Hur t2Heal i ngMagazi ne i nt er vi ewsBr ot herMar cus! !
EbonyS.Muhammad( EM) :Br ot herMar cusyouar eapr oudmemberofNat i onofI sl am, Fr ui tofI sl am,St udentMi ni st r yCl ass,Hostoft heI nt er netRadi oShow -TheBr ot her Mar cusShow,aMent or ,aMot i vat i onalSpeaker ,aNat i onalMar r i ageRet r eatFaci l i t at or , andal ovi ngf at herandhusband.Ther ei sast or ybehi ndal loft hatyoudo.Whatbr ought yout ot hi sdi spensat i oni nt i me? Br ot herMar cusMuhammad( BM) :Wel lf i r st ,Iwoul dl i ket ogi veal loft hehonorandpr ai se t oAl mi ght yGodandt hankHi mf orgi vi ngmel i f et hr ought het eachi ngshesogr aci ousl y gavet heMostHonor abl eEl i j ahMuhammadandt hei rser vantt heHonor abl eMi ni st er Loui sFar r akhan.Iwasbor nandr ai sedont hemeanst r eet sofBr ookl yn,New Yor kt omy par ent s,JosephandCar olGi r ar d.Ihadt hr eeol derbr ot her sandt hr eeyoungersi st er s andIwast hemi ddl echi l d.Iobser vedmanyt hi ngsgr owi ngupi nBr ookl yn.Oneoft hoset hi ngswaswat chi ngmyf at her andmot herphysi cal l yf i ghteachot herl i ket hepr over bi alcat sanddogsmany,manyt i mes.Mydadst ood6’ 4’andwei ghed appr oxi mat el y450pounds.Mymot herwasonl yabout5’ 4’andwei ghedabout200poundsher sel f .Thosewer ever y f r i ght eni nganddi st ur bi ngscenest owi t ness.Mymot hercoul dnotphysi cal l ybeatmyf at her ,butshef oundver yski l l edand cal cul at i ngwayst odealwi t hmyf at her .Looki ngbackovermychi l dhoodasanadul t ,Inow bel i eveIl ear nedal otofgood andnotsogoodt hi ngsf r om bot hmymot herandmyf at her .Ther ewassomuchdr amaatmyhomei tf or cedmet ogo out si deofmyhomef orl oveandgui danceandt omani f estmybuddi ngl eader shi pski l l s.I twaswhatappear edt obea negat i veci r cumst ancet hatwoul dl at ercausemet oconnectsodeepl ywi t ht hemessageoft heHonor abl eEl i j ah Muhammadasi twasbei ngt aughtandexpl ai nedf r om t hepower f ulor at or i calgeni usofhi sst udent ,t heHonor abl eMi ni st er Loui sFar r akhan!Thet eachi ngst hatIhaveal r eadyr ecei vedandwi l lcont i nuet or ecei vewi t ht heDi anet i csaudi t i nghas beenandwi l lcont i nuet obeofi mmeasur abl eval uei nhel pi ngandai di ngmet oover comeal loft hechi l dhooddr amaIhave exper i encedandhel pmet or eachmyf ul lpot ent i al . EM:Ir ecent l ysaw anewsr epor tt hatt her ehasbeena25% i ncr easei nmenandwomenl i vi ngt oget her( shaki ngup)and pr ef er r i ngt hatt oget t i ngmar r i ed.Fr om yourknowl edgeandexper t i seont hesubj ectofmar r i age,whydoyoubel i evet hi s i ncr easehast akenpl acei nt hel ackofdesi r et ogetmar r i edbutt oj ust“ shackup” ? BM:Somemenandwomenhavebeenmadet obel i evet hatcohabi t at i oni sagoodwayt ot estt hei rmar r i agebef or ehand, butst udi esi nt ot hi shaver eveal edj ustt heopposi t e.TheSoci ol ogyDepar t mentofbot hDukeUni ver si t yandMi chi gan Uni ver si t yi nt er vi ewed30, 000coupl eswhomar r i edaf t erl i vi ngt oget her .TheSoci ol ogi st sf oundt hat80% oft hemar r i ages ar i si ngf r om cohabi t at i onorl i vi ngt oget herendedi nsepar at i onordi vor ce.Li vi ngt oget herof f er sl i t t l eornoguar ant eeofa happy,successf ulmar r i age.Fr eedom wi t houtr esponsi bi l i t yi st heopposi t eofl ove.Thegr eat ert hesenseofcommi t ment , t hemor eaper soni swi l l i ngt ogi veoft hemsel vesandt hi si sani ndi spensabl er equi r ementf ormar r i age.Themor eof t en andt hel ongert hatmenandwomencohabi torl i vet oget her ,t hemor el i kel yt heyar et odi vor cel at er .Cohabi t at i on under mi nest hi st r ustbecausebot hpar t ner