A grateful Nation pays tribute to an honored servant

CHICAGO—A grateful Nation paid its final respects March 27 to one of the “foundation stones” in the rebuilding effort of the Nation of Islam (N.O.I.) after the 1975 departure of its Eternal Leader, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

Hundreds of friends, family and believers filed into Mosque Maryam for the janazah (funeral) service of Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad, a close companion of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, a man who has traveled and established relationships around the world on behalf of Minister Farrakhan, and a man who endeared himself to many as a mentor and friend.

Abdul Akbar Muhammad was “my best helper, my most faithful helper, my most loving brother,” Minister Farrakhan said, speaking at Bro. Akbar’s coffin, which was draped with a blue prayer rug with gold trim. “Allah gave special recognition to brotherhood, but even greater recognition when brothers become friends. I found in Brother Akbar a friend,” he said.

Minister Farrakhan had approached the coffin, thanking Allah (God) for Bro. Akbar, “a servant who showed us how to live a righteous life.”  He thanked the audience for coming to give respect and honor to a servant “who has earned a place of honor with us all.”

Wearing a tan fez and matching suit, Minister Farrakhan explained his 61-year friendship with Bro. Akbar. The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad assigned Minister Farrakhan to the New York then-Temple No. 7 after Malcolm X left the N.O.I. Though he was born in New York, Minister Farrakhan explained he had never lived there.

It was an assignment the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad said would either break Minister Farrakhan or make him a stronger man, the Minister explained, adding he knew how to teach the word well but needed assistance in running the mosque of his new assignment. Minister Farrakhan said Min. Akbar came to his side to help.

“I could not have made it if not for Brother Larry (as Bro. Akbar was known at the time). I needed a friend, somebody who could show me things I didn’t know,” he said.

The relationship blossomed into work, travel, and more work, said Minister Farrakhan, who would later assign Min. Akbar as his first and only International Representative.

Born Lawrence James Prescott Jr. on June 9, 1942, in Hampton, Va., Bro. Akbar graduated from Aviation High School and later attended Hunter College. However, his real education would be acquired as a member of the N.O.I. 

He married Maryam Aziz (born Marion Williams) at 17 years of age and joined the N.O.I. in 1961. He worked hard and rose through the N.O.I. ranks to become an assistant minister at a new temple in Corona, Queens.

When Minister Farrakhan was named minister of the New York temple in 1965, Min. Akbar became his top assistant and was instrumental in organizing numerous major initiatives, including the 1974 Black Family Day held at Randall’s Island in New York, where 70,000 people attended, and heard a message from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. That same year, he helped to organize and coordinate Minister Farrakhan’s visit to Jamaica at the invitation of Prime Minister Michael Manley.

During the years 1975 and 1976, upon the departure of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and a change in the N.O.I.’s direction, Min. Akbar was assigned to revitalize Mosque No. 28 in St. Louis, Mo., and Mosque No. 28B in East St. Louis, Ill. He was later transferred to Chicago to serve as Special Assistant to Imam Wallace D. Muhammad, who had assumed leadership, and was given the name Karriem Abdel Aziz. 

He would later answer a call from Minister Farrakhan to help rebuild the N.O.I. and was later given the name Abdul Akbar Muhammad by his brother and friend. As the International Representative of the N.O.I. and Minister Farrakhan, Min. Akbar traveled to 154 countries, 44 of which were on the African continent, meeting with kings, presidents, prime ministers, heads of state, and other dignitaries. 

He played a major role in planning peace missions, three World Friendship Tours, and numerous fact-finding missions for the Black press. He opened an office for the N.O.I. in Ghana at the invitation of the late Ghanaian President Jerry John Rawlings and opened the Ghana Mission to serve the Ghanaian people and spread the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

Min. Akbar organized the first Saviours’ Day Convention, held outside the United States in Accra, Ghana, where nearly 2,000 Black Americans traveled. Min. Akbar returned to Allah on March 17 at age 83.

An exclusive class

Delivering words of comfort, Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad, National Assistant Minister to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, emphasized the Nation’s gratitude for Min. Akbar Muhammad. “A grateful Nation honors its soldiers, honors its founding fathers and mothers,” he said. “Women and men are honored equally. You have much as a family to be grateful for.”

He said men and women like Bro. Akbar are in an “exclusive class,” having laid a foundation for the future generations to do a greater work. He admonished the audience that the present moment is the perfect time to show honor and respect for one another because the next moment is not guaranteed. 

He said the community is saddened, yet grateful for the life of Min. Akbar. “We mourn the loss of the physical presence of Bro. Akbar. But his contributions in the cause of Allah will never be forgotten. The work he did in the establishment of freedom, justice and equality live on,” he said.

Muslims vow in their prayers that their sacrifice, life and death are all for Allah, he said, adding, “We believe Bro. Akbar fulfilled his vow.”

To Bro. Akbar’s children, he said, sometimes they may have felt an injustice because their father was often away. He said it is a sacrifice for those who devote themselves to a mission of uplifting a fallen people to establish a nation.

The solution, he said, is for the children to “embrace the cause that their fathers and mothers have devoted their lives to.”

“They do good not seeking any benefit or favors,” he said to the audience. “Stop living a vain and selfish existence. Live in service to others.” 

With a large photo of Bro. Akbar on one side of the coffin and a large photo of Bro. Akbar with Minister Farrakhan on the other, guests entering the sanctuary were greeted with soft music and a photo collage on a large screen featuring scenes of Min. Akbar and his travels and relationships.

Min. Akbar’s children and grandchildren read the obituary and gave remarks. A colorful moment occurred when his daughter, Sister Najah Aziz, brought the crowd to laughter while recounting personal stories about her father.

She started by reciting a song, “I’m Late,” detailing how Bro. Akbar would be rushing to get ready for the day ahead. She dedicated the day to her mother Maryam Aziz and told the audience how her mother would tell the children, “Y’all better get y’alls Black dresses ready,” because Bro. Akbar was doing too much, jokingly implying their father was working himself to death.

She said Bro. Akbar taught his daughters to be independent, and for birthdays, he would give them each an amount to match their age … until it got to be a bit much.

The girls would play mosque, setting up chairs and playing recordings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and songs by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. Bro. Akbar made them watch the news so much that Sister Najah said she thought about becoming a journalist.

Lastly, she described her father as an “entrepreneur at heart,” describing his businesses Zoom Ice Cream, Books n Things and Shabazz Honey Bean Pie. The ovens were in the basement and “I was responsible for the crust,” she said to laughter from the audience.

Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad was interred March 29 during a private burial in his hometown of Hampton, Va.

May Allah be forever pleased with His faithful servant, Abdul Akbar Muhammad.

To view the replay of the janazah, visit media.noi.org.