In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.

Riz Khan (RK): Hello and welcome. Tensions are rising and divisions growing, but what is fueling hostility to Muslims in America? A new survey reveals that 40 percent of people in the U.S. have a negative perception of Muslims something that’s being highlighted in the media by the latest controversies.

The pastor of a small church in Gainesville, Florida threatened to burn copies of the Qur’an on September the 11th as a message to, quote: “radical Muslims.” Pastor Terry Jones did eventually back down after intense global pressure, including an appeal from the U.S. President Barack Obama.

But copies of the Qur’an were desecrated in Tennessee and New York City, where another issue is dividing the population:

Tensions remain high over the proposal to build an Islamic center in Manhattan near the site of the 9/11 attacks by Muslim extremists nine years ago. So today we ask: “Is there an organized effort to fan the flames of ‘Islamophobia’ in the United States?”

Joining me from Chicago is Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam; a controversial sect for the Muslim faith in the United States. Minister Farrakhan, I welcome you to the show. It’s good to speak with you again, sir.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan (HMLF): Thank you. It’s a pleasure and honor to be with you again.

RK: I have to start by asking, sir: What sort of reaction has there been among the Muslims you know, and members of the Nation of Islam as well, to these incidents; especially the Qur’an burning over the weekends? Has there been an effort to reach out to non-Muslims to promote better understanding rather than perhaps react in anger?

HMLF: Yes, there has been. We had a press conference at the National Press Club, where a coalition of African American Muslims came together to dialogue and allow our voices to be heard in this very serious time of increasing anger, fear and hatred of the presence of Islam in America.

If I might say, Brother Riz: We have been in America—the Nation of Islam—now for 80 years. And in the beginning of our journey toward Islam in the ‘30s, we were persecuted because our names were changed from our former slave names to Islamic names.

And our women who changed their form of dress, and covered their hair and their bodies, were mocked and scorned as they walked the streets of Detroit and Chicago. This mainly was the followers of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and Fard Muhammad, who is the Founder of the Nation of Islam.

In 1941, when Japan attacked the United States of America, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was arrested; sent to prison. Not because he was a “criminal,” but America, the president of the United States, did not want him on the streets of America preaching Islam during a time that America was prosecuting a war.

The early Muslims who set up the University of Islam were arrested because we took our children out of the public schools, and put them in an Islamic school to be taught by their own teachers.

RK: What the interesting thing about what’s been going on recently is I know there have been comparisons made about the burning of the Qur’an with what many see in the media from overseas, and some other Muslim countries where there are people burning the American flag. And I wonder if there’s anything to even equate the two?

HMLF: No, there’s not. But, in finishing that point: We have suffered in America because we wanted to practice Islam.

You know that Muhammad Ali was called “Cassius Clay.” And when his name was changed to “Muhammad Ali,” although he was loved in the Muslim world, he was hated for his change of name.

Now you can look at basketball games, football games, and you can see the names of Allah on the jersey of many Black American athletes. And there is no persecution for them, but we suffered that.

Now, since 9/11: Yes, the flames of hatred for Islam are being fanned. And even though we have a Black president, who has spoken out very forcefully, that America will not go to war with Islam; that it is not Islam that is the problem, it is those who are fanatic in their zeal, supposedly for Islam, that America sees, and the Islamic world sees, as the problem.

But under President Barack Obama, there’s the FBI that have been planting agents in mosques around the country, stimulating those who are hateful of Israel, hateful of Jewish people; inspiring them to acts of terror. And then capturing them, and putting that on the television as though this is the “norm” in mosques throughout this country.

RK: Sir, I’ll put an email about that issue of the media that we got in from Louisiana in the U.S.A. here. “Amy Luna” wrote in, saying, “I believe the U.S. mainstream media holds some responsibility in the Qur’an burning issue as this is the type of story that brings ratings.”

