“These are on guidance from their Lord, and these are they who are Successful.”
—Holy Qur’an 31:5
BROOKLYN, New York—In commemoration of the historic Million Man March 28 years ago, the Nation of Islam believers of Muhammad Mosque No. 7C in Brooklyn, New York, took on the call by the Shura Executive Council to recommit and sacrifice for the Holy Day of Atonement called by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan in 1995 in Washington, D.C. The March was where nearly two million Black men gathered to atone and lead more productive lives for themselves, their families, and their communities.
This year’s anniversary was a clarion call to lead a National Day of Service, a day of absence, which included no work, no school, no shopping but a day of prayer, sacrifice, and service. The student laborers and believers of Mosque No. 7C met and discussed how to best fulfill this Holy Day of Service. The resounding call to feed 1,000 people in a day was unanimously agreed upon to make this day truly remarkable.
On October 16 the day began at Zuhr (afternoon) prayer at the mosque, where the believers gathered to make salat, assemble, atone, and plot the course of distribution throughout the borough with the great spirit and words of inspiration coming from Student Minister Henry Muhammad, Student First Lieutenant of the M.G.T. Tara Muhammad and Student First Lieutenant of the F.O.I. Abdul Salim Muhammad.
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“One of the things in our planning stage was to ensure that every single believer, every member played a part in making sure that the words and the desires of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was met,” Brother Salim Muhammad said. “We made sure every believer brought something.
Whether it was chicken, rice, cabbage or even buying water, every believer contributed to the success and the desire of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to make this day of service memorable. We wanted to make sure we had a full meal to feed our people. … Executing, preparing and distributing 1,000 meals was no small feat, but it was richly fulfilling for all of the believers who sacrificed the way they did.”
Carrying out the mission to remember this solemn day, Brother Salim explained the planning and preparation that went into this extraordinary day of service.
“Some of the believers cooked food Wednesday at the mosque up until Sunday night. Some believers were cooking at the Mosque at 2:00 a.m. Monday morning. … We, in addition, had partnered with our friends in the community to use their fully equipped culinary kitchen.
We were able to prepare, cook, package, and serve there as well. That was the beauty of the day. It literally took on the spirit of the Million Man March where we all came together in a very unified, successful undertaking. Like the late Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael) said, we must organize, organize, organize. So, we organized and went to work.”
Brother Salim continued:
“Our people in Brooklyn honestly love the believers of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad under the guidance of The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. The people loved the way we stood up and represented the Nation of Islam in feeding the multitudes. …None of this would have been possible if we didn’t go in the name of Minister Farrakhan.
Every meal, every Final Call newspaper we gave away we said this was courtesy of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. It was because of the Minister who made that call 28 years ago that we were offering a Day of Service on the Holy Day of Atonement. It was he who wanted us to reestablish that day of sacrifice.”
Others bore witness to the beauty of the day. “As we took to the streets on October 16, we informed some of our people who didn’t know and reminded others of the day’s significance,” stated Sister Tara Muhammad. “We also shared with them that this year on the 90th birth anniversary of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, he gifted the poorest sections of Chicago, Illinois with 2,500 dinners, and we were following his example today.
Our people were touched by the Nation of Islam’s kindness, generosity, and Day of Service in Brooklyn. Also, they wanted to thank the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan for his thoughtfulness, his ministry, and his commitment to Black people in this borough and throughout the Black diaspora.”
Brooklyn is home to more than 1.25 million Blacks and Latinos, explained Sister Tara Muhammad.
“The laborers and believers of Mosque No. 7C wanted to make an indelible impact on all the areas where most of our people are primarily located which includes East New York, Brownsville, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, and Flatbush sections. The feeding of our people in those particular areas, we fed 894 people, and it was a symbol of what collective acts of kindness represent,” she added.
“Brother Salim and Sister First Officer Tara Muhammad galvanized the believers together around the idea, on Wednesday, October 10. Then each of us as laborers worked along with the believers to bring the idea into fruition,” explained Student Minister Henry Muhammad.
“We targeted five locations in various areas of Brooklyn, New York. We accomplished servicing our people with not just full dinners but also served with love. We informed them that these dinners are being given in the spirit of atonement and in the spirit of the Million Man March, on behalf of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. The people were very surprised and happy to know that the Minister would honor them in such a way.
We also distributed free copies of The Final Call newspaper which our people graciously received. Then we returned to the mosque and had 100 dinners that were prepared for the believers to break bread together as a believing family. The spirit of Allah, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was truly among us as a family. All Praises are due to Allah! Min Henry said.
Long Live the Spirit of the Million Man March!
—Daleel Jabir Muhammad
