Divine guidance delivered to a people destined for greatness

By Final Call News | Last updated: Oct 24, 2018 - 10:04:45 AM

(l) Men view Min. Farrakhan’s Oct. 14 message on webcast at Muhammad Mosque No. 12 in Philadelphia. Photo: Michael Z. Muhammad (c) Min. Farrakhan at Aretha Franklin Amphitheater in Detroit. Photo: Andrea Muhammad (r) Muslim women view webcast from Muhammad Mosque No. 55 in Memphis. Photo: Donna Muhammad

(l) Young women from Memphis and surrounding areas watch program. Photo: Donna Muhammad (c) Mosque Maryam in Chicago opened its doors to the community to view Holy Day of Atonement program live from Detroit. Photo: James G. Muhammad (r) Muhammad Mosque No. 7 in New York was filled with people Oct. 14 watching the webcast. Photo: Daleel Jabir Muhammad

CHICAGO—For thousands of people who were not physically present at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater in Detroit to see and hear from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan in person, it did not deter them from viewing his message via internet webcast in Nation of Islam mosques and study groups around the country.

The Minister’s October 14 message commemorating the 23rd anniversary of the Million Man March and Holy Day of Atonement was streamed live via internet and his powerful, redemptive message was shared on various social media platforms.

Student Minister Shahid Muhammad sat contemplatively at Mosque Maryam at Nation of Islam headquarters in Chicago. As he prepared for the program to begin he reflected on his experience at the 1995 Million Man March. He said there’s no way people could deny the Minister’s relationship and connection to God.

“That day was miraculous,” he said. “The Minister laid out the steps to atonement and many men followed it, but as time passed the enemy turned up his efforts to derail the outcome. We fell back to sleep. Few seem to be continuing the pledge.”

Student Min. Shahid Muhammad pointed out that many believers didn’t realize the significance of going back to Detroit for the 23rd Anniversary of the march until Min. Farrakhan explained it. He said the historical overlap of how Prophet Muhammad was driven from Mecca to Medina and returned victorious years later mirrored the Nation of Islam’s return to Detroit, known as Black America’s Mecca, after Nation of Islam founder Master Fard Muhammad and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad both were driven out of Detroit to Chicago. “History is repeating itself,” he said.

After Min. Farrakhan’s message, Timera May and Kevin Dennis walked out of Mosque Maryam with big smiles. It was the first time they’d heard the Minister speak. It was a life-changing experience for both.

“It was inspiring because he keeps it real,” said Ms. May, 22. “He wasn’t just speaking for one religion. It seemed like the whole sermon was specifically for me. The way he talked about the sacredness of the womb. I’m a very spiritual person and I like hearing things that will help me to grow spiritually.”

Ms. May said she believes in her heart that Blacks have been belittled because Whites know “we are destined for greatness. Min. Farrakhan was right about everything. This made my day. We will return again.”

“What I found interesting was when (the Minister) talked about our entertainers and their White Jewish managers,” said Mr. Dennis, 24. “That’s the only reason they stick around, to make profit off of us. You can see it in everyday life. They’ve never treated us equally. If we had the same resources that they have our condition would be different.”

Kimberly Head is an actor who has appeared in performances of Mahdi Theater and is a former Raylette with Ray Charles. She too was inspired by the Minister’s words on the sacredness of the female and the dignity with which the Minister talked about Judge Brett Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford.

She appreciated that even though she’s White, the Minister acknowledges that she’s still a woman and the seriousness of what has been taken from her, she said.

“He talked about how Black women of this earth need to be respected and looked at differently than they have portrayed us here in America. I appreciated that. Someone needs to remind us that we’re not bitches, we’re not dogs, we’re not second class. We’re not trying to be ahead of the man but beside him and we contribute a lot,” she said.

Construction worker Chris Busch said he first came to Mosque Maryam to hear Min. Farrakhan speak on relationships.

“Anytime he speaks on relationships it helps me to understand how to relate with the females in my life. That’s one of the things that started me seeking the knowledge. I wasn’t very smart with how I was dealing with women,” he said. Mr. Busch said he finds himself defending Min. Farrakhan when even Blacks call him antisemitic.

“I ask them have they ever heard him speak? They say no, so there you go. I used to be the same way. I know better now,” he said.

