Minister Louis Farrakhan

The Relationship Between Spiritual and Political Leadership

By The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan | Last updated: Oct 29, 2018 - 10:35:02 PM

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[Editor’s note: The following article is based on excerpts from an address delivered by Minister Farrakhan at the Shrine of the Black Madonna of the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church in Detroit, Michigan, on November 6, 2005. To order message on CD/DVD, visit store.finalcall.com or call 1.866.602.1230 ext. 200.] 

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful. 

It is difficult to follow in the footsteps of a founder, because the founder is usually a charismatic human being through whom an idea is espoused that is bigger than the person who espouses it. The people, in their childlike way, are always attracted to the physical persona of a revolutionary who brings a revolutionary idea. When Allah (God) says to that revolutionary, “Your work is done,” the people feel a sense of loss or emptiness, due to their immaturity. They do not understand that their leader was not a haircut, a color, or a good-looking person. Their leader was the embodiment of an idea. 

This is the way it was when Jesus went to the Father. The disciples felt lost, but Jesus was very wise in the way he taught them. Jesus said to them, “It is expedient for you that I go away.” It was necessary for the followers that their leader goes, so that the people who were addicted to personality could come to grips with the principles that made their leader who he was. If we are mature enough that we are not addicted to personality, then we are able to see the founder through our leaders, and realize that the founder has never been absent from us. 

Some of the disciples of Jesus wanted to see the Father, and they asked Jesus, “Can’t we see Him?” Jesus answered, “Have I not been among you this long and you have not seen Him? I and my Father are one. When you see me, you see the Father, for I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” When you look beyond the person and body of the founder and study the principles that he taught, these principles outlive his person and body. But if you are caught up in his person and body, then you get lost when the person and body are gone. If you are caught up in principle and a leader who follows the founder adheres to those principles, then you see the founder in that leader, for he is in the founder and the founder is in him. 

It is one thing to call ourselves Christian, but it is another thing to be Christ-like. There is a huge difference between those who claim to be Christian and those who are trying to be Christ-like. It is easy to say the name of Christ, shout His praise. We get credit for saying His name and we get credit for praising Him, but we would get more credit if we attempted to follow Him. 

There is also a great difference between a government that claims Christ, but refuses to follow Him. That is why America, like the Mystery Babylon mentioned in the Book of Revelation, is a golden chalice on the outside, but has filth and abomination of every kind on the inside. Like the song goes, “America the beautiful”—yes, in its landscape, but America is very ugly in the people who live in the country. 

When we refuse to obey God, our lives are not blessed, and instead become accursed. America is a rebellious house. Whatever Allah (God) has said in the scripture that we shall not do, the world and its leaders say, “It is alright to do.” If we compare our lives to the Ten Commandments, how many of the commandments would we be found trying to obey? 

Moses brought a law, and Jesus was the fulfiller of that law. Jesus said he did not come to change the law, but to fulfill what is written in the law. The Holy Qur’an says Jesus was perfect in his obedience to God, so he is the example for us—but his Kingdom was not of this world. 

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The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan
Every one of us who wants to truly serve God has to serve the people in a righteous way. Jesus offered the yardstick by which the righteousness of nations should be measured. The disciples asked Jesus, “Master, when were you hungry and we fed you not? When were you naked and we clothed you not? When were you out of doors and we gave you not shelter? When were you sick and imprisoned and we ministered not unto you?” Jesus responded, “Inasmuch as you have not done these things to the least of these, my brethren, you have not done it also unto me.” That is the yardstick by which we measure the goodness of nation. 

Forty-five million Americans do not have any health insurance. If those who do not have any money become sick, they might not receive adequate care in America’s hospitals—but yet the leaders in this country claim Jesus Christ as their master. They are lying hypocrites. Fifteen million Americans are homeless, some living under bridges. Hurricane Katrina exposed the face of American hypocrisy, because the poor could not get out of the Gulf region and government officials did not provide a way for them. America does not think of the poor; she provides for the rich, while paying lip service to the poor. 

