[Editor�s note: For many years, Minister Louis Farrakhan has been a voice crying in the wilderness, warning nations and leaders�religious and political�of the coming Wrath of God. In light of recent revelations in the War on Terrorism and the inflamed passions in the Middle East, we reprint a few of the words of guidance and warning from Minister Farrakhan that have appeared on these pages in hopes that the wise of this world will heed the warning. The excerpts are from a message delivered July 6, 1997; a Sept. 16, 2001 press conference; and a letter to President Bush printed in Vol. 21 No. 21, March 5, 2002.]

In the Bible, in the book of Mark, Jesus gives an interesting parable. Jesus said that a man was going into a far country and he lent his vineyard out to some husbandmen. Periodically, the man sent servants into the vineyard to check on the fruit.  Some the husbandmen beat, some they stoned. So he thought that maybe he should send his beloved son into the vineyard also. When the son came, they slew him. So the question was asked �And what will the Lord of this vineyard do when he comes?� And they answered, �He will utterly slay them.�

In one of the explanations of this parable, it said that the vineyard is the earth and the earth has been let out into the hand of wicked rulers. And these wicked rulers, spiritual and political, have not brought good fruit out of the vineyard. So Allah (God) has sent his prophets into the world to check on the fruit. And who is the fruit? It is you, it is me, it is us; and the fruit is rotten. The fruit is filled with worms. The fruit is corroded and corrupted.

What kind of husbandmen are taking care of the vineyard and allowing the fruit to rot? He sent his prophets into the world; some they beat, some they imprisoned, and some they killed outright. Where has religion been? We are in a time just as it was before the birth of Prophet Muhammad  Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH).  We had the revelation of the Torah. We had the revelation of the Gospel. But then the world sunk into deep darkness and barbarianism, as though no prophet had ever existed on the earth.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born at a time of gross darkness. Now here we are representing the light of religion. There are Muslims here, Christians are here, and maybe some Hebrews or Jews are here and other religious people. But where has religion been? If we are the spiritual guides and representatives of the prophets, the condition of our adherents bears witness against us. I would not like to say I am the leader of a group of sinners in the name of the prophet. I would not like to say I am Imam, Sheik, or Ulama over a community that has deviated from the path of Allah (God). I would like, on the Day of Judgment, for Allah (God) to say to me, �Well done, thou good and faithful servant.� But the truth is that the religious leaders of the world have become weak, impotent, non-productive of righteous fruit, and the religious leaders of the world are in danger of judgment.

In that same chapter in Mark, where Jesus gave this parable of the wicked husbandmen, a man tried to trap Jesus, saying, �Should we pay tribute to Caesar?� Knowing that this was a very hypocritical fellow, Jesus said, �Bring me a penny.� He didn�t say, bring me a dollar or a hundred dollars, just bring me a penny. He said, �Whose face is on the penny?� The man said, �Caesar.� Jesus said, �Well, render unto Caesar what is Caesar�s and unto God, what is God�s.� He was literally saying to them, Caesar�s leadership wasn�t worth the value of his face on a penny. Render unto Caesar what is Caesar�s but render unto God, what is God�s. This century of war has been Caesar�s century. And the reason that religion has been secondary is because either the religious leaders have stood back waiting for our warriors to complete the century of war, or we have been too weak and impotent to challenge political leaders when they go astray from the path of Allah (God).

After a century of war, the gladiators still have the taste for blood. They would like nothing better than to have a new conflict emerge to make use of their courage and their skills. We must join together, men and women of Allah (God), to demand that we have a free hand to be given a priority to enter a new battlefield. Not a battlefield with weapons of war, but a battlefield to attend to a crippled and spiritually diseased world. We must demand of the Caesars of this earth that they respectfully stand back. We are to respect those in authority, but if this is the century that belongs to Allah (God), then the spiritual leaders who are sincere and true must rise. And the spiritual leaders of the world must say to the Caesars of the world, we have to heal the world of wounds that politicians have made because we abandoned our responsibility. We must take the time to attend to this sick world.

Blessed are the peacemakers

The President of the United States has sat down with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, his National Security Advisors, and, indeed, a war has been planned and is being planned. While the President has sought counsel from his military advisors, I hope that he will seek counsel from spiritual men and women of this nation who have studied prophecy, especially those prophecies related to this time. I would humbly advise and implore the President of the United States that, before he takes this country into war to counsel with scriptural scientists who are among the Jews, the Christians, and the Muslims. There are those who have given their lives to the study of prophecy and can advise him so that, as we put on the armor of battle, we will put on the whole armor of God, lest we lose.