East Coast excitement

Those in attendance at Muhammad Mosque No. 12 in Philadelphia were not disappointed as they listen to a message from Min. Farrakhan that was both spiritual and uplifting.

Andre Followers who came from Coatesville, Pa. to view the program at the Philadelphia mosque, said he came to hear the life-giving teachings of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad and Min. Farrakhan and was not disappointed. “It was wonderful hearing his word today. It’s always a joy and gives you hope. I enjoyed it all.”

“God brought me out today,” said Keith Wardlaw who said the Minister’s speech was “awesome.” “I am glad he spoke on us needing to rise up and start preparing. He hit on something when he said Trump was trying to put together a plan to take out the Black man. Me personally I’m on a search to find like-minded brothers that want to address this and handle ourselves as men, take care of our families and friends and have the necessary tools to do it.”

Zebulon X said, “I felt and heard a different spirit in our Minister today. This particular lecture was unlike the other ones because it forces us to put what he had to say into action. It wasn’t a feel-good message or tickle your ears message. It was a message where he is telling us to move out.”

Fard’udin Muhammad said it is time to bring the message of atonement, reconciliation and responsibility which were the principles of the 1995 march to the younger generation that was not at the march.

“Some were not born or were babies at the time,” he said. “They need to be acquainted with the message of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. His speech today was on point. He speaks directly into your soul. The main thing that stuck out for me today is he has absolved us of all our sins. They are the sins of our slave master. Minister Farrakhan said, look you did this back in the day, atonement for that and become one with Allah.” Up and down the East Coast people were fascinated with the remarks delivered by the Minister.

In Newark, at Muhammad Mosque No. 25, Janique Turner, 33, from Orange, New Jersey told The Final Call, “The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan always speaks the truth. His message was so inspiring to me as a woman.”

Lorraine Muhammad, runs a nonprofit, and was so excited to hear the Minister, she brought four friends with her to view the webcast in Wilmington, Delaware. “Today, was inspiring for me as a Black woman concerned with atonement, forgiveness and healing. Knowing that we are protected by the Black man and the history of Master Fard Muhammad in Black Bottom Detroit is just fascinating. He went to jail to send our children to Muhammad University of Islam. That paved the way for what we have today. As the Minister kept saying, somebody paid a price,” she told The Final Call.

In Washington, D.C. people attended watch parties and also viewed the message from Muhammad Mosque No. 4.

“The Minister will always defend Black people. A lot of people found something negative to say about what Kanye West said at the White House but the Minister gave it another perspective. The ‘trap door’ in the 13th Amendment Kanye talked about really does exist. I never thought about it,” Kiki Allen, a mid-career D.C. government employee living in northern Virginia told The Final Call.

“Inmates can work for Fortune 500 Companies while they are incarcerated but can’t get a job with them once they are released. That does not make sense. The Minister explained Kanye better than Kanye was able to explain Kanye. We can find drugs in our community, but we can’t find a job.”

For Dawud Robinson, a retail manager, living in Greenbelt, Md., the definition the Minister gave of reconciliation stuck with him. “Repairing the damage we have done to each other in our ignorance. That said a lot to me because I know I have damaged a lot of people in my life out of ignorance. I just didn’t know all the harm I was doing, and these were people I said I loved. So, the Minister was stepping all over my toes when he was talking. When I first heard it, I knew I had a lot of repairing to do but I really didn’t know where to get started or who to get started with,” Mr. Robinson explained.

“As the Minister continued talking about his mother I knew that’s where I needed to start. My mom has suffered a lot with my ignorance. But she has stood by me the whole time. I’m thankful for all she’s done. She’s my first call for reconciliation. Thank you Minister.”

Helen Miller is a retired senior citizen living in D.C. She told The Final Call, “Who has time to hate? I just can’t stand it when people say Minister Farrakhan teaches hate. No, he doesn’t. I’m glad he said it too. He doesn’t know anything about hating someone because of their religion. Those Jews got it all wrong. Like the Minister said, Jews are anti-Black. That’s all I have to say.”

Edward Smith, a retired federal government employee living in D.C., told The Final Call, “I’m old enough to have witnessed the history of the Nation in this city when it was Temple No. 4 on New Jersey Avenue. When the Minister said the Nation is the hope of our people, he’s not joking. What else do we have? We need the Nation now more than ever. Our people are in a bad way. Our youth can’t even get a job. We need the Nation.”