Now, of course, the media has been blamed for giving too much attention to that Qur’an burning proposal by Pastor Terry Jones. And I wonder, even though he did back down after some high-level intervention, how much do you feel the media played a part in this?

HMLF: Well, first of all, the gentleman, or, the pastor is a non-descript person that did not deserve the media attention that he received. So, when the media catapulted this man’s thinking of burning Qur’ans to the entire world, this is provoking an Islamic reaction because of our deep love and devotion for Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Our deep love and devotion for this book, Qur’an: That raised the Arabs from a state of ignominy to eminence; and Muslims ruled the known world from the 7th to the 11th century based on the wisdom of this Qur’an.

And this Qur’an is what sparked the Renaissance in Europe. So, to burn a book that has meant so much to so many is an act of sacrilege. That, of course, would stimulate and provoke serious reaction in the Islamic world.

RK: Now, of course, Pastor Terry Jones, as you say, wasn’t known at all before this incident. You, yourself, have always been in the media for a long time; you’re often a controversial figure to many. And I wonder how much pressure there’s been on you not to say too much; to keep a low profile in order perhaps not to inflame either side?

HMLF: Well, it’s time for Muslims, especially African American Muslims, to make our voices heard.

Many of our Muslim brothers and sisters who are immigrant Muslims may be somewhat timid, because they have a “Green Card,” and they’ve been spied on by the FBI, and they don’t want to be deported. They have been good, upstanding American citizens.

We were born here! We live here! We’ve suffered here! We’ve bled here! We’ve died here! So, it is our time, now, to speak up for the hurt and the pain of the Islamic community. But I would say, Riz, to all Muslims: Don’t overreact, because, to harm people; because in their ignorance they burned a book that they may never have read, I caution you the 48th Surah of the Qur’an is called “The Victory.”

And what made it a victory? Because, at Hudaibiya, three miles from Mecca, when the Prophet and his Companions were trying to go to Mecca, an Accord was struck with the members of the Quraish who ruled Mecca;

And on that piece of paper it said “Muhammad ibn Abdullah, Messenger of Allah.” And, the members of the Quraish said, “If we had believed that you were in fact the Messenger of God, we never would have attacked you, so strike that from the Accord.”

None of the Companions would strike his title from the Accord, so the Prophet himself took the Accord, and struck the title “Messenger of Allah” from that Accord. Why? Because he’s the Messenger of God whether it is on paper, or not, Allah is a Witness!

So you can burn the Qur’an, but you cannot burn the zeal that the Qur’an has burned into the hearts of 1.6 billion Muslims around the Earth. And all it did was give the Muslims a victory; and when you burn our Holy Book, more Americans who don’t know anything about the Qur’an, want to know, “What’s in this book? Let me study this book.”

So, in the end, we’re the winner.

RK: “Guilty until proven innocent”—that appears to be the plight of millions of Muslims living in the United States. Many say they’ve been living under constant suspicion since the attacks of 9/11 which were carried out by Arab Muslim men. So, what can the Islamic community in the U.S. do to reach out to Americans of other faiths?

Minister, one of the issues that’s been ongoing is the Park 51 Islamic Center that’s being proposed for to be built very close to the Ground Zero location in New York City. We had an email from a viewer in Israel, if I can put this to you, sir. From

“Karina Robbins-Bronstein,” who wrote in saying: “What would Muslims do if, in Saudi Arabia, if a church was to be built next to the site of an attack carried out by a Westerner?

There is very little tolerance in Arab countries for other religions.” Now, how valid do you think that is as a point about the lack of tolerance there is in some Muslim countries to other religions?

HMLF: Maybe in some, but I was in Iraq while Saddam Hussein was its president. And I visited Shiite mosques, I visited Sunni mosques. There [were] Christian churches that I didn’t visit, but I saw; and there were Jewish synagogues. And there never was violence between Christians and Jews and various Islamic sects.

