The Nation of Islam’s Sounds of Harmony Musical Ensemble lit up the city with a sold-out performance that left grown men choking back tears and children asking how they could join.

A ceremony rooted in culture

Sister Kimberly Muhammad and Brother Ameen Muhammad, the emcee duo from the Muhammad Mosque No. 12 in Philadelphia, welcomed the crowd with warmth.

The evening opened with remarks from Student Minister Rodney Muhammad, a greeting from Imam Quaiser Abdullah of the Mayor’s Office of Muslim Engagement, and words from Nation of Islam Student National Secretary and Shura Executive Council member, Sa’ad Alim Muhammad.

Then the music began

Nineteen-year-old Brother La’Meer John stepped forward. A self-taught pianist and vocalist, he worked the keyboard and sung like a seasoned professional, and the program was off and running.

“Talent at this age is a blessing,” Imam Quaiser Abdullah said. “That’s phenomenal. When young people dedicate time to honing a craft, that’s discipline. That’s diligence. And our job as leaders and elders is to support them.”

Mr. Abdullah did not mince words about why the night mattered.

“We’re here to celebrate an art form that is deeply rooted in our community. This is homegrown. This art form belongs to us. Coming together to celebrate it—that matters.”

Minister Farrakhan’s vision on screen and in sound

Between performances, videos of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan playing the violin flickered across the backdrop. His teachings on the lessons music carries filled the space between songs. The message was clear. This ensemble is the living fruit of his vision.

Ave Maria, sung as a tribute to Minister Farrakhan’s mother, Sumayyah Farrakhan, stopped the room cold.

Meditation, a tribute to Mother Khadijah Farrakhan, with Sister Amirah Hashimah Muhammad on violin and Sister Vivian Mosley on piano carried a personal weight for many in attendance. The tribute grew from a performer’s own heart.

“One of our performers, Sister Amirah, had the idea to dedicate her customary piece, Meditation, to Mother Khadijah,” said Student National Secretary Sa’ad Muhammad to The Final Call. “From there, the team gathered photographs for the backdrop, and someone else paired the music to it. That’s how it all came together.”

Sister Verna Karim knew Mother Khadijah personally. “The tribute to Mother Khadijah Farrakhan was deeply personal for me—I remember seeing her for the last time in February.  That moment meant everything.”

Then came Evolution, performed by Sister Amirah Imani Muhammad—a musical and visual collage tracing Black music from Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong to Gil Scott-Heron and James Brown.

“From the cotton fields to the March on Washington, the Black Power Movement—every evolution of our journey in America was felt in that performance,” said Bro. Roberto Rashid, who once played jazz trumpet himself. His single word for the night: Inspirational. “Tonight was a supreme love affair,” he said.

“I felt incredibly proud—proud of the performers, proud of our Nation. I felt represented,” Sister Dr. Safiyya Shabazz said. “I thought about my own brief time playing violin, and my daughter, who just told me she’s ready to pick it back up again.”

Student Minister Rodney Muhammad best summed up the evening, “One word came to me: healing. It’s one of the names for the Holy Qur’an, and the moment they began to play, that’s all I could think about. When you drink it in—when they’re actually performing—there’s nothing else. Just that feeling.”

He continued: “When it was over, I said the prayer and came down from the stage. I didn’t know what to expect. But the people looked so watered, so full. And that’s when I knew—the music had watered my soul.”

The debut of The Wheel

The ensemble unveiled a new original composition by its conductor, Brother Farrad Muhammad—The Wheel. The piece honors the Mothers of the Nation of Islam (Mothers of the Faithful) and the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

Brother Farrad spoke to The Final Call about the road to this moment. The ensemble is only two years old. “The biggest hurdle was the formation of the group itself—bringing the instrumentalists together, holding auditions, managing documentation,” he said. “Now that we’ve toured six or seven cities, the program runs much more smoothly.”

He knows the reach of the work. “When we went national, young Black children—particularly those in Chicago—saw young people who looked like them playing violin, cello, and trumpet. The message became clear: this music is for us too. It’s not just about sports. We can do this.”

Sister Helen Muhammad, Nation of Islam Southwest Regional Protocol Director and event coordinator called the premiere of The Wheel her high point. “The sounding of the trumpet within the piece was deeply significant. Each time I see them, I’m more amazed. The talent is impeccable.”

The night closed with a rousing rendition of the Muslim Fight Song. Every piece was delivered with the artistry and precision of a professional orchestra.

A community that showed out

Philadelphia came, and Philadelphia showed out.

“The real success wasn’t just the concert—it was the familyhood on display,” Sister Helen said. “The warmth, the love, the brotherhood and sisterhood. Sold-out house. Sold-out venue.”

Brother Sa’ad watched the growth up close. “Tonight was nothing short of spectacular. I was choking back tears watching them. They are clearly elevating in their craft.”

