"Well, some ask, why didn�t the Honorable Elijah Muhammad�s efforts remove these evils? This question shows shallow thinking. In some other instances this kind of question, or point, reveals hypocrisy. In another article I�d like to give my views on this and back it up."

I began my response at the end of the last issue. Let�s get deeper into it.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan is one of the most honest persons I�ve ever met. For example, he would tell both the pleasant things that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad would say to him. He would also tell the things that his teacher said to him, that were unpleasant or rough on him. The spirit in which he would relate these things was exemplary.

In either case, as he has publicly and privately said, it was all good and for his benefit. Ours too. We all can learn and benefit mightily from his way of handling those experiences.

Some of this I touched in "This Is The One." Here, I want to refer to one of those very complimentary things told to him by his teacher, as it bears directly on the ending of my last article, which embraces the subject of jealousy and envy.

Well, as we�ll see, it was more than a compliment. It was a statement filled with insight into the vast capabilities Min. Farrakhan possessed of which�at that time�he was unaware.

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad would often use a situation, or something you, or another might say or do�whether brilliant or otherwise�to tell you something about yourself (of good, out of which was to come some duty or service to others) that you might not come to understand for years.

One day the Honorable Elijah Muhammad advised or corrected Min. Farrakhan on an aspect of the design of his uniform. At the collar Min. Farrakhan had placed stars around a crescent. His teacher told him to remove the other stars and have one star there as he was a star without equal.

He referred to his followers as stars. But here he spoke to Minister Farrakhan as "a star without equal." In whose eyes? His own eyes. God�s too? Of course!

He used another occasion�with others present�to say that there was no one between Min. Farrakhan and himself. I intend to expand on this. My point right here is this. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad knew he was to be given a special helper; a special Brother from among his followers to perform a unique work�among other functions�of serving as a bridge for the people to gain the right connection to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad in his exalted state.

O there is so much to say on this!

In what was to me a significant week, in May 1977, I was offered $30,000 and a brand new home if I would take the lead in rebuilding the Nation of Islam starting in Los Angeles, Calif.

This offer came from a Brother, whom I had not seen in five years. I knew him as an intense lover of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and of Black people. He explained the reasons why he and others were approaching me on this crucial matter.

He sent his letter by way of two Sisters, who were visiting Phoenix, on their own business.

I thanked them�and him in a letter�for the honor. However, I explained why I could not take up their offer.

He cussed me out. I tried to get him to see into the basis of my convictions. I tried to get him (and the others) to see that that job�of reviving the Nation of Islam�was for Min. Farrakhan to do. I would do all I could to help him, and help others to do the same, but that was his position to occupy and that was his work to do�from Allah and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

I explained that what Min. Farrakhan was going through was a major part of his preparation; he was fulfilling an important part of Allah�s plan written of in advance, in the scriptures. I guess I seemed crazy. That�s life.

We exchanged a few letters. However, I was unable to get him to agree on what I saw. Then I never heard from him again.

How do you help others to see and be sure of the reality of what you see of that which has not yet taken place? It�s hard. Allah has to directly help us in such situations.

Twenty years passed. Then, during a November 1997 meeting, in Muhammad Mosque No. 5, in Cincinnati, Ohio, under Min. Farrakhan�s leadership, I saw one of the two Sisters mentioned above. I was very happy to see her in the audience.

After the meeting she wanted to apologize. I wanted her to understand that it was not necessary and why. I really understood. I really wanted to converse with her on all of this. I don�t believe that in the nature of things she could have understood what I was trying to get them to see, in 1977.

However, I was just not in a position to share with her my views at that time at the Mosque there in Cincinnati. But, I was very happy to learn that she was with Min. Farrakhan. I hope she still is with him.

My hope is that those other Brothers and Sisters, who made the offer that they did, in May 1977, have come to see in their Brother, Min. Farrakhan, the champion of our cause, as I tried to get them to see at that time. I hope they are with him�wherever they may be.

A person could not be blessed to see Min. Farrakhan, in terms of his future, before his rise in September 1977, if he (or she) was making invidious comparisons between his (or her) self.

On the other hand, you could not be of significant help to him�or any help at all�without making some effort to estimate Min. Farrakhan�s value to Allah, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the rise of millions of Black people, in America and to humanity in general.

With reference to the above, I think it�s relevant to point to the question the Holy Qur�an asks: "What thing is weightiest in testimony?" In essence it�s the word of Allah. What can be weightier in an attempt to see Min. Farrakhan other than Allah�s word? Several times in Surah five of the Holy Qur�an we are told not to judge, estimate, etc., other than by what Allah has revealed.

Additionally, to be of real help to Min. Farrakhan we must grow up out of self-hate; self-scorn; self-mockery; the inferior mind-set, needless insecurities and low self-esteem we were plunged into during our enslavement�which we�ve perpetuated since. Min. Farrakhan�s study guides contain keys to this growth.

In Vol. 19, No. 4 of this wonderful newspaper, I wrote: "Allah did not create us to be jealous nor envious. I am well aware that the Bible states that God is a jealous God. Yes, and I�ve already indicated above that there is another kind of jealousy that is positive, within limits. One place in the Bible even refers to a godly jealousy. To get into this here is too much of a digression. So I�ll hope to also take this up next issue, Allah willing."

More next issue as we get much deeper into the origins of jealousy and envy and to "Godly jealousy."

We�ll look at a brilliant statement Min. Farrakhan made about why we find it so hard to accept criticism; even when it is 1,000 percent for us. We�ll also look at how the evil emotions of jealousy and envy relate to the prophesied flood and the war written of in Revelation 12.