There have been Jews and Muslims and Christians living together in the Middle East for hundreds of years, and they have not killed each other. But this is a recent phenomenon by Europeans who accepted Judaism, and then used their view of this Holy Land as theirs.

And since in [19]48, the United Nations, mainly European countries—with only Ethiopia representing the Black Africa—giving Israel a home in Palestine. So now you have Europeans coming into Palestine, who are not Semitic—they are “Europeans.” And in Israel, they are persecuting the Semitic Jews who have been there for thousands of years, and they’re persecuting the Falasha, the Ethiopian Jews.

And in fact, just about a month ago I read where some European Jews did not even want darker-skinned Jews to go to school with them. This is not “Judaism,” this is racism masquerading under the name of Judaism!

RK: Minister, a caller from Saudi Arabia; “Omar” is on the line.

Omar: Sir, as an American working, or being in Saudi Arabia, what can I do to improve relations between our people and the Muslim world?

HMLF: You know, dear brother, our people are going through what the Arabs went through prior to the advent of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him.

We are in a state of jahiliyya: We are in a state of mass ignorance. And as the Bible teaches, “My people are destroyed”—not because they’re Black, but they’re destroyed “for the lack of knowledge.” So the more we improve our growth in knowledge; and as you know, the first words that the Holy Prophet heard [were] Iqra—“Read.”

And when reading becomes the standard in America, we’ll grow from being the ugliness of a clot to the beauty of an embryo and a fetus, ready to be embraced by the entire world.

It’s our growth, and our development; and the banishment of ignorance from our words and our deeds that will make us accepted and acceptable among the civilized nations of the Earth.

RK: Let me get your view on the issue of the Islamic Center near Ground Zero; the Park 51 issue. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf had this comment to make about the way that the situation has been handled.

“The events of the past few weeks have truly saddened me to my very core. I regret that some have misunderstood our intentions. I’m deeply distressed that in this heated political season some have exploited this issue for their own agendas. And I’m deeply disappointed that so many of the arguments have been based on deliberate misinformation and harmful stereotypes.”

—Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf during a Sept. 13, 2010, press conference held at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York

RK: Minister Farrakhan, I wonder to what degree you feel what the imam is saying there reflects what’s happening in the U.S. to some degree with the midterm elections coming up. And how much, I guess, Muslims are caught in the middle of this political wrangling that’s occurring.

HMLF: I agree with Imam Rauf. I think he handled himself magnificently on CNN. He has shown that he is a Muslim. He is “Moderate”; he’s seeking peace between Jews and Christians and others, and he has every right to build a cultural center where they have that building.

And he has every right to feel that the constitutional guarantees of “freedom of religion” and “freedom of assembly” should prevail over the sensitivity of people who lost lives.

Muslims lost their lives! Christians, Jews, people from all over the world lost their lives in that tragic event! So, it should not be that Islam is held hostage for the acts of some who are claimed to be Muslims.

I put this before the world: Mullah Omar, the Taliban leader of Afghanistan, said to President George W. Bush while Osama Bin Laden was living in Afghanistan; he said, “Show me the proof that this man is guilty of this heinous act, and I will turn him over to you.”

What proof have we heard from these wicked deceivers that in fact it was Osama Bin Laden?!

As a Muslim, we should force them to show us the proof!!

RK: I’m sorry to have to stop you.

There’s so much more I’d like to discuss, but we’re out of time. Minister Farrakhan, thank you very much for being on the show.

HMLF: We are out of time?

RK: Yes sir. I’m sorry.

HMLF: The world is too. Thank you.

RK: Thank you for being with us.

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The media and political pundits are dubbing the recapturing of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate by the Democrats from the Republicans as a so-called “blue wave,” or “blue-nami” (blue tsunami). However, others called it a “Black wave,” due to increased voter turnout by Blacks around the country.

According to the most recent data available, Black women voted for Democrats at 92-94% and Black men at 84%, which was the highest of any other group. The Associated Press reported that, “Polling and the results from Election Day showed an uptick in Black turnout and support compared with re-cent election cycles.”

