CHICAGO—The Nation of Islam (N.O.I.) recently hosted its first all-Spanish language national service at The National Center, Mosque Maryam, in Chicago. The historic gathering featured hundreds of Spanish-speaking guests mostly from Central and South America.
The theme of the gathering was, “Dios Ve, Escucha & Reconoce Nuestro Sufriemiento” which means “God Sees, Hears and Knows Our Suffering.”
The life-giving Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad were presented to the special guests in their language, Spanish, by bi-lingual student ministers and other N.O.I. members. Real-time English translation was made available during the program which was webcast live via the internet. The program was held April 28.
The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad has taught that, along with the Native American, the Latino population of Central and South America are part of the Indigenous family, the Original people of the planet, and both populations have been open to learning and accepting the knowledge of themselves and uniting with Black people based on the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.
Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad, National Assistant to Minister Farrakhan, delivered the keynote message. He is a son of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Mother Tynnetta Muhammad.
“My father, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Eternal Leader of the Nation of Islam, saw the future. He knew before his departure in 1975, he knew that the Mexican and Latino community would grow in a significant manner in the United States.
During his time among us, he worked to unite the Black, the Native American, and Latino people. An effort that continues today under the leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam,” Student Min. Ishmael stated during his remarks.
“My father went to Mexico and settled my mother and brothers and sister in Mexico in the city of Cuernavaca in the state of Morelos. There we grew up, we learned the language, we went to school, and we assimilated the culture. So much so that my own people here would call me a Mexican,” he explained.
“We know brothers and sisters of your struggle, of your hardships, of your pain, we feel your pain. You were forced to leave your beautiful countries as a result of political turmoil, poor economic conditions to seek a better life with opportunities, safety, to be able to provide, for yourselves and your families. You left family members behind and endured a tortuous journey of hundreds of kilometers (miles), by truck, train, and by foot.
You had to go by foot for days through the jungles of Panama, all did not make it, some died in the jungle, and some were too weak and sick to make it. So, you represent the strongest of the strong of very resilient people. Unfortunately, your presence has created controversy and not all arms have opened to you.”
Student Minister Ishmael explained that the countries many of the guests came from are rich in natural resources but that America’s greed and meddling in the affairs of those countries has not afforded them a decent quality of life from what their countries produce.
“America has a duty to feed the hungry, give shelter and clothe those less fortunate, and serve the poor. This is the criteria that God will use to judge the nations. Jesus is our example, and it is the duty of any believer in God, no matter what the religion, to do things for the poor and the disadvantaged.
We are happy to follow a man like the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and he is deeply concerned for the poor, who has worked on behalf of the poor and has been a voice for the poor and an outspoken voice against the injustice and unjust wicked policies of the United States towards Africa, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.”
Student Minister Ishmael added, “He (the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan) has been leading us to feed and clothe our people, to do whatever we can to help our suffering people. We just fed over 50,000 people across the United States.”
Love and connection
The special program started with a welcome and explanation of why men and women are seated separately, followed by an opening prayer, all in Spanish. Each presenter fed the audience with just as much determination to spark enlightenment within the listener as they would teach to any other group of people.
Student Minister Abel Muhammad, representative to the Latin American community for Minister Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam told The Final Call that he was asked by Student Minister Ishmael to emcee the program and receive the people for the first-ever all-Spanish language program.
“I helped to orient most of the guests who had really no orientation towards what a mosque is, or what the Nation of Islam is so that they would understand a little bit better.”
Student Minister Abel, who is of Mexican descent continued: “We had been bringing them food and different supplies, but they did not really know us. As far as they knew, we were just a church group. This was their first real exposure to what we believe, what we teach, and how we function as the Nation of Islam.”
“During dinner at Muhammad University of Islam, that was made available to our guests after the program, every single person that I talked to was overwhelmed in awe. They just could not believe the reception that they had, in terms of the quality of the food, the care and service of all the brothers and sisters, even though a lot of them could not speak Spanish.
