So often we have read many demonstrations coming from those claiming to be Moorish Americans placing self-entitlements of being a scholar, historian, and teacher although many having no traceable lineage to any excellent teacher or appointment of being an authentic Moorish leader. Much of what they claim as research is quite questionable.
There is nothing we can obtain scholarly without having proper guidance; many famous philosophers, world leaders, and yes, even Prophets of Allah speaks about their studentship all having guidance. Humble teachers are those who sincerely strive from just teaching, only passing information and lessons on to others that they too may cause another mind to manifest in being a blessing from pure and powerful thought-provoking knowledge. Teachers who merely love to teach will not seek personal recognition from others or look to be held in high esteem by their students. A real teacher is one who once was a student understanding that an actual lesson is not a blessing unless that blessing can be a blessing to others.
There would have to be only but a few Moorish Americans who would truly be unaware that if not for Shaykh Ra Saadi El creating a collection of historical accounts of The Moorish Science Temple called “The Controversial Years of The Moorish Science Temple of America” much of Moorish American history would remain dormant. Many folks claiming to be Moorish Americans would have no idea of the history which they are claiming for themselves today if not for the publication of this book. Without proper historical documents along with proper guidance as a Moorish American Moslem, you may have placed yourself as so many have done to be led astray by a lie and the liar. Then you have those with less than fifteen or even ten years as a Moorish Americans now claiming themselves as Moorish historians never having sat with anyone taught by Prophet Drew Ali or in possession of any original Temple documents.
An authentic Moorish American teacher is not only taught by those who were directly taught by the Prophet but is one who also manages to preserve many of the original historical documents where you can discover for yourself. You should not need to read any historical records of the Moorish Science Temple of America wearing blue latex gloves; as a real teacher would only make copies so that you can have them for yourself to study. Too often Moorish Americans and even conscious Asiatics will question the method of a great teacher only because they have not yet learned to humble themselves to be taught, rather argue in the manner of which they feel they should be shown. It is only when we remove our feelings that we are truly able to see beyond the rocky soil of grammar errors, get past personal opinions and hurt feelings. Seeing beyond the flesh and general opinion is when we discover the valuable gemstones of knowledge. Truth is not validated by proper grammar nor flattery words; for many lies have been told in the best of scholarly format and spoken in soothing words.
Even when a powerful teacher needs to impart a royal spanking in the form of a powerful lesson, it is not only done to merely correct the misguided but to use the misguided ones as a sounding board for others who in secret hide in the shadows hoping to be guided by the light. A real teacher who has a warrior spirit will not allow what he loves to be misrepresented by those claiming to know. When seeing the true teachings of our Beloved Prophet Drew Ali being misused, misunderstood, and willfully taught to misguide those who sincerely seek to “know thyself.” These evil doers will in fact face the sword of justice. If the one-eyed man can be king in the land of the blind, what happens when a person comes seeing with both eyes open; this is an actual teacher having both understandings as once being a student knowing the heart of a true seeker and as a teacher has been well equipped being able to guide. We honor all true teachers who went through the proper growth and development to obtain knowledge; not those who are self-appointed or self-acclaimed holding mere pebbles up in the face of innocent and ignorant as if they were pearls.
A real teacher will show their battle scars from their personal lessons of trials and tribulations to demonstrate the possibility of the human soul clothed in spirit; that there is no failure for spirit-man. We honor the warrior spirit of our teacher never showing fear in the face of man; he will never back down from defending what he loves and will always make himself available to those sincerely seeking to have a better understanding. It was said by Edward Mealy El that our Beloved Prophet Drew Ali stated he did not have time to write everything down and that someone would come along one day and put it in book form. Shaykh Ra Saadi El humble beginnings as a student came with many life lessons one account of these life lessons was his encounter with one of his teachers Bro. Ahreei Shnay El who was the National Grand Sheik of The Moorish Science Temple of American located at 957 East 75 Street in Chicago Ill. At the time of the student and teacher encounter Shaykh Ra Saadi El was 26 years of age former member of “Black P-Stone Nation” he was now fully committed to living as a Moorish American Moslem.