Many “firsts” included the election of four new Black governors: Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia; David Crowley in Wisconsin; Aaron Ford in Nevada; and Republican Byron Donalds in Florida.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore won re-election to make a total of five Black governors who will hold office at the same time, the most in U.S. history.

Stacey Plaskett won her election, becoming the first woman and first Black woman elected governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Several Somali and Nigerian Americans were elected to state offices nationwide.

The midterms also saw the election of Muslims, Native Americans/Indigenous and Latinos on various government levels, including: Darializa Avila Chevalier, the first Afro-Latina Muslim who will be in Congress from New York; Abdulrahman Mohamed El- Sayed, the first Muslim U.S. Senator, and Aber Kawas, the first Palestinian American Muslim woman elected to the NY State Legislature.

California and Texas elected their first Latino governors, and New Mexico elected the country’s first Native American/Indigenous female governor, Deb Haaland, who served as Secretary of the Interior in the Biden administration.

And Peggy Flanagan was elected as the first Native American/Indigenous woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, from Minnesota after first serving as that state’s lieutenant governor.

However, if this country’s history has shown us anything, it is that politics alone is not the solution to our problems, and there is always a backlash to Black progress and gains.

So, while our people are expressing happiness and celebration over the success of the most recent “blue wave,” our enemies have not stopped plotting and planning against us. Also, once those who are voted in take office, that is only the beginning.

“Folks are celebrating all the blue this morning. Blue wave. Blue tsunami. Historic wins for women, Black and Brown candidates. But do the Democrats really know what to do with power once they have it?” asked Dr. Stacey Patton, a pro-fessor and author in a post on social media.

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Eternal Leader of the Nation of Islam, posed the following question in His book, “The Fall of America,” in the chapter titled, “The National Election.”

He writes, “How much have the two parties (Republican and Democrat) done for us for the last century in the way of freedom, justice, and equality? Regardless of what party wins, the die is always set against us (the Black people of America).”

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad also taught on what types of politicians our people should look for. In His book, “Message to the Blackman in America,” in the chapter, “Put Muslim Program To Congress,” He writes in part, “There are many Black men and women who make splendid politicians.

They could accomplish considerable good if they–like the White politician and his people–were given proper and equal recognition and justice for themselves and their people. If our politicians are to serve us, they must have no fear of the White man when they lead our case in the White courts before White judges.”

In the same chapter, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad gives Rep. Adam Clayton Powell as an example of a good politician, even though Mr. Powell was not Muslim.

“A Muslim politician is what you need, but Congressman Powell is not afraid and would not be easily bribed, for he is not ‘Hungry,’” He writes. Later, He notes, “We must give good Black politicians the total backing of our population.”

That backing brings a duty and re-sponsibility not only to those elected, but also to those who voted to put them in office and even those who did not.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan explained the aim and purpose of political power in a May 1, 1996, message titled, “The Rise of the Indigenous Peoples.”

“We lack political power, but together we can shake this racist and oppressive foundation, because all of the rich have built their world on the backs of the poor.

The political parties of this day do not want the Indigenous or poor people to have any benefit from a government that poor people fight, breathe, die and pay taxes to maintain, and we are taken for granted. What we are looking for is a change in our condition,” Minister Farrakhan said.

“If these political parties build their strength on the masses, and yet do nothing for the masses, then we have a legitimate right now to impose our will on a government that is not moral. We have to send a serious message, followed up with strategies that can force change.

You have more power than you even realize that you have, and that power is not from outside yourself; that power is from within yourself,” he added.

Just because a new party will be “in charge” come January 2027 with the swearing-in of the 120th U.S. Congress, we should be under no illusion or delusion that the conditions of the masses will change. However, we have more power than we re-alize, with Allah’s (God) help and through our unity to “force change,” as Minister Farrakhan noted.

