A stirring message on mastery from Min. Farrakhan

By Janiah Adams -Contributing Writer- | Last updated: Jul 17, 2018 - 1:34:52 PM

Hundreds from various states and study groups attend the National Training Conference in Oakbrook, IL. (R) Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan shared a powerful message on health, mastery and joining the Fruit of Islam during training conference.

OAK BROOK, Ill.—Hundreds flocked to this Chicago suburb to participate in the Nation of Islam’s National Training Conference. Participants, both young and old, gained training in areas of self-defense, motorcade, and other areas of security. Those present were surprised with words of enlightenment from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

After watching various martial artists demo their expansive skill set, Minister Farrakhan shared a message July 14 about health, mastery and men joining the Fruit of Islam.

“Our lessons teach us, ‘make all men and boys join the FOI,’” he said. “It didn’t say ask them. It didn’t say cajole them. It said make them. The question is, how do you make a person that may not like you, may not respect you, join something and become a part of something if they don’t really feel compelled, that you have to make them? Seeing what I saw today would make somebody, by your demonstration, want to become a part of what you are.”

Minister Farrakhan said Elijah Muhammad, his teacher, came to teach how to save and preserve the gift of life.

“He said ‘I’m like a traffic cop, standing in front of the grave slowing down our rush into the grave,’” the Minister said. “He didn’t say I stop you from entering the grave, but we sure can slow it down by learning how to eat to live, how to think in accord with right eating, how to act in accord with right eating and thinking. And when we do that, you create the most powerful force that there is. You create love.”

Minister Farrakhan, his family and participants from across the country gather during event. Photos: Haroon Rajaee

The health condition within the Black community was a subject Minister Farrakhan touched on, saying that current Black health status was unacceptable. During his lecture, he also concentrated heavily on mastery. Mastery doesn’t come easily, but it’s something that takes practice and sacrifice, explained Min. Farrakhan.

National Training Conference attracted participants from around the country

“A natural gift that all of us have to learn, how to defend this life,” he said. “But you got to put the time in, you got to discipline your body and your mind and take the pain that you must take in order to move to the next level of physical combat.”

If you can master one field, then that can show you a lot about yourself, said the Minister.

“Mastery in one field should let you know what you can master in many fields and if I am a master of what I am teaching by God’s grace, what else can I be a master of?” he asked.

The Minister also spoke on loving what God has allowed you to have.

“Here’s my concern. When we are suffering from low self-esteem, you really don’t think of yourself like you should, you can’t think of others properly,” he said. “People want to be fake, but if you can accept yourself and know that God did not make a mistake. Whatever you got, it’s your duty to maintain it, to keep it up, to keep it strong, to keep it viable.”

Participants enjoy conference and each other’s company. (R) DJ plays music.

Vendors offered goods and items for sale. (L) Conference attracted all ages.

Minister Farrakhan encouraged listeners to take weighing properly and carefully looking after self seriously. “As an FOI and as an MGT our role is to be the most beautiful where the Savior wanted to take us,” he said. “He said, I can stand on top of the mountain and say that the most beautiful nation is in the wilderness of North America. When you think properly, eat properly and weigh properly, you are absolutely a beautiful human being.”

The Minister placed great emphasis on understanding the house of God is not in a mosque or church, but the human body.

Michelle Bennett was able to listen to Minister Farrakhan speak. She was invited to the National Training seminar to be exposed to martial arts and was surprised when Minister Farrakhan appeared.

“I felt that Louis Farrakhan was very informative on keeping the body healthy along with the mind, and also in surrounding yourself with positive people and knowing that the body is the temple that God created and how important it is,” she said.

Kimberly Muhammad was in tears after the Minister’s message. She had the opportunity to shake his hand and also won first place in a competitive martial arts event the previous night.

“[His message] has inspired me to work harder,” she said. “I’m 47 years old and it’s pushing me to keep myself together. I want to live a long healthy life. I want to live right. I want to live good and I want to be a good example.”

Aaliyah Hakim, a 16-year-old who participated in the youth division of the national training, said it struck her when the Minister spoke about women.

“Something that stood out to me from the Minister’s lecture was, we are the second self of God and not man,” she said. Women can be really attached to men and often don’t understand that they should be connected and rely on God, added Ms. Hakim.

Zahalea Anderson, who’s been practicing martial arts since she was 12, thought what the Minister shared was very important. “He said some beautiful things that really came to me as far as when he was talking about the women and how we need to be working and making sure we can fend for ourselves and our family,” she said. “It was a good, good thing that he said that because it’s very important.”

Ya’eesh Muhammad, an 18-year-old from Brooklyn, said the Minister’s message helped him personally.

“I know with myself I’ve been dealing with some troubles in terms of self-esteem, and what he said, I think it cleared a lot of things up for me,” said the young man. “Just what he clarified on us just being gods and how we have to master certain crafts and just see the God in ourselves to master that.”

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