COLUMBIA, S.C.—The sanctuary of Oak Grove Baptist Church, in Elgin, S.C., was filled with quiet reflection, embraces and smiles as family members, friends, Nation of Islam members and others gathered June 7 to honor the life and legacy of Brother Brian E. Muhammad.
A longtime international staff writer for The Final Call, whose work carried him from the streets of America to villages across Africa in service to the Nation of Islam and the cause of Black liberation.
Holding obituaries adorned with photographs chronicling his life and service, attendees filled the church pews while family members sat near the front of the sanctuary. The mood was solemn but uplifting as speakers reflected on a man remembered for his journalism, humility, sacrifice and commitment to helping others.
Brother Brian Muhammad, born Dec. 16, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York, made his transition May 31 at age 60. His journey, from a young man searching for purpose in New York City to becoming an international servant and helper of the Nation of Islam and one of The Final Call’s most respected writers, was recounted throughout the afternoon service.
Officiating the service was Student Minister Anthony Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque No. 38 in Columbia, South Carolina, who thanked Rev. Dr. Willie J. Thompson Jr. and Oak Grove Baptist Church for opening its doors to the family and community before offering words of comfort to the family.
“Our prayers are that Allah (God) will lift the burden of sorrow from your hearts,” Student Minister Anthony told mourners. “Funerals are not for the dead. They are for the living,” Student Minister Anthony said. “As we gather here today, we pause for a moment to reflect on the precious and fragile end of life, knowing that we will not be here forever.”
According to the obituary, Brother Brian was introduced to the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad while attending Morgan State University, an HBCU in Baltimore, Maryland.
Drawn by the message of self-improvement, justice and liberation, he eventually joined the Nation of Islam under the leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and became a devoted laborer in the work of resurrection and redemption.
His path led him to Muhammad Mosque No. 7 in Harlem, where he served on the secretarial staff and developed a reputation as a dependable laborer. There, he met Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad, the International Representative of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, a relationship that would shape the remainder of his life.
In a recent appearance on the podcast “I Have A Testimony,” hosted by Student Minister Willie Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque No. 46 in New Orleans, Brother Brian reflected on how his international journey began.
“That trip happened to be a very significant trip,” Brother Brian recalled of his first visit to Africa with Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad. The delegation traveled to Egypt and later to Accra, Ghana. “It had an impact on me,” said Brother Brian.
The experience proved transformative. By 1993, Minister Farrakhan had agreed to hold Saviours’ Day in Accra, Ghana—the first time the Nation of Islam’s annual convention would be held outside the United States.
After Minister Akbar Muhammad helped secure the necessary resources, Brother Brian returned to Ghana in December 1993 and remained there through much of 1994, assisting with preparations for the historic gathering.
“He said, ‘I did not have Africa in my mind. I just wanted to help,’” Student Minister Anthony recalled in his remarks. “That spirit of service would define the rest of his life.”
Student Minister Anthony said Brother Brian devoted most of his adult life to the mission of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad as taught and exemplified by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.
“Brother Brian Muhammad has been a great helper to his Nation and to every brother and sister that he came across,” he said. “I think we can all bear witness and say he always kept a smile, being a cheerful worker.”
He described Brother Brian as a “company man,” wholly committed to the work of the Nation of Islam. He was “One who was about the business of the Nation of Islam and striving to make sure things were right,” Student Minister Anthony said.
Photos: Michael Z. Muhammad
“One thing that we know about Brother Brian, he was steadfast,” he added. “Even in the midst of health challenges, he never stopped working. He made sure he submitted his articles to The Final Call. He made himself available to the ministry class, and whatever was needed, Brother Brian Muhammad was there,” he continued.
“He did not waver in his work,” Student Minister Anthony added. “He is the embodiment of when we say, ‘My prayers, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah.’ We can say Brother Brian Muhammad gave it his all.”
Along with written tributes, more meaningful remarks also came from Student Minister Abdul Rasul Muhammad, General Manager for The Final Call.
“I met some of your best representation in the name of Brother Brian E. Muhammad,” he said speaking directly to the family. “He represented every member of the family with dignity and grace.”
Brother Abdul Rasul conveyed the love and condolences of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Mother Khadijah Farrakhan and the Farrakhan family, noting that Minister Farrakhan deeply appreciated Brother Brian’s service and enjoyed reading his work.