American politics is not the salvation of or the solution to the Black man and woman.

Minister Farrakhan has taught us that politics is a tool we can use, but he also cautioned that politics without economics is symbolism without substance.

It is not enough to have Black, Latino, Indigenous, or Muslim faces in high political places if we do not simultaneously work together in our individual communities to “do for self,” while working and pushing to hold our elected leaders accountable.

No one is coming to save us but us.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—In an era of unpredictable weather patterns and infrastructure vulnerabilities, proactive planning has never been more critical.

The Nation of Islam Study Group in Springfield, Massachusetts, recently hosted a comprehensive Disaster Preparedness Seminar facilitated by Sister Darlene Muhammad. The goal was to equip believers across the Eastern Region with essential, life-saving strategies to navigate potential crises.

The seminar, held on October 31 and opened with a discussion on why emergency readiness is a foundational duty for families today. The gathering began by clearly defining what constitutes a disaster—from severe weather anomalies to large-scale grid failures. Instructors emphasized that true readiness begins long before an emergency strikes.

Experienced presenters shared valuable insights on various aspects of disaster preparedness, training the in-person participants to share and train others.

A major focus of the training centered on securing clean water, which is the most critical element for survival during an infrastructure collapse. Presenters walked the audience through standard rules for safe water storage, including utilizing food-grade containers and calculating proper ratios per person.

Attendees also learned practical water purification methods, such as specific boiling techniques and emergency filtration strategies, to keep water safe to drink when utility systems fail.

Another segment focused on portable shelters and personal protection. One of the primary presenters reframed how we view everyday wear, stating that “your clothing is your personal portable shelter.”

Instructors detailed how proper layering, durable fabrics, and weather-resistant gear serve as the frontline defense against the elements if individuals are displaced from their homes.

The seminar also emphasized the importance of communication during emergencies. Because cell phone towers sometimes fail during major crises, the seminar highlighted alternative communication strategies.

Experts demonstrated how to establish proper communication protocols using mobile base station radios and walkie-talkies equipped with High Frequency (HF) channels.

To ensure legal and effective use during an emergency, the team highly recommended that community members seek formal training and obtain proper licensing for these radio communication devices.

A core takeaway of the seminar was the danger of isolation. Presenters stressed the critical importance of building networks with like-minded individuals long before a crisis occurs.

The training emphasized establishing an agreed-upon point of connection within families, the broader community, and the mosque. A centralized emergency hub ensures all parties can communicate, account for one another, and coordinate relief efforts when standard cellular networks are completely down.

The local training also included presenters from other states who joined via Zoom. Among them was Sister Alva Muhammad from Gary, Indiana. Sister Alva has a background in disaster and emergency preparedness and has facilitated workshops during the Nation of Islam’s Saviours’ Day conventions as well as in other cities.

She shared her experience surviving the severe storm that impacted her city of Gary, Indiana in August. The storm left many without power for two weeks. Sister Alva’s firsthand account described the stark realities of navigating a crisis—managing through citywide blackouts, grid failures, and fuel shortages where local gas stations were completely drained.

These practical tips offered a sobering yet empowering blueprint for maintaining family logistics under pressure.

The instructions and information that were shared, deeply resonated with those in attendance. “Today’s event was well attended,” shared Sister Michelle. “It lit a fire in me to prepare my household and community more. Also, I was appreciative of all the expertise, recommendations, and advice given.”

Student Eastern Regional Protocol Director Daleel Jabir Muhammad also attended and told attendees that they can find additional information on emergency and disaster preparedness readiness at watch.noi.org or via the free disaster preparedness edition of The Final Call digital download (see the bottom of this page).

Presenters detailed the key organizational components and learning objectives necessary to consider when developing a workshop to share with believers or community.

“It was a wonderful workshop, very informative,” stated Student Minister Johnnie Muhammad. “I am truly grateful to all that attended and presented. We must plan to survive as the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has instructed us all to do.