sar eawar et hati ti sper f ect l ypossi bl ef ort hem t obai loutatanypoi nt . Cohabi t at i oni snotgoodpr epar at i onf ormar r i age:i tdoesnoti nvol vet hebui l di ngupoft hevi r t ues-r at heri ti sanexer ci se i nconveni encer at hert hanpur i t yandt r uel ove.Mygr andf at herusedt ot el lmysi st er s,“ Whybuyt hecow i fyoucangett he mi l kf orf r ee?”Thi squest i oni sst i l lext r emel yr el evanti n2012.Wehavej ustgotbackf r om Savi our ’ sDay2012wher ewe wer epr omot i ngourSecondBook,“ WhatDoMenandWomenReal l yNeedFr om EachOt her ?”andwewer ei nspi r edt o wr i t eour3r dBookf orSi ngl eBr ot her sandSi st er st hatGodwi l l i ng,wi l lbeoutver ysoon. EM:Ther ear enumer oust al kr adi oshowst hatbounceopi ni ons,r epor t sandt r endi ngt opi csar oundwi t hi t sl i st ener s.What set st heBr ot herMar cusShow ( shoutoutt oyourcohostandwi f eSi st erCecel i a)apar tf r om ot hershows?Whatt opi csdo youdi scusst hatmanyot hershowsdonot ?BM:Whatmakesourshow di f f er enti sbecauset heSpi r i toft heLor di supon me.If eelGod’ spr esenceal li nmeandar oundme.Iam notmovedbyhott opi cs.Iam movedbyt heSpi r i toft het r ueand l i vi ngGod.Iam l ear ni ngt owai tf orHi ssweetandHol yi nspi r at i ont ogui demynextst eponwhatshoul dbedi scussedwi t h t hepeopl e.Manypeopl edi scusst het opi cst hatwedi scussbutt heymaynotgodeepenought ot her ootoft hepr obl em andt heymaynotbewi l l i ngt odr aw upont heweal t hofval uabl ei nf or mat i ont hatwehavebeengi venbyt heHonor abl e Mi ni st erLoui sFar r akhanandmanyot hergr eatmenandwomen! ( I nt er vi ew cont i nuedonPage23)
Hur t2Heal i ngI nt er vi ew wi t hBr ot herMar cus-Cont i nuedf r om Page12
EM:Asamemberoft heNat i onofI sl am andFr ui tofI sl am cont r ar yt owhatmai nst r eam medi ar epor t s,whatmi sconcept i on woul dyoul i ket ocl earupaboutt heNOIandMusl i msi ngener al ?BM:TheFr ui tofI sl am i sGodandever yt hi ngt hatGodi s, i sf oundi nt hebodyofmenwhohavebeencal l edt obeaFr ui tofI sl am.Ihaveal waysf el tunwor t hyt obecal l edanFOI ,and t oomanymeni nmyhumbl eopi ni ont aket hatt i t l ef orgr ant ed.AnFOIi sasupr emel yor gani z edanddi sci pl i nedman.Hei s qui ckt hi nki ngandf astmovi ngandoper at esr i ghtdownt ot hemoder nsci enceoft i me.Hehasbeenwel lt r ai nedand under st andst het i meandwhatmustbedone.Hei sofgr eatconsequencewher everHei satal lt i mes.Iam st r i vi ngt ol i ve upt ot hi shi ghpostt hatAl mi ght yGodAl l ah,t heMostHonor abl eEl i j ahMuhammadandt heHonor abl eLoui sFar r akhanhas cal l edusasment obecome.Oneoft hebi ggestmi sconcept i onsIf i ndoutt her ei st hatanFOIi sonl ysecur i t yi nt hever y l i mi t edsenseoft hewor d.Thewor l dknowst hatt hever ybestsecur i t yf or ceonear t hi st heFOI .Buti naddi t i ont ot hatwe ar eal soschol ar s,heal er s,peacemaker s,busi nessmen,coaches,f at her s,husbandsandmostofal lwear el ear ni ngt obe br ot her s.Themenoft heFOIar esomeoft hemostt al ent ed,l ovi ng,sophi st i cat ed,anddi st i ngui shedmenyouwi l lever meet .Wear eal lconst ant l yatwor ki nwhat everf i el dorendeavorwef i ndour sel ves,hel pi ngAl l ah,Hi sChr i standt hei r Apost l et osecur et heear t handusheri nHi ski ngdom. EM:Whatdoyouseei nt hesi gni f i canceoft her ecentweat hercondi t i ons? BM:Thesi gni f i canceoft heweat hert omei st hatt heKi ngdom ofGodi sathandandHei snotpl ayi ngwi t hanyofusi n t oday’ st i mes.Al lofushavet obegAl l ahf orHi sdi vi neandhol yf or gi venessf orourwr ongsandshor t comi ngsandf orHi s gui dancet hatwemi ghtt