As spiritual darkness overshadowed the earth, throughout 2024, the Nation of Islam continued serving as a beacon of light for the Black man and woman of America and the Western hemisphere.
Divine warnings and a call to action
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, National Representative of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, issued guidance to the Nation of Islam, the country and the world during his Saviours’ Day 2024 address, “What Does Allah The Great Mahdi And The Great Messiah Have to Say About the War in the Middle East,” delivered in February.
Minister Farrakhan connected Israel’s genocide of Palestinians to America’s plans against Black people, bringing to the forefront the book, “We Charge Genocide: The Historic Petition to the United Nations for Relief from a Crime of the United States Government Against the Negro People (1951).”
“The brothers and sisters that put these charges together, they took it before the United Nations. You don’t know anything about it! They charged America with genocide of Black and Brown and Red people in this country,” he said. “Now you say, ‘Well, what does that got to do with me?’ Your extermination is being planned as well.”
Minister Farrakhan warned Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, in the name of Allah (God). “These words were given to Belshazzar, the one that succeeded Nebuchadnezzar: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN’ (‘YOUR KINGDOM HAS BEEN WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE; IT HAS BEEN NUMBERED’). And it’s getting to the end of Israel,” he said.
Minister Farrakhan promised the Palestinians, from Allah (God), that they are going to have their own. “Your great suffering, I watched you. You keep your prayers going. You haven’t become angry with God.
And I see them with no food, and raising their hands to the sky, ‘Have mercy on us,’” Minister Farrakhan said. Later in his message, Minister Farrakhan stated, “However, there is a saying that Palestinians have: ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.’”
Thousands of members of the Nation of Islam and supporters convened in Detroit for Saviours’ Day 2024, commemorating the Birth Anniversary of Allah (God) in the Person of Master Fard Muhammad, teacher of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Informative workshops, plenary sessions, drill competition and the debut of the N.O.I. Musical Ensemble featuring young musicians and vocalists made for a wonderful, heartfelt weekend.
Shortly after Saviours’ Day, on March 11, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan opened the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan by issuing a clarion call to the Muslim Ummah on “The Ummah Reflects” podcast.
“I would like to, in this Sacred Month, ask us to consider what is going on in our world. In Palestine, our beloved family is making their prayers near the rubble of their destroyed homes. They are struggling to find a piece of bread or a drink of clean water.
They are dying from starvation, famine; they are dying from injuries that were inflicted by the bombing campaign, and the destruction of the hospitals.
So that those who are wounded are walking or laying down with their wounds, and no real care, because the hospitals are almost without anything to treat the sick and the wounded,” he said.
“O, beloved Muslims: What kind of Ramadan will this be for us if we, during Iftar, can sit together and enjoy our family and friends, and reach over and eat a date, reach over and have a bowl of soup, and food—how can we enjoy the blessing of food and drink without a thought of our people around the world in war zones that cannot find anything to eat?”
Minister Farrakhan asked the Muslim community to think of those who have nothing, to rise to the command of God and to stand firm in the face of evil.
“I pray that our Ummah will rise. I pray that we will inspire the nations of Islam—inspire Mecca to take the lead, and call every nation of Islam; call them to rise and stand firm against the suffering of our fellow believing brothers. Even for those who are not Muslims, who are suffering the pain of war, poverty, hunger, that we will do our part,” he said.
His words touched believers in the Nation of Islam. Every week during Ramadan, believers throughout the country served their communities distributing food and other necessities. They went to apartment complexes, homeless and women’s shelters, retirement homes and parks to find those most in need of food, clothing and care products.
“The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan directed us to go out in our cities all across the country to feed the poor. And from our hearts, and by the hands of the M.G.T. and F.O.I. of the Nation of Islam, we are grateful and thankful that to date we have fed over 50,000 people across the country.
And if it be the Will of Allah, the Minister will feed this week as we celebrate Eid, another 10,000 people,” Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad, National Assistant to Minister Farrakhan, said on “The Ummah Reflects” podcast on Eid, marking the end of Ramadan.
The Nation of Islam continued the spirit of service for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s 91st birth anniversary on May 11, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s 127th birth anniversary commemorated on Oct. 7, and the 29th anniversary of the historic 1995 Million Man March and Holy Day of Atonement.
Minister Farrakhan and his wife, Mother Khadijah Farrakhan, celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary in September and the Nation of Islam First Lady turned 89 in November.
The ‘Answered’ Tour
As America continues to embroil herself in conflict, Allah (God) has been further making known the reality of The Wheel or Mother Plane and the 1,500 smaller wheels or baby planes, commonly known as unidentified flying objects (UFOs) or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs).
Former military and government officials are still calling for full disclosure of the phenomena the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Eternal Leader of the Nation of Islam, has taught about since the 1930s.
In January, Student Minister Ilia Rashad Muhammad, author of “UFOs And The Nation Of Islam: The Source, Proof, And Reality Of The Wheels,” premiered Part 2 of his documentary film series, “Answered,” in Phoenix, Arizona. The series addresses the connection between the wheel-like objects and the Nation of Islam.
After the premiere Student Min. Ilia Muhammad went on tour with the documentary with the encouragement of Minister Farrakhan. From January to July, he visited more than 20 cities, showing the latest episode in sold-out theaters.