We must continue to follow the Life-Giving Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and prepare for what we’ve been warned of by the Messiah.”

Sister Ayanna Muhammad is the Student Protocol Director of the Nation of Islam Study Group in Springfield, Mass.

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In scripture, the Prophets and Messengers of Allah (God) were questioned, judged and attempts were made on their lives. Yet, for all the opposition they faced, these men held on to the rope of Allah (God).

Their faith and resolve enabled them to withstand the arrows (slander, gossip, lies) shot at them. They were mocked and ridiculed for the message they brought from Allah (God) to the people. Yet, they did not bend, bow, or buckle.

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Eternal Leader of the Nation of Islam, and His National Representative, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, have walked and are walking a similar path.

For nearly 100 years, the Nation of Islam has withstood attacks from the highest levels of the U.S. government, media, other organizations and other so-called leaders. Yet, by Allah’s Grace and Mercy, despite their machinations, we are still standing!

For decades, the corporate mainstream media machine has been non-stop in its attacks against the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Minister Farrakhan and the Nation. So-called critics have gotten on television, radio or have utilized newspapers or magazines to spout their misguided and shallow opinions on these Divine Men, their history and Mission.

Most people would more than likely crumble under the pressure of being bombarded with constant attacks year after year. But not Elijah and Farrakhan! Why is that?

When Minister Farrakhan was asked about how he and his teacher handled opposition, he answered without hesitation. In an interview he gave to Brother Askia Muhammad, the late Editor-in-Chief and senior editor of The Final Call and former Editor of Muhammad Speaks, published in Vol. 23, No. 5, November 4, 2003, of The Final Call, he asked Minister Farrakhan the following question:

“There has been very little publicity overall about the Nation of Islam. Is that because the Nation is not doing anything worth mentioning in the public or because of some other motive to ignore the works of the Nation and separate the Nation from you?”

Minister Farrakhan responded, “The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said no matter how much they attacked him and the Nation of Islam under his leadership, they only helped the Nation to grow.

So, the more they attacked me and the more I withstood that onslaught, the more thousands of people came out to, at least, hear a man that was being so vilified in the media.

When they recognized that they were not hurting but helping me, they decided they wouldn’t say anything except to continue to discredit. So, there is a conscious effort not to publicize anything that the Nation is doing of value.”

Minister Farrakhan continued, “But we are not a creature of the media, so we are not depending on the media publicizing us to make us successful. The media can if they will, and they don’t have to if they don’t wish to.

Our work is the work of resurrection and reform of our people and we will continue that work, in the light of the media or out of the light of the media. Our success depends on us, our unity, and our willingness to submit to the will of Allah (God).”

That was 23 years ago. Today, with the growing use of social media, people use their platforms to push and promote their views. The pursuit of validation through “clicks,” “likes,” “shares,” and the accumulation of “followers” has become a validation for folks.

Some so-called “influencers” are picking up where corporate mainstream media hacks and critics left off, and “keyboard critics” and “online trolls” are spewing the same tired rhetoric online against the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, and the Nation of Islam.

What Minister Farrakhan said in 2003 applies today. Every knock is a boost. And you do not have his assignment, given to him by Allah (God) in the Person of Master Fard Muhammad and the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

However, understand this: Your efforts to malign and discredit these Divine Men also align with what is ordained.

“Allah (God) has ordained opposition for His Prophets, Messengers and Servants in the establishment of Divine Revelation. Although Allah (God) has allowed His Prophets to suffer at the hands of the wicked.

It never was the intention of Allah (God) that the wicked would win in their struggle against Him and His Messengers, particularly the last one, Muhammad,” Minister Farrakhan said in a message published in The Final Call in Vol. 13, No. 26, titled, “All Opposition To Truth Will Be Destroyed.”