akeourr ebel l i ousandwaywar dl i vesandpl acet hem ont hepat ht hatAl l ahhasbest owedf avor s andnotupont hepat hoft hosewhom Al l ah’ swr at hi sbr oughtdown. EM:Br i ef l yt el lusaboutyourment or i ngpr ogr am;vi si on,mi ssi on,t ar getment ees,act i vi t i es,et c.Whathasbeent hemost memor abl emomentf oryouasament or ?Whatar et hechal l engesandr ewar ds?Whydoyouf eeli t ’ swor t ht heef f or t ? BM:Il ovegi vi ngbackt oouryout h,becauseIwasment or edsoheavi l ybacki nNew Yor kCi t y.I fi twer enotf ort hepeopl e whosaw someval uei nmei nt heear l ydaysandi nvest edt hei rt i me,t hei rener gyandt hei rmoneyi nme,Iwoul dn’ tbe havi ngt hi si nt er vi ew wi t hyou.OurMent or i ngpr ogr am hasbeeni nexi st encef ornear l y20year sandwehavebeenbl essed t oment ort housandsofyoungpeopl et hr oughoutAmer i ca.Wehavebeenbl essedt oconductmanyMot i vat i onalt r ai ni ng sessi onsovert heseyear s.Wet r yt of ocusonbl ackboys,becauset heyar et hepr obl em ever ywher eIgo.Butt heneedf or gui danceext endst ot heMexi canyout h,t heHi spani cyout h,t heChi neseyout h,t heVi et nameseyout handevent he Caucasi anyout handal loft hegi r l sneedhel pandgui dance.I ft her eeverwasagener at i ont hatneededsomeonet ol ook beyondt hei rf aul t sandseet hei rneedsi ti st hi sgener at i on.Ver yf ew canr eacht hemi ndsett hatt heseyoungmenand womenar ei nt odayandal lofourchi l dr enar eatr i ski nsuchawi ckedanddupl i ci t oussoci et yast hi sonet hatouryout h havet owadet hr ough.Wet eachboyshow t obemen.Wet eacht hem how t owal k,how t ot al k,how t odr ess,how t ot hi nk andactl i keamant hi nksandact s.Ihavebeenbl essedt owr i t eabookf ort hem t hati sbasedont hesecr et sofmanhood t hatIobser vedbywat chi ngourMi ni st ercal l ed,“ TheWi seMenandWomenHaveSentMet oTel lYou”t hati savai l abl eat Amaz on. com.Themosti mpact i ngmoment sf ormear eal wayst hoset i meswhenImeetayoungmanorwomanagai nwho gavemepur ehel lwhent heywer eyoungeri nmycl assasast udentandnow t heyhavegr ownupabi tandImeett hem somewher eandmat ur i t yhasf i nal l ydawnedont hem.Wel aught oget herandt heyal wayssaysomet hi ngt ot heef f ectof , “ Thankyouf orcont i nui ngt owor kwi t hmeandnotgi vi nguponme.Il oveyouBr ot herMar cus. ”I tof t enbr i ngst ear st omy eyeswhent heywal kawaybecauseIknow t hatt hi si st hewor kofGodt hatIam doi ng. EM:I st her eanyt hi ngel seyouwi sht oadd? BM:Idon’ twantt oj ustt obeahear eroft hewor danymor e.Godknowswehavebeen t hor oughl yt aughtbyt heHonor abl eMi ni st erLoui sFar r akhan.Iwantt obecomeadoerof t hewor d.Iwantt obewi t hhi mt hr oughdoi ngt hewor kofr esur r ect i nghi speopl e.Henever cal l edust obehi scheer l eader .Hecal l edust of ol l ow hi mt hatwher ehei s,wemaybe.I wantt obet heki ndoff ol l owert hathedoesn’ thavet owonderaboutwhenheascendst ot he f at her ,whet herIwi l ldot hewor korwi l lIf al lof fsomewher e.Iwanthi mt oknow t hatr i ght now whi l ehei sst i l lwi t hust hathehasayoungmanouther et hati swor ki nghar dt ohel p hi mr eacht hepeopl eandi sgr owi ngi nunder st andi ngt her eal i t yofwhohei samongus.I sodear l yl ovehi m andIl ovehi sf ol l ower sandhi speopl e! EM:Doyouhaveanyupcomi ngevent s,pr oj ect s,et c?Whatar et heBr ot herMar cusShow daysandt i mes?Doyouhaveawebsi t e/ bl og/ et c.wher et her eader scanl ear nmor e? BM:Iam t r yi ngsover yhar dt obackhi sSout her nRegi onalSt udentRepr esent at i ve,Br ot her AbdulShar r i ef fMuhammadwi t hever yski l l ,t al entandr esour cet hatIhaveatmydi sposal . Cont i nuedonPage24
12