The reactions poured in.

“Melodious,” said Sister Melody Muhammad of the Delaware Valley. “It sent chills through my whole body. When Brother Anthony’s 19-year-old grandson took the stage, I had tears in my eyes. These children are proof that our future is in good hands.”

“Inspiring,” said Bro. Jamal X of Willingboro, New Jersey. “I brought my children tonight because I wanted them to see what’s possible. The young brother on the violin—performing alone, making real-time adjustments with total confidence—that was powerful.”

“Magnificent,” said Brother Lamond Muhammad of the Allentown, Pennsylvania Study Group. “These young people were focused, disciplined, and deeply talented. They represented high civilization.”

“Stupendous,” said Sister Verna Karim of Camden, N.J. “Tonight left me energized—ready to move, ready to conquer, ready to pour more into our young people.”

For Brother Keith Muhammad, student minister at Muhammad Mosque No. 102 in Chester, Pennsylvania, the night hit home. His grandson, a saxophone player, came along.

“After watching these performances, he leaned over and asked, ‘How do I sign up?’ That moment gave me a profound sense of fulfillment. The young violinist wasn’t reading his music. He had closed the book. He was playing from somewhere deeper.”

A day of culture before the curtain rose

The excellence did not begin at showtime. Before the performance, according to Delaware Valley Protocol Director Arlene Muhammad (wife of this writer), “the young musicians explored Philadelphia’s cultural landmarks—Joe Frazier’s statue, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the October Gallery, a space devoted to African and Black world art.”

The October Gallery left a mark. One young sister could not stop thinking about a woman she had learned about (Ona Judge)—a formerly enslaved woman who had belonged to U.S. President George Washington and became a pioneering figure in American history.

“I’m not going to forget her,” the girl said.

They didn’t want to leave. But the curtain was waiting—and so was their moment to make history of their own.

The road ahead

The ensemble is not slowing down. Phoenix comes at the start of September. Washington, D.C. follows by the end of September. The tour rolls on.

“They’re traveling the country,” said Brother Sa’ad Muhammad. “We’re grateful that the Nation of Islam can provide the platform for them to demonstrate what God has blessed them to do.”

Imam Quaiser Abdullah put the mission in the plainest terms. When young people are engaged, communities thrive.

“Art programs activate a different part of the mind. They keep young people engaged, productive, and connected. They give communities something to be proud of.”

The future is not coming. It already took the stage.

The post Sounds of Harmony Ensemble electrifies Philadelphia  appeared first on Final Call News.

PHILADELPHIA—Nation of Islam Student National Secretary Sa’ad Alim Muhammad stood before a packed house with seats on both floors filled at Muhammad Mosque No. 12 in Philadelphia.

“He (Master Fard Muhammad), traveled from the East to the West,” he told the audience. “Think about that,” he said. “A man crossing the whole earth to reach a people who had forgotten who they were.”

Bro. Sa’ad was in Philadelphia with the Nation of Islam’s Sounds of Harmony Musical Ensemble, who performed to a sold-out audience the night before. (See The Final Call, page 7)

“For 20 years, from 1910 to 1930, Master Fard Muhammad moved in and out of North America.  He studied us.  He watched us. He waited.  Then on July 4th, 1930, he stepped into Detroit, Michigan, and began to teach among Black people—the despised, the rejected, the descendants of slaves. People gathered in small rooms. Something in his words felt like coming home,” he said.

On September 22, 1931, a man then-named Elijah Poole, now known as the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, walked into one of those rooms. “Elijah was not an ordinary listener,” Bro. Sa’ad said. “His father was a Baptist preacher. His grandfather was a Baptist preacher. He read the Bible forward and backward,” continued.

So, when Elijah heard Master Fard Muhammad speak, He knew exactly who He was hearing. Not a scholar. Not a wise man. God in Person. From that day, Elijah Muhammad  became a student—day and night.

“Master Fard Muhammad did not just teach His student,” Bro. Sa’ad explained. “He learned Him. Inside and out. Every molecule.”

And knowing His student that deeply, the Supreme Being went to work arranging circumstances —setting things in motion that looked like chance but were not. On May 11, 1933, a child of destiny was born. That child would become the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, National Representative of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

Ezekiel 33

“God does not just speak the scriptures,” Bro. Sa’ad told the crowd. “God brings them to life. That is how you know you are looking at the Sovereign of the Universe.”

The 33rd chapter of Ezekiel has 33 verses. During his message, Bro. Sa’ad kept returning to that number. In verse 31, he said, the people come and listen but do not act. “You know how folks do. With their mouths they show much love. But their hearts pursue their own gain.” Then verse 31 describes the Son of Man as a lovely song, a pleasant voice, one who plays well on an instrument, he explained.