The fact is, for those who use their platforms to speak ill of, slander, or lie about the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, and/or the Nation of Islam—show the results of your work among our people and the despised and rejected of the Earth, from the last day, let alone from the last nearly 100 years.

The Holy Qur’an, Surah 2, Verse 23 states, “And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call on your helpers besides Allah if you are truthful.” What results have you gotten from your so-called “mission” and influence? Have you made the blind see, the dumb speak and the deaf hear? Elijah and Farrakhan have!

So, for all the critics, naysayers, hypocrites and enemies—continue doing what you feel you must do. Throw down your rod like Pharaoh’s magicians and watch the rod of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan swallow up what you spew.

We are fighting for Islam, and we will surely win!

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They share the life, light and power contained in these Teachings through The Final Call newspaper. When you see these brothers, know that they are striving to be helpers in a mighty mission. We thank the F.O.I. for their hard work and dedication.

—The Final Call

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“This is not us,” or “This is not who we are.” However, to America, it is quite the opposite: It is exactly who you are. Violence is as “American as apple pie,” especially when it is directed toward Black people.

This country was established on violence—from the killing, torture, genocide, and rape of the Indigenous people who already lived in this land—to the kidnapping, enslavement, and brutal treatment of Black people snatched from Africa and deposited in America for a life of slavery, suffering and death.

For the 470-plus years since Black people have been in this country called the United States of America, the pattern display of violence has been consistent. So, it should come as no surprise to people in a country founded on bloodshed that this pattern continues.

Additionally, since our sojourn in this country, Black people have consistently come out on the losing end of employment, educational opportunities, income, housing, health, and other categories that often measure the progress, or lack of progress, of a people.

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad warned, in His book, “Message to the Blackman in America,” in the chapter, “Not Your Brother,” of the consequences of trying to continue to integrate into a country and people who will never see or view us as “equals” with them.

“If you understood that which you are seeking to be accepted into and if you understood the nature of those whom you are seeking to integrate with you would, instead, be seeking your own people’s society or building one of your own on some land or territory separate from the American Whites.

“We need land wherein we can build our own society free from the tension, hatred and violence that have accompanied our race relationship with the White race of America,” the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad wrote.

“When you learn that the White man is not your brother, you will readily begin to see and accept the Divine Plan that Almighty Allah (God) has in the working for our people. Who has been our aggressors and murderers ever since we have been in America? Who, by nature, was made quick to shed blood—even his own?” he added.

The more we seek to integrate into what the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called “a burning house,” the more we could see an increase in violence and bloodshed aimed at Black people.

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad warned us to separate from our open enemy. Our brothers and sisters in the Civil Rights Movement have advocated for integration and have tried mightily for decades to try and win White people over for them to “accept” us.

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad warned us that “integration is a hypocritical trick.” In fact, in Point No. 9 of “What The Muslims Believe,” from “The Muslim Program,” printed on the inside back page of The Final Call, He states in part:

“WE BELIEVE that the offer of integration is hypocritical and is made by those who are trying to deceive the black peoples into believing that their 400-year-old open enemies of freedom, justice and equality are, all of a sudden, their ‘friends.’

Furthermore, we believe that such deception is intended to prevent black people from realizing that the time in history has arrived for the separation from the whites of this nation.”

He continues: “If the white people are truthful about their professed friendship toward the so-called Negro, they can prove it by dividing up America with their slaves. We do not believe that America will ever be able to furnish enough jobs for her own millions of unemployed, in addition to jobs for the 20,000,000 black people as well.”

With each passing day in this country, it becomes increasingly clear that fighting for integration is futile.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, National Representative of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, explained the importance of examining and looking more deeply into “integration,” “segregation,” and “separation.”

“Today, we have to look at the terms ‘Integration,’ ‘Separation’ and ‘Segregation,’ and behind these words discover meaning, and behind the meaning discover the intent of the parties who are advocating either way,” Minister Farrakhan explained in a July 20, 1980, message titled, “Integration and Separation.”

