DETROIT—What began a two-part workshop at the Nation of Islam’s Saviours’ Day 2026 convention on February 20 and 21 swiftly transformed into a full-fledged “Do for Self” movement, based on the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Held at the Huntington Place convention center, the packed sessions focused on taking the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s Teachings beyond a phrase and presenting His Teaching of “Do For Self” as a practical vehicle to make our communities a decent and safe place to live through economic self-empowerment.
The two-day sessions were the brainchild of Brother Leonard F. Muhammad, a longtime aide to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, a member of the Nation of Islam Shura Executive Council, and businessman.
Bro. Leonard was joined by a group of various presenters during the workshops, including 19 presenters on various topics in business and entrepreneurship. The meeting rooms quickly swelled with aspiring entrepreneurs seeking guidance and established business owners looking to scale up their business.
Day one: Business philosophy, inspiration, and mentorship
Part one of the workshop held Feb. 20 focused on foundational principles, organizing efforts around specific business interests, and sharing paths to success.
Before Student Minister Nuri Muhammad of Mosque No. 74 in Indianapolis opened the workshop with prayer, attendees watched motivating video excerpts of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.
Student Min. Nuri centered his remarks on the Economic Blueprint found in “Message to the Blackman in America” by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He emphasized that doing for self is ultimately about personal, spiritual transformation.
“A job is a leash. A business is wings,” Bro. Nuri Muhammad explained. “When you work on a job, you have to work for your money. But if you have a business, your money can work for you,” he said.
The workshops featured a powerhouse group of mentors assembled by Brother Abdul Siddiq Muhammad and coordinated by Sister Attorney Yolanda Muhammad, Sister Sumayya F. Muhammad and Brother Leonard F. Muhammad, Jr. Additionally, members of the Mosque Maryam ministry class were on hand to assist. The panel included successful Nation of Islam entrepreneurs and banking experts who eagerly shared knowledge across a wide array of industries, including:
• Real estate acquisition and investment
• Farming and creating agricultural systems
• E-commerce, technology, and entertainment
• Construction and international trade
• Beauty salons, apparel lines, and family security
• Intellectual property and legal requirements
Panelists emphasized that business is a science. One speaker dispelled the myth that Black people do not support one another, urging attendees to embrace the marketplace because “it doesn’t lie, and it gives the merit one puts in.”
Another panelist noted that financial wealth is a necessity, stating, “One of the barometers or gauges of success is how you make your money, because it takes finances to uplift a nation.”
Builders vs. maintainers: A call for consistency
Bro. Leonard F. Muhammad stressed the importance of longevity and emphasized the need to duplicate efforts systematically across the country. He also broke down the business ecosystem into two vital categories: builders and maintainers.
• Builders: Those who take the initial risk to start something new, like the early women pioneers of the Nation of Islam who proudly wore Muslim garments in downtown Chicago and other cities, despite ridicule.
• Maintainers: Those who benefit from and sustain what the builders have established.
He urged mutual respect between the two. He also noted that Black communities cannot afford to wait for perfect corporate benefits and outside sponsorship before starting their own enterprises.
“If we do what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad wanted us to do, we will subsume them, we will surpass them, and we will put them behind us. But you can’t do it without getting started,” he said.
Day two: Practical application and masterminding
Due to overwhelming interest, day two, held Feb. 21, required expanding the seating circles that were established on day one. The session opened with a prayer by Bro. Yahya Muhammad, a student in the ministry class at Mosque Maryam in Chicago and an entrepreneur.
Bro. Yahya owns Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream with his wife, Sister Nataki. He credited his success entirely to his foundational F.O.I. (Fruit of Islam) training rather than traditional business school.
The day was dedicated to actionable advice including the following:
• Best Practices: Participants discussed starting points and exchanged ideas.
• Expert Q&A: Attendees received tailored guidance for their specific ventures. For example, a young artist who had already produced a song and video was advised to immediately protect his intellectual property before spending money on marketing.
Sister Attorney Yolanda Muhammad of Chicago summarized the energy of the two-day “Do For Self” workshop: “It was amazing! By Allah’s Grace and Mercy. It was like The Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s words in ‘Message to the Blackman’ starting to come up off the page.”