The scriptures say that the Judgement of Allah (God) will begin first in the House of God. Every leader will have to answer for how they led the people, how they taught them, and what kind of example they lived for them. 

In the Bible, the Book of Genesis is called the first book of Moses. Moses was a great liberator, but the first book that was revealed to him as a liberator is called, “Genesis,” which means “the birth of, the beginning of.” Genesis begins with these words: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void. Darkness was upon the face of the deep and God said, ‘Let there be light.’And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” All of this has meaning to Liberation Theology. Allah (God) created the sun and the moon; a greater light and a lesser light. One ruled the day and one ruled the night. 

Then, He created the earth and vegetation began springing up on the earth. Nothing on the earth would grow, if there were no relationship to heaven. Without the light of the sun, nothing would have its color. The seeds would never swell and burst without the light of the sun and the presence of water; not only the water that is on the earth, but also the water that is drawn up from the earth into a cloud and then is distilled back to the earth, when the cloud becomes heavier than gravitation. The winds blow the cloud over the earth, rain comes down and life comes up. This reflects the relationship between heaven and earth. 

In the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 11, verse 17 reads: “Take heed to yourselves that your heart be not deceived and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them and then the Lord’s wrath be kindled against you and He shut up the heaven that there be no rain and that the land yield not her fruit, lest she perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you.” This tells us that Allah (God) has the power to shut up heaven. When heaven is shut up, the earth dries up. 

The cities and the people in America and throughout the world are dried up. Humanity is dried up. The human being is created to be the Glory of God. Why is humanity not manifesting the Glory of God, if God is our Father? Jesus manifested the Glory of God and you claim Jesus, but you cannot manifest any power. Although Jesus said, “Greater works that I do, shall you do,” humanity is doing nothing in comparison to what he did, because there is a disconnection between heaven and earth. We walk in darkness. We are without form. We are void. We need a genesis experience, where Allah (God) intervenes and becomes a Liberator. 

In the Bible, it says that the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Allah (God) brought Moses out of water; he was found floating on a river—but the water actually represents the people. When the Spirit of God moves on the people, Allah (God) raises from the people a leader whom He will enlighten with His Glory to reconnect heaven and earth. 

In the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 65, verse 17, Allah (God) says: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth and the former things shall not be remembered nor come into mind.” This means that He will create a new heaven and a new earth. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught that the sun, moon, stars and earth are all dying, and that over billions of years, Allah (God) will create a new universe. 

“Behold,” Christ says, “I make all things new.” That means He has power to recreate the universe—but He is not talking about that. He is talking about spiritual and political leadership—a new heaven of spiritual leaders and a new earth of political leaders. 

The heavens are above the earth, so spiritual leaders should be above political leaders. If spiritual leaders are above political leaders, then the Light from God through the spiritual leaders touches the political leaders and they can bring forth the fruit of good governance. When Allah (God) sends the prophets into the world, He does not send them to bow down to the kings and rulers of the world. They respect, honor and are humble to the kings and rulers, but they always say to the king, “Thus sayeth the Lord.” 

However, religious leaders today have become comfortable and the world has gone to hell while they are comfortable. We ride in new cars, live in new houses, send our children to nice schools, but the heavens are shut up. Religious leaders are not raining down on the government. We did not shine any light on the darkened minds in high places, the people who are the principalities and the powers and rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness that exists in high places. Allah (God) has shut up the heavens because religious leaders have become vassals of the state. 

Religious leaders always need something that politicians can give them, which makes them hesitate to criticize political leaders. So, the church becomes the only place where religious leaders preach, instead of city hall, the State House and the White House. So, the White House has gone to hell. Religious leaders have only been called to the White House to give the invocations or prayers at events, which make the government look good—but the government has not made a place for the proper counsel of religious leaders. 

So, the heavens are shut up, the people are drying up and darkness has covered the earth. A man and woman of God will not fear to tell the truth to those who are in political power because that is our job. We must rain down on them the Word of God. We must shine on them the Light of His Truth and watch them blossom into the leaders that we need to serve the masses of the people.