Official Statement & Service information
Beauty. Grace. Style. Dignity. Compassion. Strength. Love.
Mother Khadijah Farrakhan embodied each of those attributes. The beloved wife of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, matriarch of the Farrakhan family and First Lady of the Nation of Islam (N.O.I.), returned to Allah (God) on June 27 at 90 years of age, leaving behind a grateful Nation and family.
Known and loved by many, Mother Khadijah was a humanitarian, teacher, fashion designer and world traveler. She is remembered by the Nation of Islam as a “Mother of the Faithful,” defined, in her words, as: “Being true to your God and being true to your religion.”
Most importantly, Mother Khadijah was a servant of Allah (God) and a student and follower of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Eternal Leader of the Nation of Islam.
On the return of his childhood sweetheart, companion, helper and wife of 72 years, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, National Representative of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, expressed in a personal conversation that he is very glad for the life Mother Khadijah gave him, her family and her Nation. Mother Khadijah will give life to the world, he said.
Minister Farrakhan also shared that Allah has him in His grip, and He feels the strength of Allah’s arms around him. He expressed that he is not in pain or grief and though saddened, he is not sorrowful.
In the Nation of Islam’s official statement announcing Mother Khadijah’s return to Allah, Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad, National Assistant to Minister Farrakhan and member of the N.O.I. Shura Executive Council, expressed the following words:
“We thank Allah for the precious life of a loving wife, mother, a faithful, devoted follower of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Mother Khadijah will forever be cherished and remembered.
May Allah give His unequaled comfort to the family as we mourn this tremendous loss and lift the family in our prayers and thoughts. Allah, there is no God but He, He gives life and to Him is our eventual return.”
Mother Khadijah was born Betsy Ross, on November 26, 1935. On September 12, 1953, she married her childhood sweetheart, then known as Louis Eugene Walcott.
Upon hearing the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad for the first time in 1955, Mother Khadijah did not hesitate to accept the message. “She got up and went to the back and was joining on,” Minister Farrakhan said in Part 7 of his 2013 series, “The Time and What Must be Done.”
“I was still sitting in my chair. I wasn’t quite, y’know, ready. And my uncle came with his beautiful West Indian accent, and he said, ‘Get up, your wife done gone already. Get up!’” From there, Minister Farrakhan and Mother Khadijah joined the Nation together.
“My wife has been with me throughout all of my striving. She knew me in the days of my ignorance, and she knows me in the days of my struggle. She stood by me.
When I decided to rebuild the work of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, she was the first in my family to say, ‘Go on with it. I’m with you,’” Minister Farrakhan shared in a personal video montage during a celebration of his 92nd birth anniversary in May 2025.
He also shared words on naming his wife, “Khadijah.”
“I would like her to wear the name of the wife of that servant of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad, Khadijah. From this day forward, she will be known in this community and any other as Khadijah Farrakhan Muhammad,” he said.
To their beloved union, nine children were born: Sister Betsy Jean, Sister Maria, Sister Donna, Brother Louis Jr. (may Allah be pleased), Brother Joshua (may Allah be pleased), Student Supreme Captain Brother Mustapha, Sister Fatima, Sister Khallada and Brother Abnar.
In helping her husband in his mission to rebuild the N.O.I. and the work of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Mother Khadijah assisted with editing The Final Call newspaper, which was first published in the basement of the couple’s home in Chicago in 1979. Minister Farrakhan said she was the first National Secretary, and she accounted for every penny!
As a fashion designer, applying the sewing skills she had first cultivated as a child, she created uniforms for Muslim women of the N.O.I., including the special uniforms worn by the M.G.T. Vanguard class. She founded Newel Apparel, which manufactures the official uniforms of the Muslim women, and she has represented the Nation in official delegations on the world stage.
At her 90th birth anniversary in November 2025, her youngest daughter, Sister Khallada Farrakhan, described her mother as having a pure heart of God, a love for humanity and a sense of community, never leaving anyone out and accepting others as family.
Mother Khadijah’s love extended to children. In the early 2000s, she established Mother Khadijah’s Children’s Village, a staple at the annual Saviours’ Day convention, ensuring the children in the N.O.I. have a fun, enjoyable and educational time at Saviours’ Day.
She was a beautiful and wonderful example of womanhood to so many. For Mother’s Day 2006, Mother Khadijah shared answers to questions posed by then-Final Call Managing Editor Dora Muhammad. Here are some of the insights she shared on various topics.
On motherhood: “First, we must understand that each child is an individual that has different wants and needs. We must know, as a mother, that you are a born nurturer of your family. And always keep the principles of Islam as your guide.”
On marriage and what helps sustain her commitment and love of her husband’s mission: “My love and continued love for Allah and His Messenger, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and my love and faith in Islam has helped to sustain me and my support for my husband.”
On women who want to adopt or become single moms because they do not believe they will ever find a suitable mate: “We never give up hope on marriage, for there is someone for everyone. However, if you choose to adopt, remember these words: You are a born nurturer with or without a father in your home. Happy adopting!!!”
As news of her return to Allah was released, heartfelt tributes and sentiments flooded social media and news outlets. “Mother Khadijah was a beautiful and loving Queen who served her family, community and inspired many.
Each time you were in her presence, you felt her love, grace and brilliance. Her contributions to the Minister and the Nation is truly immeasurable. She will be truly missed,” L. Londell McMillan, attorney and owner of The Source, wrote on the outlet’s website.
Mother Khadijah Farrakhan lives on through the example she set for Black women and girls and the lives she transformed. She is remembered for her loyalty to her husband and to her Nation, her unwavering faith in Allah and her loving and kind spirit to the human family. May Allah (God) be pleased with our Mother of the Faithful.
The Final Call will continue to pay tribute to our beloved Mother Khadijah Farrakhan in an upcoming edition.—Anisah Muhammad, Staff Writer