“If the intent of the Government in advocating integration is to trick us into believing that our 400-year-old enemy has now become our ‘friend,’ and that we should forgive and forget and be glad to take part in this great American way of life, then the intent is evil. So, the result of such evil intent can never bring justice to a people who are aggrieved,” Minister Farrakhan said.

Many people misunderstand segregation and separation, a point Minister Farrakhan cleared up masterfully in the same message. “Now, ‘separation’ is a little different from ‘segregation.’

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad has said to us that separation is a voluntary act done by two equals who realize that they cannot get along in peace, so they come to a decision that it is ‘best for us to separate: You go your way, I’ll go mine.’”

Brothers and sisters, we have been aggrieved and continue to be aggrieved. For decades, we have done anything and everything humanly possible to appeal to White people and the U.S. government to treat our people with decency and fairness, but to no avail. Is it not time to consider a different approach and decide what is best for us and our future?

It is separation or death. Which one will you choose?

The post ‘Separation or death,’ which one will you choose? appeared first on Final Call News.

The F.O.I. strive to be examples to others as taught by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and demonstrated by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. Every week, these brothers deliver light, life, and power to people across the country through the truth in the pages of The Final Call newspaper and share the knowledge it contains.

We thank the F.O.I. for all they do in sharing the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad under the leadership and example of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan!

The post Being of service and sharing knowledge appeared first on Final Call News.

The post A Glimpse Of Heaven Scenes from the 1995 Historic Million Man March in Washington, D.C. appeared first on Final Call News.

Also, on that historic day 31 years ago, the men agreed to accept a request from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to take a pledge to change and improve their lives, their families, their communities, and the world.

The post Eight Steps of Atonement appeared first on Final Call News.

Three decades later, the historic Million Man March and Holy Day of Atonement still resonates with Black people around the world. This year’s commemoration of that special, miraculous day was held in the city affectionately known as “Black Mecca”—Atlanta, Georgia.

Muslims from around the country convened in the city from October 9-11 for a weekend of reflection, bonding with family and community and continuing the principles of the Million Man March theme of “Atonement, Reconciliation and Responsibility.”

The state of Georgia is also significant for another reason, it is the birthplace of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Eternal Leader of the Nation of Islam.

His son, Student Minister Ishmael R. Muhammad, National Assistant to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, delivered the keynote message from Minister Farrakhan on Sunday, October 11 in front of thousands at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Student Minister Ishmael expressed gratitude to the city of Atlanta for welcoming the Nation of Islam and expressed humility at being tasked with delivering the keynote message.

“Trust me when I say that I am not worthy to speak on behalf of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, but it gives me great pleasure to serve this great man, serve in the cause and serve our people.

And I pray that Allah will guide me to deliver the word with his spirit from his mind, from his heart, to all of us today because we are meeting at a very critical time in world history.

And we’re living in the time of the transition of one world, one civilization, one order of things to a brand new world,” said Student Min. Ishmael Muhammad.

He called Atlanta a great city that takes pride in its legacy of Black excellence and referred to its other moniker, “Black Mecca” due to its foundation in areas of Black entrepreneurship, civil rights and political power. “It is a historic center of Black culture, religion, business and entertainment.”

He went on to name some of the great luminaries that hailed from Atlanta or other parts of Georgia including, his father, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rep. John Lewis, Ray Charles and Jackie Robinson to name just a few.

“So it is fitting, it is proper and right for us to hold this special Holy Day of Service in this great city. And from this city to the Nation and the world that is on the brink of a pit of fire. We honor all those who came from this city and state.”

The keynote message was streamed live via internet and to view it its entirety, visit media.noi.org and to order this message, visit store.finalcall.com. See pages 4 and 5 for more coverage and stay tuned for additional coverage from the 31st Anniversary of the Million Man March and Holy Day of Atonement in an upcoming issue of The Final Call.

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