During Saviours’ Day Khutbah, Imam admonishes Muslims to ‘guard your hearts’ against evil

By Brian E. Muhammad -Contributing Writer- | Last updated: Feb 20, 2019 - 12:19:01 PM

Imam Sultan Rahman Muhammad leads Jumu’ah Prayer Service at McCormick Place during Saviours’ Day weekend festivities. Photos: Haroon Rajaee

CHICAGO—Believers from near and far—from the elders to the young people participating in the Nation of Islam Saviours’ Day 2019 convention—answered the call from Allah (God) on February 15 to leave off all activity and come to prayer.

Brother Daniel 8X recites the Adhan (Call to Prayer).

For convention goers Jumu’ah prayer, held every Friday for Muslims worldwide, has become a requirement during the annual gathering that celebrates the birth anniversary of Master Fard Muhammad, the Great Mahdi and founder of the Nation of Islam.

Before the Khutbah (sermon) commenced, a harmonic recitation of four short chapters from the Holy Qur’an was given by young students of Muhammad University of Islam in Chicago. The enthusiastic reception from prayer goers charged the atmosphere from beginning to the end of the Jumu’ah service.

In his khutbah, Sultan Rahman Muhammad, the student National Imam of the Nation of Islam, spoke about honoring the presence of God and spirit of truth that is innately in Black people as a people risen by God.

“That spirit of truth that we have is our military armament from those that seek to kill the spirit of the believer, thereby killing the rise of Islam,” said Imam Muhammad.

The strife and divisions among Muslims around the world are directly tied to external enemies exploiting internal problems between Muslims, he explained.

“We are Muslims and we have to learn to be Muslims—those who submit to the spirit of truth and the will of Allah,” he said.

The Imam also pointed out the current dangers of the time where both, being Muslim and Black is under severe attack. He warned the believers to guard their hearts from being influenced against what they were called by Allah (God) to be.

Muslim women listen to Khutbah by Imam Sultan Muhammad. Photo: Eric Muhammad

“You cannot separate the military from the spiritual,” he advised. “It is one,” he added, using an injunction from the Holy Qur’an to “have one watch while you pray.”

He said in this hour we must celebrate the presence of God as the call to Jumu’ah is given in the Holy Qur’an to rush to the remembrance of Allah.

“Everything that we do; everything that we claim to be must be for the purpose of expressing our gratitude for the presence of Allah,” he said.

The imam pointed out that the call of God must be heeded, and the messenger of the call shouldn’t be rejected. In this time, Minister Farrakhan is a teacher who has given more than what the educated scholars have given of right knowledge, he said.

“He has robed us in knowledge that can disrobe the knowledge of Satan,” imam Muhammad said.

In an interview about Jumu’ah at Saviours’ Day 2019, the imam told The Final Call that an important underlying theme is the cultural identity of the Nation of Islam and the growth and global impact of the 89-year-old nation within a nation.

Students of Muhammad University of Islam in Chicago. Before the Khutbah, the students recited four short chapters from the Holy Qur’an in Arabic.

Imam Muhammad told The Final Call that besides Jumu’ah being an obligatory duty incumbent upon every Muslim, at Saviours’ Day its message is inclusive of the coming of the Mahdi, Master Fard Muhammad, and the raising up of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad in the Western Hemisphere.

It also is an occasion to raise awareness about the scope of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s work among the marginalized in America and his international reach as a warner to the nations.

“We have a life in our midst that is the value of all humanity,” Imam Muhammad said of Minister Farrakhan during his Khutbah. “This man has shaken up the government of America, (and) he has warned Mecca.”

Men offer prayers during service.

He enjoined the people to unite and gird up their loins because “fighting is enjoined” and to face the reality they are soldiers in Islam.

“If we maintain unity,” he said, “it is that unity that troubles the scientists of this world that is going out.”

“So, they see it is the voice of Farrakhan that is feeding the Black man and woman and the original people and indigenous people all over the planet,” Imam Muhammad further said.

Saviours’ Day celebrates the call to salvation that God is issuing, the imam remarked. “He has called, and we have come,” Imam Muhammad said.

“It is a blessing to have life today,” Imam Muhammad said to several thousand people in the ballroom. “Today we have not only by the grace of Allah the life of our living breath, but we have the life of the presence of God … that is allowing us to say we are among those who live.”

Imam Muhammad said Allah (God) has granted the opportunity for the people to be raised from spiritual death to life and described it as “the greatest gift of Salvation that one could have.”

The Final Call