The young inquisitive Ra Saadi El was in search of a greater understanding of the teaching of Prophet Drew Ali which he did not receive during that time under the leadership of R. Love-El. One Sunday around 2:00 pm Bro. Shnay El was conducting Sunday school which is open for any Moorish American seeking to learn. As Bro. Shnay begins his class he ask everyone to pull out pen and paper to take down the lesson; Ra Saadi El would lean over asking his classmate could he borrow pen and paper. Shnay El quickly stop Ra Saadi El asking him; “what are you doing?” Ra Saadi El replied, “I was asking for pen and paper because I don’t have any”. Shnay El then ask Ra Saadi El “Where are you, Brother?” Ra Saadi El replied “Sunday school”. Shany El then stated; “Then it would have been wise of you to come with the necessary tools for Sunday school, right Brother? You don’t ask for pen and paper in my class disrupting the class because you failed to come prepared; now get out of my class and wait for me in the hallway don’t you go anywhere you sit there until we are done”.
Ra Saadi El upset at being called out did as instructed and sat in the hallway; he was heated hearing Shnay El talk about him to the class. “Ra El must be a drop out; not knowing to bring pen and paper to school. He thinks he is so smart but could not figure out he needs pen and paper for school”. For almost two hours Shnay El would use Ra El as a lesson; hearing from the other side of the door Ra El was furious; saying to himself: “I have two Browning automatic fully loaded I could just shoot everyone in that room for laughing at me.” As his lower-self was on some serious retaliation; he, however, would, of course, humble himself by sitting patiently waiting as instructed by his teacher. It would be later on that Ra Saadi El would become Bro. Shnay El top loyal student; Ra El made himself Bro. Shnay El personal mufti and bag man. Anytime Shnay El would meet with other Moorish Americans from other Grand Bodies Ra Saadi El was present making sure no harm would come to his teacher.
This was during a time when Moorish Americans would cause harm to other Moorish Americans if you were not a member in their Grand body or disagreed with their teachings and leadership. Ra Saadi El would note the books his teacher used to debate with other Temples heads about the teachings of our Beloved Prophet Drew Ali. Whenever his teacher would get into debates with other Temple leaders Ra Saadi El would remain silent; only learning from the exchange of masterminds. He would follow his teacher direction knowing that someday he too will become a teacher and knowing that some of his students will come just as he did as an untamed spirit simply needing proper guidance and discipline. To this very day, Shaykh Ra Saadi El often shares his stories as a young student; recalling all his teachers who were responsible for molding him into the well studied Moorish American Moslem he is today. You will never find him without pen or paper which he buys in bulks; as he will get on his students for not having pen and paper today. A true teacher has a real history as a student under well-respected men and women who have been accredited as a true teacher. Shaykh Ra Saadi El has never been ashamed of his past which he often uses as a lesson for others to know they too can overcome life challenges.
However having a teacher who was not only taught by those who were directory taught by the Prophet but also managed to preserve many of the historical documentation where you can have it for yourself is a real teacher. Another account of a teacher and student relationship was when Ra Saadi El would meet an actual student and officer of Prophet Drew Ali, a person who would adopt him as a grandson and faithful student. It was George Cook Bey who was converted by Prophet Drew Ali from being a Christian Minister to becoming a true Moorish American Moslem; he would become Ra Saadi El most valuable teacher. It was in 1977 he would become a member of George Cook Bey’s Temple #1 in Chicago Illinois while incarcerated. In 1978 Ra Saadi El would meet George Cook Bey in the flesh, knowing the value of George Cook Bey’s knowledge of the teachings of Prophet Drew Ali; Ra Saadi El would take every opportunity to sit under him absorbing as much knowledge and information about Prophet Drew Ali as he could.