The 23rd Anniversary of the Million Man March at Muhammad Mosque No. 7 in historic Harlem was in fact historic as Min. Farrakhan recounted the establishment of the Nation of Islam in Black Bottom Detroit and the packed Muhammad Mosque No. 7 in New York, young and old, listened attentively to every word that he spoke.

“What stuck out to me the most is when Min. Farrakhan said we have to have space to grow up and later when he spoke of the evilness that affects us from the people who have taught us along with who we associate with. Those things that draw you to the wrong things, it is best for the Black man to learn and study on his own in order to learn. This was my first time being at a Holy Day of Atonement program,” said Darnell Bennett, 53.

“I was really touched by the honesty and the awareness Min. Farrakhan shared today. It is what we needed to hear as a people in order to wake us up to be aware of what is going on around us,” added Dawn Davidson.

“He really spoke to my soul as a Black woman especially when he said I love you Black woman, I personally felt that. I had another engagement to go to today but my spirit said that I had to be here and I am glad that I came today because I was truly spiritually fed by Minister Farrakhan,” said 48-year-old Cassandra Duff.

Dorothy Smith heard the Minister for the first time Oct. 14 at Muhammad Mosque No. 7 where she viewed via webcast. Ms. Smith said what the Minister said was helpful for her.

“The Minister brings ... knowledge to our brothers and sisters, and delivering knowledge to our Black sisters, that we are someone special and that God created us,” said Ms. Smith.

Stimulating the South

Mohamed Kamara, originally from Camden, New Jersey, is in the process of becoming a registered member of the Nation of Islam in Miami. He said he felt that the Minister’s message was a true return to Mecca.

“It was amazing, especially at the end, just how the Nation, like in basketball, did a full court press,” he said. “And the reaction from the high school to Nuri Muhammad; I watched something with Wesley Muhammad talking to the rap artists and it just felt special. You could definitely feel like that’s home, that is Black Mecca, and I’m touched by it and it was amazing.”

The Minister’s words about women stood out to many of the young sisters in the audience who viewed the webcast from Macon, Ga. Khadijah Muhammad, 15, from Muhammad Mosque No. 93 in Macon said Min. Farrakhan’s words were very uplifting because many times when women get abused, society does not care.

Her twin sister, Khallada Muhammad, said she has been sad about how Black people have been reacting to Black men who are rapists.

“I feel very validated in the sense that he [the Minister] is not a misogynist,” she said.

Jami Muhammad, a college student also from Macon, said he was inspired by the Minister’s words about women. “Men are supposed to respect women no matter what,” he said.

Despite morning rains, people came from around Memphis and West Memphis (Arkansas) to hear the stirring message from Min. Farrakhan.

Muhammad Mosque No. 55 quickly filled to capacity as guests, visitors and members of the Nation of Islam anticipated the glorious return of Minister and Nation of Islam back to the city of Detroit.

The audience sat in rapt attention and cheers and applause were punctuated by moments of quiet reflection as he spoke on the value of Aretha Franklin and the true meaning of the Queen of Soul; the current controversy surrounding Kanye West’s remarks during his recent White House visit with President Donald Trump; the significance of names and how they show ownership either to a slave master or to God; and the great value and sacredness of the Black woman.

Marquesha Franklin, 27, of Arkansas, who was recently introduced to the life-giving teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, expressed her joy at hearing the message. After sharing how she lost several clothing sizes simply by getting off pork, she felt that one of the things that resonated with her most was Min. Farrakhan’s teaching on the value and beauty of the Black woman.

“Women have a universe within ourselves. We are going to bring forth this new nation, this new way of life. We can’t do that if we continue to let this devil and these men get in our ears. You got to get your stuff right. We are the key to a peaceful world,” Ms. Franklin expressed as she shared what she would like to take back to other women after today’s message.

(James G. Muhammad reported from Chicago; Nisa Islam Muhammad from Washington, D.C.; Michael Z. Muhammad from Philadelphia; Donna Muhammad from Memphis; Janiah Adams from Miami; Anisah Muhammad from Macon, Ga. and Daleel Jabir Muhammad from New York.)

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