The guests felt that love and connection. There were some guests that wanted to stay as long as they could. They were interested in programs we offered for children, what other services we offered in terms of classes for men and women,” Student Minister Abel stated.
One guest, Rafael Fernandez, stated, “I left Colombia four months ago with my wife and three children for a safe place to live and better opportunities. So far, being in America has been hard and sad, but today was very good. The message was good, the people are nice, and the food was very good. I am looking for work, I do masonry and anything else that I can find.”
Sister Dr. Jessica Muhammad, a member of the Nation of Islam’s Ministry of Health and Human Services, studied Spanish at a young age and is now fluent in the language. She shared a message regarding health and introduced the audience to the book, “How to Eat to Live” by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Sister Saffiyah Muhammad Farrakhan is the daughter of Student Minister Ishmael, granddaughter of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Mother Tynnetta Muhammad and she spoke on the value and the role of the woman in Islam to the audience. Sister Saffiyah was born in Mexico in the state of Morelos.
“A great portion of my life was spent there and I lived some time in Guatemala City. I thank my mother Raquel who currently resides in Mexico, for without her I would not be here, nor would I have the roots and experiences connecting me to Latin America,” she said.
“My grandfather established a part of his family in Mexico with the purpose of unifying the two people. The Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad teach us that the native and Indigenous people of the earth, are the Original people of the planet.
Meaning we have been here since the beginning of time, however, in this world anywhere we look on the earth, the native and Original people of this land are suffering injustices by the hand of the European White man,” Sister Saffiyah shared, before introducing her father.
Several believers were instrumental in making the day a success whether it was bringing guests, helping to translate, and much more. Sister Sondra Muhammad, Sister Amneris X, Brother Antonio Muhammad and others, helped plan and coordinate the program.
Sister Sondra said that she went to one of the migrant locations in Chicago, spoke with a director and invited guests to the meeting. “My job was to bring the people to the mosque and make them feel welcomed.
The event was very beautiful and the guests felt loved and welcomed. I understand that when they first arrived to this country they did not have a good experience. I received all positive feedback from them, they loved everything. They definitely loved the food, specifically the fish.”
Brother Antonio Muhammad is from Panama. He first heard the teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad through the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan in 1986 on the radio, while still living in Panama.
In the year 2000, he was in Chicago on business and was invited to attend the mosque. “I immediately accepted the Teachings. I have been assigned to work with our brothers and sisters from Central and South America.
I am so grateful to Allah (God) to be one of the brothers to make contact with our brothers and sisters and give out meals for Ramadan. That was how we were able to build good relationships with families from Venezuela and from other parts of South America. That was beautiful.”
Brother David Muhammad is the Student F.O.I. Captain of Mosque No. 3 in Milwaukee and is of Puerto Rican descent. He referred to the special meeting and broadcast as fulfillment and confirmation of what the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad was taught and guided by Allah in the Person of Master Fard Muhammad to place a part of his family in Mexico.
“Today is also the elevation of certain aspects of our Teachings that many of us might have missed. So, we have to go back over and start from the beginning and understand better,” he said.
“The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad saw the expansiveness of our people. I think today is a pivotal moment in the history of the Nation of Islam and broadening and expanding of our understanding of the Messianic work of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. Today was a demonstration and statement to the world that we are family. You cannot separate family.”
Sister Amneris X was one of the translators for the national webcast. She resides in Lexington, Kentucky but was born in Puerto Rico and raised there until age seven. Sister Amneris became a registered member of the Nation of Islam in 2019.
“Today has been a groundbreaking, historical event. Just seeing the joy in our guests’ faces, even with them seeing that we are really trying to help. I have received many compliments on the lecture, the message that we gave them. I had some of the invited sisters tell me to write down their number and to make sure to text them whenever you all have more events. They want to come out,” Sister Amneris said.
“I want to do what I can to help the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan reach all of our people. As he has said multiple times, ‘bring them to the Lamb of God,’ the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad,” she said. To view this special broadcast in its entirety, visit media.noi.org
