THE NATION OF ISLAM S T U D Y C O U R S E

FRIDAY CLASS WEEK 34

BLESSED RAMADAN

Breaking Bad Habits and Making New, Good Ones

A Message From The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan

Muhammad University of Islam © 2011

2

1

This study course is designed to be done both 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 its 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 will hopefully 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 Time Frame: 30 min 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.

2

1.) Select a partner (closest to you) and study the Key Words together, through reviewing the questions and answers to master. (If done in course room or mosque/study group the time allotted is 30-45 minutes)

2.) 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.

3.) 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 Time Frame: 30 min 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.

S t u d y C o u r s e I n s t r u c t i o n s

3

1

What is an ayat in the Holy Quran? An ayat is a verse. What does Mahdi mean? Mahdi means the self-guided One who guides others to the straight path of Allah (God). What does it mean to be invincible? Invincible means to be too powerful to be defeated or overcome. What does it mean to turn? Turn means move (something) so that it is in a different position in relation to its surroundings or its previous position. It means to change or cause to change directions. What does it mean to be upright? Upright means (of a person or their behavior) strictly honorable or honest. It also means to be vertical. What does polytheist mean? Polytheist means one believes in or worships of more than one god. (poly = many/ theo = god) What does exclusive mean? Exclusive means excluding or not admitting other things. It means restricted or limited to the person, group, or area concerned. What is the jugular vein? The jugular vein is any of several large veins in the neck, carrying blood from the head and face. What does it mean to be sincere? Sincere means free from pretense or deceit; proceeding from genuine feelings; clean, pure, not falsified.

KE

Y W

OR

D C

LE

AR

IN

G

2

What is devotion? Devotion is love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. It is also prayers or religious observance. What is humility? Humility is a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness. What is a mission? A mission is an important assignment carried out for political, religious, or commercial purposes, typically involving travel. It is the vocation or calling of a religious organization to go out into the world and spread its faith. What does it mean to vie? Vie means compete eagerly with someone in order to do or achieve something; to challenge. What does remembrance mean? Remembrance means the action of remembering something. It is a thing kept or given as a reminder or in commemoration of someone. What is a reputation? A reputation is the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something.

4

1

[Editor’s note: The following article contains edited excerpts from a message delivered by the Honorable Minister

Louis Farrakhan on “The Final Call Prayer Line” during the Holy Month of Ramadan 2010.] In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful. I bear witness to The Oneness of God. I bear witness that He, and He alone, is worthy to be worshipped and praised. I bear witness that He, and He alone, is The Creator of all things, The Sender of all prophets, and The Ultimate Revealer of all truth. I bear witness that He, and He alone, holds the treasure of all that He has created. And I bear witness that He has sent into the world, and raised among every nation a messenger, prophet or warner, to guide the people to His straight path. We thank Him for His intervention in the affairs of Black people in America in the Person of Master Fard Muhammad, The Great Mahdi, Who has come among us. And by “Mahdi,” we mean “Guide,” “The Self-Guided One Who Guides.” We thank Him for coming and for raising up among us His Messenger whom the world will come to know soon as Massi, or, The Messiah: The Honorable Elijah Muhammad. I greet all of you, my dear brothers and sisters, with the greeting words of peace, we say it in the Arabic language: As-Salaam Alaikum. During this month of Ramadan, each day we are to read one-thirtieth (1/30) of the Qur’an so that by the end of Ramadan, we shall have completed the reading of the whole of the Holy Qur’an. This is a very special month of prayer and fasting and sacrifice that is prescribed by Allah to give us the discipline necessary by forsaking the things that are natural: food, water, and, sexual relations with our spouses during the daylight hours. Surely, if we can master hunger, and thirst, and the drive for sexual co-habitation throughout the hot days of August, then it will be easier for us to leave off lying and stealing, gambling, the use of drugs, or anything that is unnatural that takes us away from the pure service and worship of Allah. So this Ramadan will be the Ramadan to break bad habits, and start to making new, good ones. Breaking the grip on those things that we thought had a hold on us that we couldn’t stop. I am grateful to each and every member of the F.O.I. for their work in helping me to spread the Message of the Teaching of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad that is designed by Allah to lift the most downtrodden of the members of the Human Family: The Black man and woman of America first, because we have been put in the worst condition of any people that ever lived, so much so, that the prophet of God described us as “dead.” And as difficult as it would be for us to visit the cemetery and blast a trumpet, and cause the dead in those graves to rise up out of those graves is the difficulty of The Mission that Allah placed on the shoulders of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

