Thank you for being such wonderful hosts and hostesses to everyone who came to be a part of this historic occasion; to our own people throughout America, and to our visiting brothers and sisters from Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Canada.

From what I have heard, there was joy, joy, joy everywhere in the faces, in the eyes, and in the words of those who were at our Saviours� Day Convention and Second International Islamic Conference.

My wife, Khadijah, and my daughter, Maria, said that the children enjoyed this Saviours� Day better than any other because there was a focus on the children; the children�s fair, the Qur�anic recitation, the science project, the drill and martial arts competition. My congratulations to all of the winners and to all of those who participated. My congratulations to the families of the year from all of the Mosques and Study Groups that represent Islamic values as taught by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.)

Our foreign guests were most impressed by the manners, discipline and out pouring of love and eagerness to learn on the part of those followers of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, under my leadership. One Black American scholar said, "I have never been to Hajj, but, being in Chicago to attend and participate in this conference was for me like the journey to Mecca." Other scholars had such glowing words to say about what they saw and the hope that they find in this lost-found Nation of Islam in the West. One Egyptian scholar said, "You (Nation of Islam) are the envy of the Muslim World. The only problem that we had was our misunderstanding of your principle of belief in the Oneness of God, but, once we came, saw and heard, we beg you not to change that which the Honorable Elijah Muhammad has guided you to."

I want the whole world to know and understand that raising us from the level of our ignorance and savagery in the 1930s demanded a tremendous knowledge and skill. I do not believe that any Muslim scholar from the East, no matter how sincere they were, could have attracted our minds to Islam in the way that they represented and represent this Great Universal Message.

Master Fard Muhammad knew our minds and knew how to attract our minds and His Student, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, was willing to pay the price; to be rejected, scorned, ridiculed, evil spoken of, to put us on the road to returning to the nature in which we are created, the nature of Islam, or obedience and entire submission to the One True God.

I give praise and thanks to Allah (God) for Master Fard Muhammad and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and their great work in starting us in the process of resurrection, which if we continued in the process would ultimately bring us to the top of civilization. I thank the Honorable Elijah Muhammad for suffering what he suffered to raise us up from where we were. He constantly said to our Muslim brothers from the East who visited him to please be patient with him and with us. He had a method and a time frame in bringing us to that level where we could unite with our brothers and sisters in Islam throughout the world not as inferiors but as equals. He wanted to see in us a courteous, clean, moral, well-mannered, spiritual society. We are not yet where we desire to go, but, we are a long, long way from where we were. Our foreign guests, great scholars in Islam, marveled at the way we have evolved without their guidance or their help. It was manifestly clear to them that we are being Divinely Guided and we are being Divinely Helped. ALL PRAISE IS DUE TO ALLAH (GOD).

I was overwhelmed with the kisses of the scholars, who kissed me with almost the same joy and fervor that all who visit Mecca show in kissing the Black Stone. There was such a demonstration of love for the brotherhood, that we believe, if we continue in this way, and on this path, Islam will be established in the Americas and will be revived in the hearts of the Muslims throughout the Muslim World.

There was great joy in Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, myself, our families and communities reuniting with each other. Imam Mohammed and I were young men together and the love that Allah (God) put in our hearts for each other could not be destroyed even though we had serious differences, but, Allah (God) says in the Qur�an, "He will settle the differences between those of us who believe."

It is clear to me that Allah (God) is helping us in the settling of our differences and we have agreed to continue this dialogue, moving closer and closer to one another, sharing information, knowledge, experience and collaborating wherever we can in promoting the rise of our people and the promotion of the righteous values as taught by all of the Prophets.

The conference, from what I am told, was a great success. There just was not enough time for all the scholars to fully give of the vastness of their knowledge in their areas of expertise. However, they were overjoyed at what they were able to give, and they were especially overjoyed at how what they gave was received. They were also overjoyed at what they received of what Allah (God) has blessed me and the Nation of Islam with of His Knowledge and Guidance.

I pray that if any of those who were present were in any way offended by any shortcoming on our part that they will forgive us, for surely our intention was to give to each person who came to this year�s convention the best that our hearts, souls, and minds could give. The future is bright, yet there is darkness. The darkness is present because Satan intends to misinterpret what has happened this weekend to make it appear that I have abandoned the struggle of Black people and am distancing myself from my Nationalist brothers and sisters and also distancing myself from the anger and hurt of my people who have suffered and continue to suffer from the evil and injustice of a system rooted in White Supremacy and diabolical racism. Nothing could be further from the truth. I believe I am a greater servant of Allah, and a greater warner today, then ever; I believe I am a greater servant of truth; a greater servant of freedom, justice and equality, not only for the Black man and woman in America, but, for all who suffer under the wicked hand of oppression.

I want the world to know, as I said in my Saviours� Day address, I am yoked to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Mission of the resurrection of our people. I am yoked to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Message of Islam and to the Mission of that Message being established in America. I am yoked to Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom of Allah (God) and I am yoked to Allah (God). You may ask, "How could you be yoked to three men who seem at variance with one another?" If you know that there is but One God and that Oneness is seen in the mission of prophetic communities and the principles that were taught; and the aim of Allah (God) in fulfillment of what the prophets predicted that we should expect in these the last days of the world of evil. When you understand, as I believe Allah (God) is helping me to understand, you too will be yoked with all and never be in conflict with either.

May Allah (God) bless the Nation of Islam in the West and bless the masses of Black people to understand the enormity of the Mission that Allah (God) is desirous in placing on our shoulders after we mature in certain aspects of the process of our resurrection.

I would like to thank the members of the Hispanic, Arab, Asian and White communities present at this historic Saviours� Day 2000. I thank the representatives of Torah Jewry and the members of the Hasidic Orthodox Jewish community who for the first time visited with us in this convention. They had words to say that were warmly received by the Islamic Scholars as well as the general public that attended the closing session at the United Center.

We thank the owners of the United Center for permitting us the privilege of hosting this conference and convention in this magnificent edifice. Not one seat was empty and there were many standing (approximately 28,000).

We have indeed come to a new beginning. I pray that no member of the Black community and no member of the Nation of Islam will allow Satan to whisper into their hearts to cause them to misunderstand the marvelous miracle that Allah (God) wrought from February 24-27. Even the weather was unbelievable in Chicago in February; it broke records and the spiritual climate that was created was record breaking also. As I stated in my speech on Saviours� Day, we have come into this auditorium as many and we shall go out as one, and, Allah (God) made those words bond. We, the members of the Nation of Islam, have much work to do and I pray that you and I will commit ourselves to the pillars of Islam. The number one pillar of practice being Prayer. As Jesus said, "Pray without ceasing." If we will be a praying community, and, be in continual remembrance of Allah (God), then, He will bless us to come through the turbulent and trying days ahead that we will become a light giving sun, not only to our people, but, to this nation and a light giving sun that Allah (God) has intended to rise from the West for the entire world.

Thank you for reading these few words.