It was in 1979, George Cook Bey would make Ra Saadi El his assistant Grand Sheik; it was George Cook Bey grandson Matheno Cook Bey who would yell in disapproval saying “Grand Dad, they are calling Ra El a Sheik, and he is not even an adept yet?”, George Cook Bey replied, “The Prophet told me who to look for” as he saw the qualities in Ra El that Prophet Drew Ali often spoke of has the faithful spirits returning. George Cook Bey had recognized Ra Saadi El as a Sheik and Minister; it was his recommendation that this acknowledgment was accepted by the leadership. Ra Saadi El would also have placed on his head by George Cook Bey the “Black Fez”; which many Moorish Americans today will wear the black fez having no real knowledge of its historical meaning, respect for its status, nor worthy of its placement. Many Moorish American have received appointments by self-appointed leaders who are unqualified and unauthorized to do so. Which today the entitlement Sheik has become significantly marginalized due to the recklessness of King ambitions and self-appointed positions.
In the line of those who were Ra Saadi El direct teachers who were raised and taught by Prophet Drew Ali himself was both the Prophet wives whom he would frequently seek guidance and information from, Sis. Pearl Ali and Sis. Mary Ali. Having direct access to many of the elders who was taught by Prophet Drew Ali was due to Ra Saadi El being a native of Chicago. He would have many encounters with direct information and knowledge from those who taught directly by Prophet Drew Ali; such as Bro. T. Booker Bey who was a former follower of Marcus Garvey, however after hearing Prophet Drew Ali deliver a speech he would convert to become a faithful Moorish American Moslem.
Bro. I Cook Bey the brother of George Cook Bey was also made an officer by Prophet Drew Ali. Sis. Christina Price Bey, Delia Mealy El the wife of the first Supreme Grand Sheik Edward Mealy El appointed by Prophet Drew Ali. Bro. Aaron Payne El was Prophet Drew Ali second Supreme Grand business manager, Bro. Reynolds El, Sis. Eva Ali El, the wife of Bro. John Givens El who was the Prophet chauffeur and several other Moorish American Moslems that was around Prophet Drew Ali. We called these encounters the holy breath transmission because much of the teachings was given orally, however in later years Ra Saadi El would make these historical encounters available in written form to those seeking a more profound understanding of the Prophets teachings.
“The Sufi teacher does not give anything to or teach the pupil, the student, for he cannot give what the latter already has; he cannot teach what his soul has always known. What he does in the life of the student is to show him how he can clear his path towards the light within by his own self.”
To know your teacher is to know their past, their faults, and trumpets. It is to know their heart by the spirit in which they teach. It is to compare what they say to the truth and examine your growth and development from their guidance. You can measure what you knew before meeting them by what you learned from knowing them. It is seeing how your life has become better in knowing better, through proper guidance. It can be explained intelligently and live by example, not by just mere lip service.
We know that prophecy is fulfilled by our present leadership of The Moorish Science Temple of America-1928; Shaykh Ra Saadi El. Gratitude to him for continuing in the way of our ancient Forefathers; to inform, educate and uplift.
We are presently working on a video historical account of a Student.
Shaykh Ra Saadi El was appointed into the position of the 5th Supreme Grand Sheik of The Moorish Science Temple of America in October of 2010. As a native of Chicago Illinois born in the early 50’s, he grew up experiencing the struggles of being label “Black” in America. As a young man living on the Southside of Chicago the only real strength, loyalty and nationhood he knew was while a member in the Black P. Stone Nation; in later years it was renamed EL-Rukn lead by Iman Malik (Jeff Fort). As a young man membership into a gang was like a rite of passage in becoming a soldier of circumstance. However; it would take its toll on Ra El with multiple arrests that subsequently led to multiple prison sentence. It was during a stay in the Cook County Jail is where Ra El would finally meet his destiny.
June 1 at 10:09am
From: Grand Sheik Boaz Razvan Bey
Truth Tellers Blog 