“We know a man like that,” Bro. Sa’ad said. “Born in 1933. His mother put a violin in his hand. A voice that moves the soul.” Allah (God) caused the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to be born in the year ‘33 to bring Ezekiel 33 to life. “That is not coincidence,” Bro. Sa’ad declared. “That is design.”

The proof

A messenger speaks for Allah (God)—and you know it because what he says comes to pass.

On July 4, 2020, Minister Farrakhan warned the presidents of African countries plainly and the people of the earth to not take the COVID-19 vaccine.

“These are treacherous people with a terrible history,” Bro. Sa’ad, who is also an attorney and author recounted. “He told all of us—do not take it.”

Teenagers began dying from heart attacks. Athletes in peak condition collapsed. Then Minister Farrakhan called out Dr. Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates and Melinda Gates. “Folks believed Fauci over the Minister,” Bro. Sa’ad said. “But watch what happened. Fauci ends up before Congress, pleading the Fifth, asking for a pardon. Why would an innocent man need a pardon?”

Prior to leaving office, former President Joseph Biden granted Dr. Fauci what was reported as a full, unconditional, and preemptive pardon that covers any federal offenses related to his official conduct and service from January 1, 2014, forward.

It was reportedly intended to protect Dr. Fauci from so-called potential politically motivated prosecutions. In a Senate hearing on July 29, Dr. Fauci pleaded the Fifth over 100 times, declining to answer any questions 

Brother Sa’ad presented even more proof and evidence to the audience on Minister Farrakhan being a Divine Warner from Almighty God Allah.

At Saviour’s Day 2024, he pointed out that Minister Farrakhan revealed that in the middle of the night he received a picture of  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sitting with his war cabinet, drinks raised—toasting the lives that would be lost days later on October 7, when Hamas led an attack in 2023.

In response, Israel began and is continuing the slaughter and genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza. “The Minister said it plainly in February of 2024,” Bro. Sa’ad continued. “Netanyahu already knew. He sanctioned it” (referring to the Hamas attack).

In June of 2024, the Jerusalem Post confirmed that the IDF knew about October 7 before it happened. “The Israelis themselves confirmed what Minister Farrakhan said four months earlier. How do you know you are listening to a man of God? He tells you the truth before the world catches up. Every single time,” said Bro. Sa’ad.

What the people said

After the lecture, those who attended spoke for themselves to The Final Call.

“What stood out most was how the speaker reiterated the importance of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s message—and how much of what He prophesied we’re seeing come to fruition today,” said Nabab of the Nuwaupian Islamic Hebrews. “More than anything, today was about challenging the way we think. What was introduced was the courage to think differently.”

Barbara Montgomery of Collegeville kept it simple: “He told it like it was. Everything he said about the Torah and the Bible was clear, honest, and easy to understand. One word: excellent.”

Abdul Rakman of South Philadelphia said, “The way he used the Bible and the Qur’an together —walking us through the idea that God is a man—that was powerful. It’s common sense when you see it laid out that clearly.”

Sherron Muhammad of  Philadelphia said, “All of it carried weight. One word? Truth.”

Michael Warren of the Willingboro Study Group added, “Watching Brother Sa’ad Muhammad use scripture to defend Point Number 12—that God is a man—showed that followers of the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad can stand firm, regardless of criticism. One word? Compelling.”

And Lameer John of North Philadelphia put it plainly: “He didn’t just make the claim. He gave logic. He gave reason. And that, I respect. One word? Moving.”

God is a man

“Now here is the heart of it,” Bro. Sa’ad said, his voice steady and sure, as he delivered the message.

From the Torah: “Let us make man in our image.” We are men and women. If we look like him, God is a man. Exodus 15:3 leaves no room to argue: “The Lord is a man of war.” Exodus 33:11 says the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, “as a man speaks to his friend.”

From the Gospel: Matthew 24:27 says the son of man will come from the East to the West. Only Master Fard Muhammad did that for us. And in John 14:9, Jesus answers Philip directly: “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus was a man—and seeing him, you saw God.

Three books. One answer.

“We don’t debate,” Bro. Sa’ad said. “We just tell you the truth and you can accept it or leave it. It is not going to change what God said.”

“From the Torah, from the Gospel, from the Holy Qur’an—the answer is the same. God is a man. He already came,” Brother Sa’ad said

The post Three Books of Scripture. One Undeniable Truth: (Allah) God is a Man appeared first on Final Call News.

Black August does not arrive with fireworks or parades of summer holidays. It arrives with hunger.

 Before sunrise on August 1, in kitchens across Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Oakland, and inside prison cells where the practice can cost a person months in solitary confinement, people set aside food, TV screens, and distraction. They reflect. There is no greeting of “Happy Black August.”