B y T h e H o n o r a b l e M i n i s t e r L o u i s F a r r a k h a n

B r e a k i n g B a d H a b i t s a n d M a k i n g N e w , G o o d O n e s

5

2

The Resurrection, first, of our people, and the Resurrection, after that, of all of the members of the Human Family who have been blinded by the touch of Satan, and the falsehood that he has introduced into the world; the rebellion that he has introduced into the world, making evil fairseeming to man. We thank Allah for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and this Invincible Truth that He has given to us that begins the process of raising us up from a dead level, and standing us upright before God and Man. We are reminded in the Holy Qur’an of the faith of Abraham; and the Qur’an says that “Who forsakes the religion of Abraham but he who makes a fool of himself? And certainly we made him pure in this world, and in the Hereafter he is surely among the righteous. And when his Lord said to him, ‘Submit,’ Abraham said, ‘I submit myself to the Lord of the Worlds.’” And the same did Abraham enjoin on his sons, and so did Jacob, saying: ‘O my son, surely Allah has chosen for you this religion, so die not unless you are submitting ones.’” Abraham, the Qur’an teaches, was an “upright man,” and “he was not of the polytheists.” He was so upright, that according to both Bible and Qur’an, he is known as the “Friend of Allah.” And all of the prophets—Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace be upon them—all refer back to Abraham as their foundation of belief in One God, and the worship of The One God, and not associating any rival or partner with that One God. So the prayer that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad gave us to say as part of our morning prayer, was put together by Master Fard Muhammad taking ayats of the Qur’an, and putting them together in a prayer that sums up our condition: “Surely I have turned myself to Thee, O Allah, trying to be upright to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth and I am not of the polytheists. Surely my prayer and my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. No associate has He, and this am I commanded and I am of those who submit. “O Allah! Thou art The King, there is no God but Thee. Thou art my Lord and I am Thine servant. I have been greatly unjust to myself and I confess my faults, so grant me protection against all my faults, for none grants protection against faults but Thee, and guide me to the best of morals, for none guides to the best of morals but Thee, and turn away from me the evil and indecent morals, for none can turn away from me the

evil and indecent morals but Thee. “O Allah, Bless Muhammad and Bless the true followers of Muhammad, as Thou didst Bless Abraham and

the true followers of Abraham. Surely Thou art praised and magnified. “O Allah, make Muhammad Successful, and make the true followers of Muhammad Successful, as Thou

didst make Abraham and the true followers of Abraham Successful. Surely Thou art praised and magnified.” Prayer is that we should make Allah the exclusive object of our focus: “Surely I have turned myself to Thee, O Allah …” Well, nothing turns on its own. There’s always a power present that turns a thing; and the power that turns the Earth is the light of the sun, and The Power that turns man towards God is The Divine Essence within himself. When that Divine Essence is touched by the Word of Truth, it begins a Process of turning. And the Honorable Elijah Muhammad used the words “trying to be upright,” for the Qur’an says, “being upright.” But since we are coming up from mental, moral, spiritual, economic, social, political and mental death, we are striving; trying to be upright to Him Who originated the Heavens and the Earth. And then we declare that we are “not of the polytheists”: This is a grave sin to set up rivals and partners with Allah, so our prayer says: “… and I am not of the polytheists.” And then the worshiper is made to say from ayats of the Qur’an: “Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. No associate has He, and of this am I commanded. I am of those who submit.” To “submit to Allah” and to “obey His Messenger” is what the Qur’an consistently advises us to do through the mouth of the prophets.

