Get Knowledge for Life: The Power of Language (Part I)

A new educational column inspired by the teachings of The Hon. Elijah Muhammad

By Dr. Audrey Muhammad

Does understanding the meaning of words affect your ability to understand a topic?  Of course it does!  How many of us remember reading a textbook and then realizing once we got to the end of the chapter, we didn’t understand much at all.  One thing The Minister has always taught, along with Brother Jabril Muhammad is the value of looking up words, parsing or examining them, to make sure the terms are understood.

Minister Farrakhan is able to touch so many people in his lectures because of his spirit of love and his wonderful, proper, and CLEAR use of words. He “walks” us through a subject so that by the end of the lecture, we have a new understanding of the subject.  The language used in the teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad is clear, simple, and powerful. According to the dictionary, the word simple means “easy to understand or straightforward” (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/simple).

I was recently reminded to make sure I was utilizing the language in the teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. This reminder was a blessing because it inspired me to finish a series of articles I had started working on as an educator.  I usually write about the teachings as it relates to exercise and fitness, but there are SO many more ways that the teachings relate to our lives.   Incorporating the language of the teachings is something that I intentionally try to do because the language is simple and powerful.

  Take time to watch some of the old interviews of The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.  I remember one in particular where someone asked him, “What does he teach?”  And the Most Honorable Muhammad says simply “Truth.”  The teachings gives us foundational or “root” knowledge that can be applied to every area of our life.  One of the meanings of the word “root” is the source or origin of a thing (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/root).

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, “Language is the vehicle of communication” (Source:  Guidance & Wisdom For the Teachers of Muhammad University of Islam, p. 31)  According to the dictionary, a vehicle is “a means of carrying or transporting something“ or  “a medium through which something is expressed, achieved, or displayed (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vehicle). When we want to communicate a person’s or a group’s ideas, we use THEIR language. When we want to communicate OUR ideas, we should use OUR language and give examples for clarity.  For example, some of the language or wording in the Teachings of The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad is “eating to live, one meal a day (not OMAD diet) and 3-day fast. 

Embracing the teachings as a college student studying to be a teacher enabled me to view knowledge through a different lens.  I became more curious about how I could utilize what I was learning.  There is a quote by Dr. Ava Muhammad (May Allah Be Pleased) that says, “There is no purpose in studying anything if it cannot help us cope with our immediate reality.”  The study guides always encourage us to engage in practical application; to apply or use what we are learning.  For example, the Study Guides encourage us to replace a bad habit with a new habit.  I took that same principle and implemented it in my writing. Years later, I coined the phrase, “I study to learn and learn to apply.”    I wanted to learn how to write and apply the skill to write articles and books, not just teach about writing.   I wanted to PRODUCE.  Later, with the help of Allah, I went on to produce 5 books and a magazine. All Praise is Due to Allah!

I always say, "Let us study to learn and learn to apply” and get knowledge for life! May we all be blessed to find our purpose and help others along the way.

(Dr. Audrey Muhammad is an educator, writer, and fitness trainer. She enjoys presenting workshops on “Goal Setting: Using your Talent as a Tool, “The Power of Words,” and “Getting Fit for Life” (Contact her at audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com or visit www.virtuetodaymag.com)