LOS ANGELES—Muhammad Mosque No. 27, the Western Regional Headquarters of the Nation of Islam in Los Angeles, hosted an engaging and educational CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training seminar, which equipped 54 believers with lifesaving skills. The training combined hands-on learning with an in-depth understanding of how to respond effectively in life-threatening emergencies.
Leading the instruction was Brother Christopher 3X, who attends Mosque No. 27. He is the founder of the CPR and First Aid Training School in Gardena, California. He is a certified CPR, AED (automated external defibrillator), first aid and BLS (basic life support) instructor. He received training from the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross.
During the training, held Nov. 1, Bro. Christoper provided a comprehensive breakdown of the scientific basis of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), including when and why it is administered. “This was the first time we had a lot of believers come out. We had an excellent class. My main thing is I want us to have a properly-trained mosque, to where we know we are confident that we know what to do in the event of an emergency,” said Brother Christopher.
“If we know what to do, then we can be preventative … . We want to share this knowledge with our friends and family, and then this will all be worth it because maybe somebody will be saved from this and that’s what it’s all about,” he added.
The presentation highlighted the delicate balance between the heart and lungs, emphasizing that prompt, proper CPR can mean the difference between life and death.
Before diving into the hands-on portion, each participant received visual guides outlining the day’s lessons. Brother Christoper explained the anatomy of the human body, including how airways can become obstructed and the potential dangers of choking. He also discussed common warning signs of heart attacks and other cardiovascular emergencies, ensuring that participants understood how to recognize and respond to critical situations before CPR even begins.
Participants included men, women and youth, as young as pre-teen who practiced and trained on CPR manikins, applying pressure and rhythm under the careful supervision of the instructors. Sister Anissa Muhammad is a member of the Ministry of Health for the Western Region and Mosque No. 27 and played an active role in assisting with the training. She has a master’s in science in human services and a master’s in public health, and is a CNA (certified nursing assistant).
During the training, she moved from table to table, guiding participants on proper hand placement and technique to ensure accurate and effective compressions.
Brother Dennis Muhammad simulated a real-life scenario by pretending to collapse in the center of the room. The instructors then demonstrated the correct steps for assessing the situation, calling for help, and beginning CPR. The scenario brought the training to life and reinforced the importance of acting quickly and calmly under pressure.
The training concluded with a simulated rescue exercise that brought together all the lessons. Participants practiced securing the scene, checking responsiveness, and performing CPR under timed conditions. In the final “rescue performance,” believers took on different roles—from calling 911 to using the AED—while others acted as distractions to test focus and teamwork. Amid laughter and cheers, participants learned a critical truth: in real-life emergencies, every second counts, and the window to save a life can be as short as ten minutes.
Before closing, the group was deeply moved by testimonies from believers who have experienced real-life medical emergencies. Their stories highlighted not only the importance of this training but the power and mercy of Allah, Who Came In The Person of Master Fard Muhammad, The Great Mahdi.
The training session was inspired by Western Region Student Minister Abdul Malik Sayyid Muhammad, who thanked Allah (God) for sparing his life twice through his wife, Sister Malika, and their children.
He had to be resuscitated twice after medical emergencies, one in which she administered CPR, which extended his life long enough for paramedics to arrive and take over. He shared the following about his experience and his focus on health advocacy with The Final Call:
“Like always, I have to thank Master Fard Muhammad, through His Christ, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Their Servant, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, for allowing me to go through that experience. Because I learned several things that were brought to light as a result of that. That incident showed me how important it is for not just every believer, every Black person and human being walking the face of this Earth should know how to administer CPR,” he said.
“Because, here we are in our own homes with people we love, and if something happened to them, if they stop breathing and you can’t find a pulse, and you don’t know what to do, not having that knowledge may cause them or allow them to just die right in front of you, because you didn’t simply know what was the next step to do,” Student Min. Abdul Malik Sayyid continued.
“When that happened to me, when my wife resuscitated me, when she and my daughter helped me and I got in that ambulance with the paramedics, I asked the question to the paramedic: ‘How many people died as a result of those around them not knowing what to do?’ And he said, ‘Too many to count.’”
He said the paramedic shared that, “We’ve seen people bleed out because people didn’t know how to do a simple tourniquet or where they’re bleeding from, put pressure on it. But most people whose pulse stops die right in their homes, but they could have been saved.”
His ordeal was the catalyst and inspiration for introducing CPR training for the believers in the mosque who desired to be trained.
“Now, to have 54 certified believers, in which we’re going to have the class several more times, to me, that’s beautiful! That’s a model, because not only did we learn how to do CPR on adults, but we also learned how to do CPR on infants,” he added. The certifications are valid for two years.
Student Min. Abdul Malik Sayyid encourages others to learn CPR and first aid. “I’m happy, I’m certified, now. I was among the 54 who became certified.”
(Akeilah R. Muhammad contributed to this report.)