than that which was given, nothing more.
However in the world, it is customary to engage in conversations that do not add one iyat, cubit or any measure to us. This custom or habit that we have can be so injurious.
In fact, in the Holy Qur'an Zacharias was cautioned to speak to no one for three days after he was told he would be given a pure boy, the like was commanded of Mary upon learning that she would give birth to a glorious child. The commandment to be without communication (to be mindful of communication) just before a tremendous blessing is given. What is the significance of that? What does this mean?
Let's try, just for one day, to say only what is necessary to our children. Let's not say, "You need to get somewhere and sit down," or any other needless remarks we often hear or find ourselves using to communicate with them. Instead let's try, "Sit down," in a calm tone.
The Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan says in "Closing the Gap" that "The art of communication is a lost art among human beings." Just imagine if, and when, we use the right words and get the desired outcome how much closer we will be to regaining that lost art, better communication with one another and a more peaceful, cohesive existence with one another.