See Letter from Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan
[Editor’s Note: The following remarks were delivered by Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad, National Assistant to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan on Sunday, July 16, 2023, from Mosque Maryam in Chicago on the passing of Student Minister Jabril Muhammad, a longtime companion, aid and supreme witness to the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Minister Farrakhan. The Final Call will pay honor and tribute to the life and legacy of this Beloved and Dedicated Servant of Allah (God) in an upcoming issue. May Allah Bless us all.]
It is with great sadness that I announced that we lost Brother Student Minister Jabril Muhammad, formally Brother Bernard Cushmeer, May Allah Be Pleased. We’re not here forever but that brother lived his life in total dedication to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He has left us a treasure trove of knowledge, all bearing witness to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.
Brother Jabril Muhammad was named “Jabril” by the Minister from Bernard because he represented the Angel Jabril that visited Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him. Those of you who are familiar with the history, Prophet Muhammad would go to himself in a cave and he was agonizing and pained over the condition of his people. And I believe … it was the western mountain right there in Mecca, Arabia, which we visited and climbed. And in a cave, where he would often sit and it looks over the valley of Mecca, the angel visited him. Not a spook, not a man with wings, but a human being. And the first words that the Angel Jabril gave to Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him—which is found in the 96th chapter (of the Holy Qur’an) were these words: “Read (“Iqra”), Read in the name of thy Lord Who creates.
›When Brother Jabril, Brother Bernard at that time, he found the Minister who was also agonizing over the condition of our people, the fall of the Nation of Islam. And it was Brother Jabril, who put in the Minister’s hand a book, and he said, “Read.” In September of 1977, in the western part of this nation, in the city of Los Angeles, California, is where Brother Jabril, Brother Bernard at that time, met with the Minister in a hotel. I think it was Hollywood or Beverly Hills. The place doesn’t matter but the city does. And after reading what Brother Jabril put in his hands, he woke up. And then the next morning after reading the book in the night, (Minister Farrakhan told Brother Jabril) “the operation was a success, the scales have been removed.” And from that moment, when I say moment, I mean, the Minister immediately stood up and began the rebuilding work of the Nation of Islam and bringing back the Teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
We are indebted to Brother Jabril Muhammad! Allah-u-Akbar!, Allah-u-Akbar!, “Allah-u-Akbar! (God is the Greatest).
Let us keep the family in our prayers and our thoughts. We love him very much and are grateful to Allah for him. His articles appear in the Final Call newspaper each and every week, “Farrakhan the Traveler.” The Minister has not had a better witness of him than Brother Jabril Muhammad. Thank you. As-Salaam Alaikum.
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