Mr. President, I plead with you that this war that you intend could trigger that war that all scientists of religion and of war have desired to escape, the war that would end all wars, the War of Armageddon. The scriptures teach that, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, this is a sign of the end of this present system of things. A horrible and escalating violence in the Middle East is a potential trigger of Armageddon; and this is why the world must be interested in peace in that area. But, there can be no peace in that area without justice and it seems as though the political people cannot bring it about, so those that are religious scientists must rise to the occasion. The children of Abraham�Muslims, Christians, and Jews�pooling the best of our knowledge of scripture, can help to solve that problem. We must be allowed to do it, lest it cause something that causes most of humanity to perish.

This that happened on September 11 could be a trigger of a war that was predicted regarding this time. The scriptures warn us that when the horror of this war begins, that if Allah (God) had not shortened these days for His Elect�s sake, no soul would be left alive on the Earth. This is what we face. We cannot march off into war, saying, �Hip, Hip, Hooray.� We have to march off into war guided by the knowledge of what this is, and if we can avert war, we should do everything we can to avert it because, �Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.�

I would appeal to the scriptural scientists among us, those of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, to be utilized by President Bush to help him understand this hour from what the prophets saw and predicted. There are some prophecies that can be beaten, and there are some mitigating circumstances that can even remove, delay, or postpone the horror of Judgment. But, this will demand guidance from Allah (God), and it will depend on the choices that we make.

Divine guidance needed

Since Adam, there has not been one person or nation with power and dominion over the whole earth. This is the awesome position that America holds by Allah�s (God�s) permission.

This indeed is a great trial for you and for America, because, when Allah (God) allows anyone of us to rule over His servants and a great part of His creation, He does so to see how we act. If we act well, He will not replace our rule; however, if we allow the power, wealth, and wisdom that we possess over Allah�s (God�s) servants and creation to blind us so that we act other than as Allah (God) would desire us to act, then, He acts through the forces of nature and through people to overturn our rule.

This is a very dangerous Hour, but, it is an Hour filled with great opportunity. What is needed in this Hour is Right or Divine Guidance. This Guidance must be in accord with the Time and what this Time demands.

It is written in the Book of Revelation, �And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.� (Chapter 11, Verse 18)

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, �We are living in the Day of Judgment.� This is what is producing the anger of the nations and the Wrath of Allah (God). This is the time that those who have been deprived of justice must receive justice, for, it is only our acting on the principle of justice that will ease the anger of the nation, and take away the Wrath of Allah (God). There can be no Justice without Truth, and, there can be no Peace in the world without Justice.

As a nation, America is blessed with wealth, wisdom, science, technology and abundance. America is also blessed with the awesome power to destroy nations of people. In order for you and America to receive the greatest of Allah�s (God�s) Blessings, which is the longevity and perpetuity that former great nations and empires have not enjoyed, you must rule according to the Will and the Way of Allah (God).

Mr. President, you and this nation stand in the position of the Vicegerent of Allah (God). (The person or nation that rules the earth in the place of Allah (God).) This is why America must rule the world as Allah (God) Himself would rule, for, she is now standing in His place by His permission.

Allah (God) also has awesome power to destroy. He is called the Possessor of Power over all things, and, He is also called The Destroyer, The Avenger. However, none of these attributes are His principle attributes. All of His attributes of might and power to avenge and destroy are balanced by His major attributes, which are Beneficence, Mercy, The Nurturer�of all things making them attain stage after stage until they reach perfection, and King or Judge�who judges with justice. These are the four greatest attributes of Allah (God).

If America is to be truly triumphant in this Hour, these four great attributes must give balance and direction to America�s awesome power to destroy and her desire to avenge the horrible act of September 11.

I heard you say that this act against America on September 11th has given purpose to your administration and that you feel that it is your mission to destroy the terrorists, their networks, those who harbor them, and, that the awesome power of America will be used toward this end. This, you hope, will be the legacy that you leave to future generations; you also hope that the children and the American people will live without the fear of such evil as we experienced on September 11th. However, within these statements are my reasons for deep concern.

You have risen to the challenge of this Hour and this Hour has given you the support of the American people and the support of most of the nations of the earth. In my humble judgment, what you see as the purpose of your administration must not hinder or blind you from seeing the possibility of an even greater purpose and potential legacy.

It is out of this desire to see you fulfill that which will give you the greatest legacy that I write to you as a humble servant appealing to a great and powerful nation and ruler. I respectfully say to you that I believe if you continue this effort in the way that you presently have in mind, it will not end terrorism, but unfortunately may increase it.