“He was our international staff writer,” Brother Abdul Rasul said. “He went after the stories that most people couldn’t tackle if their life depended on it.”
For years, Brother Brian’s reporting appeared prominently throughout The Final Call, often leading the newspaper’s coverage of major national and international events. He had the cover story in The Final Call at the time of his janazah.
“He was about the business of telling the truth,” Brother Abdul Rasul continued. “His name and his legacy will live on forever.”
The bond Brother Brian shared with Minister Akbar Muhammad remained strong until the international representative returned to Allah earlier this year. Following Minister Akbar Muhammad’s March 17 transition, Brother Brian posted a heartfelt tribute reflecting on the impact of the man many considered a mentor.
“A glimpse into the impact of Bro. Student Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad,” he wrote. “May Allah be pleased with his many contributions and works in this cause. I, like so many, will miss my Brother and mentor who poured so much in us.”
“We will not fall into grief, for grief is for the wicked who receives death with the regret of unfinished, unresolved issues wrought from a life of injustice to one another,” he wrote. “Strive to live right and do right by one another so when the evil accident of time touches one of us, we accept the irrevocable Will of God,” Brother Brian posted of his friend and mentor.
Brother Michael Z. Muhammad, a contributing Final Call writer, offered a personal reflection on Brother Brian.
“Brother Brian is one of those extraordinary brothers that you only meet once in a lifetime,” he said. “Brother was dedicated to his craft, dedicated to the Nation of Islam. Brother was also always warm, friendly and had a massive heart.”
Student Minister Anthony reminded attendees that Brother Brian’s legacy would endure through the thousands of words he left behind.
“We don’t have to guess what Brother Brian Muhammad said. We don’t have to guess what Brother Brian Muhammad’s thoughts were,” he said. “You can look in The Final Call, and there he is.”
Photo: Michael Z. Muhammad
Journalism was not Brother Brian’s original path. Through years of work alongside Minister Akbar Muhammad, including assignments connected to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s World Friendship Tours, he developed skills that eventually led him to The Final Call.
Brother Brian began submitting articles as a freelance writer. Later, encouraged by then-Final Call Editor-in-Chief Brother Naba’a (Richard) Muhammad, Brother Brian became one of the newspaper’s most prolific writers, producing front-page stories.
International reports and analysis while contributing to projects such as The Sankofa Experience and Global Peeks. From 2009-2015 he was a contributing writer and later in 2015 he became a staff writer.
Final Call Interim Editor, Sister Starla Muhammad, shared her memories and reflections of her brother, colleague and friend. “Brother Brian was always willing to share his insight and information on various topics.
Especially those impacting our people in Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Latin America and the U.S. He had a love and respect for Black people throughout the diaspora,” she said. He was a definite newsman, she added.
“I will miss our regular, weekly conversations where I would learn so much from him. He was always excited to share stories from his travels with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Minister Akbar and what he learned from them. You could hear the excitement and passion in his voice as he recounted his experiences,” said Sister Starla.
“The entire Final Call Staff and our writing team will miss our dear brother tremendously and may Allah (God) comfort us all, especially his family.”
As the service neared its conclusion, mourners participated in the traditional janazah custom taught by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad by receiving a peppermint to symbolize the sweetness of a righteous life. Family members approached first, followed by believers, friends and guests who quietly passed by the casket.
Nation of Islam Student Mid-Atlantic Regional Minister Abdul Khadir Muhammad explained that just as the sweetness of the mint lingers after it dissolves, the memory of a righteous person remains after they depart this life.
Photo: Toure Muhammad
Mourners then filed past in silence.
Outside, family members embraced one another while friends shared stories about Brother Brian’s impact and the responsibility of carrying forward the work he loved.
Also among those paying their respects was Brother Don Enoch Muhammad, an aide to Minister Farrakhan. “Brother was a soldier in the cause of Islam, and he was a beautiful brother and a dear friend,” said Brother Don Enoch.
“We thank Allah for the service that he gave to his Nation, to the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and also to Brother Akbar,” he added.
“We thank Allah for him. We love him,” Brother Abdul Rasul said. “He may be gone physically, but he will never be forgotten because we simply will not let that happen.”
Final Call National Correspondent Charlene Muhammad contributed to this report.