6

3

No prophet said, “Worship me,” or, “Serve me.” The prophets said, “Serve Allah, your Lord and mine”; and, “Obey me,” for the prophet was the guide that gave the people revelation that would purify them, and bring them into oneness with Allah. We must remember that we have no intercessor between us and Allah. And sometimes we think that The Messenger, of course, is closer to Allah than ourselves, but Allah says in the Qur’an that He, Allah, is “closer to us than our own jugular vein.” So there is nothing that stands between the worshiper and The God Who originated the Heavens and the Earth. It is your own prayer to Allah that will help you out of your difficulty. It is your prayer, out of a sincere heart, for it is you who are the sufferer; it is I who am the sufferer. It is you and I who are petitioning God to relieve us from distress, from affliction. But remember, the Qur’an says: “And when Allah relieves us of our distress, and of our affliction, Lo! We set up other gods beside Him. Surely man is ungrateful.” Let us not fall into that category of ingratitude. When Allah pardons us, when Allah forgives us, when Allah relieves us of stress and affliction, turn to Him, celebrate His Praise, and glorify Him night and day, for surely, perfect praise of God relieves the Believer. And God loves those who praise Him! Not that He is in “need” of our love, or our praise, but when we love Him, and praise Him, that is good for our own souls, and it shows our gratitude to Him. So He loves those who praise Him, and He loves those who remember Him much. And the Qur’an says He would not love us were it not for our prayers, so it is The Remembrance of Allah that is The Greatest Force in restraining us from the doing of evil. And now I close: When Allah raised up Abraham and Ishmael, they prayed to Allah to make them “submitting ones,” make them “Muslims.” And from their offspring, Abraham prayed: “Raise up a nation submissive to Allah,” and then he said, “Show us our ways of devotion.” And many times in our reading of the Qur’an, when Allah raises His prophets and messengers, He always gives the people a way to demonstrate their devotion to Him. The Nation of Islam was raised by Master Fard Muhammad. He came to North America by Himself. He came to the worst part of Detroit called “Black Bottom, Detroit.” As the Bible teaches of this Coming of the Son of Man: “He made Himself of no reputation, and became obedient unto death,” how would we interpret such scripture? “He made Himself of no reputation.” The prophets predicted His Coming, but when He came, He never said, “Look at Me! Here I am! Do you know who I am?” He never spoke any such term. Nor should we. We should never point to ourselves as though we are “The Great One.” We should always point to Allah, for He is The Greatest of those who share in His Greatness. Master Fard Muhammad set The Example. He became “obedient to death.” Here we are, a dead people, under that which is considered death. The Working of Adam’s World of Rebellion produced death, and He came in among such people that are considered “dead.” And He came to a people that had been killed mentally and spiritually by an Enemy. And yet, He walked among us with great humility, knocking on our doors, seeking to start a conversation with us that would raise us, with knowledge, from our condition. Master Fard Muhammad: What a Great, Great Man Who came among us. He did a Great Work, He raised a great man, and He went away. And He never asked us for anything: He did a Work that bore witness of Himself—isn’t that the Best Example for us? This is why the Qur’an advises us: “Vie with one another in good works.” And let our works testify to who we are! Not saying it from our mouths, but doing it by our work.

7

4

In the Bible, Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works. And glorify our Father which art in heaven.” What is our “good work”? Our good work is to spread a Word that gives Life to our people, the same Word that gave Life to us. Our duty is to become Messengers of that Message; and learning that Message, studying that Message, and reaching into that Message that came first to the Black man and woman of America. And then learning the Universal Application of that Message, and bringing it from here to the ends of the Earth. “And show us our ways of devotion...” Allah has shown us, The Nation of Islam, our way of devotion, and that is not only to purify ourselves by the way we eat and the foods we eat, and the drinks we drink, and the prayers we say, and the righteous conduct that we strive to manifest. But to do The Good Work of bringing a Message to a people who have been destroyed for the lack of Knowledge. To those that work in The Cause of Allah: May Allah increase you in Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding and Power. And may He grant you Protection as you go forth among the people to deliver the Message. And remember Allah’s words to His messenger, as recited and recorded in the Qur’an: “O Messenger, deliver the message. And if you do it not, you have not delivered the message. But if you do it, surely I will protect you from men.” There’s always danger in delivering the Message of Allah that confronts evil, that condemns evil, that raises a people that are victims of oppression, and guides them to greatness! There’s always danger attached to that, because those who have made merchandise of the people don’t want to see the people delivered from their hands. But don’t fear. They are wicked. Fear Allah, and Allah alone! And deliver the Message! And if you do it, surely Allah will protect you from men. So I thank you for allowing me this privilege to address you. And I join you in keeping up our prayers for the sick and those afflicted. May Allah bless you, may Allah grant you His Wisdom and Protection. And may He make you successful in all that you do of good!

Ramadan Mubarak.

8

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. Why is it prescribed by Allah for us to fast and pray during the month of Ramadan?

2. What habit(s) have you decided to break during the month of Ramadan? What new and

good habits will you develop? 3. What are we required to do during the month of Ramadan? What is the purpose?

4. What is the mission of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad? How does the practice of Ramadan

help us to be better helpers in this cause and mission?

5. How does one become the “friend of Allah” like Abraham? 6. Why did all of the prophets—Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace be upon them—refer

back to Abraham? 7. Why did Master Fard Muhammad wisely construct the prayer in the manner that He did? 8. What starts the process of a human being, turning himself or herself back to Allah (God)? 9. Why did the Honorable Elijah Muhammad use the words “trying to be upright”? 10. Allah, is closer to us than our own jugular vein. Explain what this means?

11. What is meant by the Holy Qur’an when it says: “And when Allah relieves us of our distress,

and of our affliction, Lo! We set up other gods beside Him. Surely man is ungrateful?” Give an example of this and why this happens?

12. What power is developed in the human being when we are consistent in our prayers and

constant in the remembrance of Allah? 13. What lessons can we learn from Master Fard Muhammad “making Himself of no reputation?” 14. “Vie with one another in good works.” And let our works testify to who we are! Not saying it from

our mouths, but doing it by our work. What does this mean and how is it done? 15. What are the “good works” and the “duties” that we must perform? 16. Is there danger in delivering this message? How does Allah address this “danger” in the

Holy Quran?

Muhammad University of Islam © 2011 www.noi.org/gostudy