Estimated reading time: 15 minute(s)
[Editor’s Note (FinalCall.com): During a recent trip to Saudi Arabia to mark the last 10 days of Ramadan at Islam’s holiest shrines, the Honorable Minister Louis was interviewed June 7, 2019, by journalist Abdullah Al Jasz at the airport in the city of Riyadh. A translator communicated questions and answers during the exchange and below is an edited transcript from the important conversation.]
Interpreter forAbdullah Al Jasz (AAJ): You came to the kingdom 42 years ago, how do you see the development and the progress that has been made?
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan (MLF): It’s incomparable what we saw 42 years ago of Kaaba; what we saw 42 years ago of Mecca, 42 years ago as Jeddah. It’s all gone. These are modern cities now. They’re so beautiful that we have to seek refuge in Allah from the envier when he envies.
AAJ: What are some of the greatest memories you have since 42 years ago?
MLF: The first great memory that made the greatest impression on me at that time was the Kaaba (the holy house of Islam) itself. So no matter what state the qiblah (spiritual center of Islam) was in or what condition Mecca was in at that time, it filled my heart. When I was the guest of Crown Prince Abdullah who later became the king, we had wonderful memories being his guest and I guess I was very popular in the United States always on television defending Islam—this was before the advent of social media. I was treated with great honor and respect by the Crown Prince, and the king at that time was King Fahd.
I did not know King Fahd like I know him now because I am of those who were blessed to see the work of King Fahd in spreading the message of the Qur’an and Islam through publishing. I was blessed to hear King Fahd’s vision of what the two holy mosques would ultimately look like. To see how he spared no amount of money to engage the best of the best and brightest minds in every field of building, architecture, engineering, and that is reflected in the beauty of the growth of Al-Haram (the mosque and complex around the Kaaba).
I have a much deeper respect and love for King Fahd and what he did to make the two holy houses greater than any house of worship in the world. And now I understand that in 2030 they are hoping to expand the capacity to host 30-35 million Muslims again. Al-Haram is the greatest house of worship in the world. It always has been and it’ll just be more and more and more as more and more of the people accept Islam.
This is not the same Arabia, it’s the same Kaaba but made so majestic. But in that I must say Mecca and Arabia are surrounded by forces that are not happy—not only with beautification of the two holy houses—but with the growth of Islam in all quarters of the world.
The reason I quoted Surah Al-Falaq is because it talks about Shaitan (the Devil) making mischief with created things. It talks about the overspreading of darkness. It talks about people who make evil suggestions in firm resolutions. Shaitan is busy out of his envy of the future of Islam and no future for anything other than Islam, so the aim is to destroy. This is my concern because right now my president, President Trump, I don’t know if he has the deepest respect for the ruling family. I know that he has a deepening desire to feed to the Sunni nations extraordinary weapons at a tremendous price. Every nation should be able to defend itself, defend its territory, and defend its air space but when we are being armed to the teeth and the intention is to protect ourselves from one another, that’s a problem. So in the United Arab Emirates there’s a problem with Yemen and Saudi Arabia. There’s a problem with Iran and Saudi Arabia or with the Sunni Arab community there are problems.
When the towers fell in New York and they blamed it on Saudi Arabia, President Bush said publicly that he would work to divide the Muslim Ummah against itself. So if there’s division between Shiite and Sunni; if there’s division between members of the Gulf States; if they with their wicked mischief making are making enemies inside the House of Islam with intentions to arm us, not against Israel, not against the evil planning of other super powers but it seems like they’ll be very happy to see a war between the forces of Islam under Shiite Islam and the forces of Islam under the Sunni nations. That was very clear to me when President Trump was invited and in his speech he was aiming the anger or distrust among Sunnis toward Iran … that can only make Israel happy.
So, all the beautiful cities that we’re building can be destroyed with the weapons of war that America is feeding us and Russia and China are feeding, maybe, Tehran. Who benefits if we fight each other? A bloody war in the Middle East will hurt us and destroy the good work that has made our cities the envy of the whole world, like Dubai. A new city like Dubai, a new city like Mecca, a new city like the cities in the Arab world; they would be very happy to see that destroyed by war.
I would hope that as we found the best minds to build some of the finest buildings to be seen anywhere on earth, is it possible that we can gather some of the finest spiritual minds and sit down at a common table and bring peace between Tehran and Saudi Arabia, between Yemen, between the Palestinians who have literally dropped off the scale because the Arab world used to be tough in supporting the cause of the Palestinians, but no more.
The Palestinians feel betrayed. We have serious problems that must be addressed by our best minds and hearts. And that would be a message that I would hope that the Custodian of the two holy mosques will gather the best and brightest minds for peace.