“We blessed audiences to be informed and inspired and uplifted and edified from the truth that has been kept silent and kept hidden by the enemy, and that truth is the fact that God has come, and He has demonstrated clear proof of His Divine Power,” he said to The Final Call.
Cities included Phoenix; Milwaukee; Detroit during Saviours’ Day; Las Vegas; Harlem in New York; Mount Vernon, N.Y.; Athens, Georgia; Atlanta; Nashville, Tennessee; Memphis, Tennessee; Oakland, California; Los Angeles; San Francisco; San Diego; Houston; Washington, D.C.; Greensboro, North Carolina and Chicago for the tour finale.
Student Min. Ilia Muhammad is finishing up “Answered” Part 3 and anticipates another tour in spring 2025.
Growth and new experiences
Throughout 2024, the Nation of Islam experienced growth, change and new cultural events.
For the first time in history, the Nation hosted an all-Spanish language mosque service at Mosque Maryam in Chicago on April 28. The theme was, “Dios Ve, Escucha & Reconoce Nuestro Sufriemiento,” translated as “God Sees, Hears and Knows Our Suffering.”
The Nation of Islam also established its first orchestral ensemble, composed of talented youth and young adults. After their Saviours’ Day 2024 performance in Detroit, the group went on a tour called “Sounds of Harmony.”
The ensemble performed in Houston in June, New York City in August, Chicago in September and Atlanta in November. In 2025, the tour group plans to perform in Washington, D.C., Miami, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, with dates still to be announced.
The Nation of Islam commemorated the Coming of God in the Person of Master Fard Muhammad with a prayer service and flag-raising ceremony on July 4. It also held its annual International Training Conference in late July. Minister Farrakhan shared words with attendees.
The Nation made progress with the announcement of a new mosque, Muhammad Mosque No. 102 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Student Minister Keith Muhammad reflected on the two years it took for the study group to achieve mosque status.
He explained the real push started September 17, 2022 in Washington, D.C. when he and a small group of student ministers were blessed to be with Minister Farrakhan.
“He challenged us, and he personally went around the room and asked how many believers active we had in our study groups, those who were study groups,” Student Min. Keith Muhammad said to The Final Call. “He challenged each of us individually to get to mosque status.” He shared the challenge with the believers in Chester, and they got busy.
“Now we really are just focused on continuing to build. … It’s really just a foundational stone that we can keep working to build from.”
As for the Nation as a whole, he has enjoyed seeing the children of the believers, second and third-generation Muslims, step into critical roles.
“Because with the challenges that this world has put in front of our youth that are out here, it’s a challenge to reach them, but the youth that have been rooted and raised in this Teaching, we can see how important and how pivotal they will be in making the progress we need to make in reaching younger generations,” he said.
Student Min. Ishmael Muhammad delivered the keynote message for the 29th Anniversary of the Million Man March and Holy Day of Atonement in a national webcast from Mosque Maryam in Chicago on Oct. 13. His message, given to him by Minister Farrakhan, was titled:
“Atonement and Repentance: Who of the Presidential Candidates Can Save the Lives of the People of America From the Wrath of God.” His message capped of a full weekend of workshops and activities held on the grounds of The National Center.
The passing of giants
The year 2024 saw the passing of many great ones and beloved community members.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan issued a statement dated Aug. 1 on the passing of the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. He also prepared a statement for Sister Maryam Aziz, former wife of Student Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad, International Representative of the Nation of Islam, who transitioned peacefully on Aug. 21.
The Final Call published a special section celebrating the life of Sister Karen Farrakhan, the wife of Nation of Islam Student Supreme Captain Mustapha Farrakhan and daughter-in-law of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Mother Khadijah Farrakhan. She transitioned to Allah on Aug. 8, surrounded by family.
Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad officiated the Janazah service on Aug. 17, leading family and friends to reflect on the life of Sister Karen Farrakhan.
As the year came to a close two more servants and soldiers of Allah passed including Minister Emeritus Don Muhammad, a longtime Nation of Islam pioneer and Brother Kevin Muhammad, affectionately known as “K7” of the E-Team. May Allah be pleased with his servants.
Two Nation of Islam pioneers and helpers of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Minister Farrakhan marked milestone birth anniversaries: Brother Abdul Wahid Muhammad and M.G.T. Captain Emeritus Alice Muhammad both turned 90 this year.
Continued preparation
Minister Farrakhan has taught us to pray for God’s peace in the new year. He shared divine guidance and the proper mindset to usher in a new year during an end-of-year interview conducted at the historic Final Call Administration Building and Final Call Newspaper offices in Chicago on New Year’s Day 2013.
“Let me say, I pray that the New Year will be ‘happy’… But the expression ‘Happy New Year’ is a tradition of this world, and the tradition of this world is to raise as much hell as you can as an old year goes out, make resolutions that you don’t intend to fulfill or you won’t fulfill, and engage in raucous behavior. We, as Muslims, should not participate in such,” Minister Farrakhan stated.
“The new year may be ‘happy,’ but it may not be happy; so we should wish for everyone God’s Peace in the new year. Whether there are misfortunes that we might face, which won’t make it ‘happy,’ but if God’s Peace is with us, then no matter what trial or circumstance comes up in the new year, that resolve with God will help us to get through.”