“This is a commemoration, not a celebration,” Melina Abdullah reminded listeners on Los Angeles based KBLA Talk Radio 1580 as the month began. “This month, we fast, study, train, and fight.”

Forty‑seven years into a tradition most Blacks have never heard of, Black August remains one of the most disciplined, politically grounded, and deliberately suppressed commemorations in Black history. It is a month rooted in sacrifice, born behind prison walls, carried forward by organizers who refuse to let the memory of fallen freedom fighters be erased.

Born behind jail/prison walls

To understand Black August, one must begin with a blatant injustice.

“Black August began inside the California prison system, in response to the murderous repression faced by Black revolutionary prisoners,” said Attorney James Simmons of Black August Los Angeles on the August 1, radio show.

He pointed to three names—W.L. Nolan, Alvin Miller, and Cleveland Edwards—men killed by prison guards on January 13, 1970. After an altercation with White inmates, guards opened fired, but only on the Black prisoners.

In the aftermath, three incarcerated men—including George Jackson—were charged with retaliating against a guard. Jackson would become one of the most influential revolutionary writers of the 20th century. His books “Soledad Brother” and “Blood in My Eye” challenged the myth of American exceptionalism and urged Black people to organize, study, and resist.

Mr. Jackson never lived to see the movement his writings inspired. On August 21, 1971, he was killed by San Quentin prison guards. The year before, his 17‑year‑old brother Jonathan Jackson was killed during a courthouse action aimed at freeing the Soledad Brothers.

“These assassinations—and the movement that refused to let their deaths go unmarked—gave rise to Black August,” Atty. Simmons said.

But the roots run deeper. Kalanji Changa of Black Power Media on the same show notes that August 1 itself marks the anniversary of the death of Khatari Gaulden, a leader of the Black Prison Movement who died due to deliberate medical neglect at San Quentin.

“We use the word ‘assassination’ deliberately,” Mr. Changa said. “His death was state‑sponsored. Black August was first commemorated one year after his death.”

Inside those cells, resistance was not metaphorical. It was organized, intentional, and dangerous to those who sought to oppress and suppress the actions and activities of brothers behind bars.

“George Jackson ran political education classes inside the library. He trained comrades in martial arts,” Mr. Changa explained. “The prison movement was real, organized, and deliberate.”

Pillars of resistance, discipline

Black August rests on four pillars—disciplines rather than slogans. Dr. Akinyelé Umoja, another panelist who encountered the tradition in Oakland in the late 1970s, breaks them down:

Fast. Inspired by the Islamic Holy Month Ramadan, the founders fasted from sunup to sundown—not just from food, but from harmful influences and distractions. Some refused to speak English during the day, using Kiswahili instead. Today, a social media fast counts.

Study. The reading list begins with “Blood in My Eye,” finished by Jackson days before his death. Organizers urge people to buy from Black‑owned bookstores.

Train. Physical conditioning—martial arts, running, strength training. “A strong mind requires a strong body,” Mr. Umoja said.

Fight. Engage in activism. Support incarcerated comrades. Write letters. Back campaigns. Put money on their books.

Within the month sit four “Flea Days”—full 24‑hour fasts honoring the fallen:

August 1 — Khatari Gaulden

August 7 — Jonathan Jackson, William Christmas, James McClain

August 13 — W.L. Nolan, Cleveland Edwards, Alvin Miller

August 21 — George Jackson

“These four days are our holy days,” Mr. Changa said.

A living tradition— and a suppressed one

What began in California spread across the country—Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia—and even internationally. In Cuba, medical students once held Black August commemorations with comrades of Assata Shakur.

But inside U.S. prisons, the tradition carries a steep price. “Since 2014, up to 300 incarcerated brothers and sisters have been placed in solitary confinement simply for practicing Black August,” Mr. Changa alleges. “The state classifies it as gang activity.”

Ms. Abdullah highlighted one name: Jay Burton, who co‑founded Black Lives Matter chapters inside California prisons. He entered at 16. He is now 53—and currently in solitary confinement. “Not because of what he did when he first entered,” Ms. Abdullah said, “but because of the political organizing work he continues to do.”

Why most people have never heard of it

The obscurity of Black August is not accidental.

“Anything that exposes 400‑plus years of crimes against humanity—particularly against Black people—will never be something those in power want widely known,” said Empress Phile Chionesu, founder of the 1997 Million Woman March, during an interview with The Final Call. She noted that Black media, once a conduit for this history, “has largely lost that capacity.”

Others point to distraction. “People are distracted by propaganda instead of engaging with real issues,” Bigga Dre, a Philadelphia organizer, told The Final Call. “Entertainment makes people feel good. Conviction demands action. People don’t want that responsibility.”

He traced the erasure to one institution: the prison industrial complex. “Powerful interests are capitalizing off incarceration,” he said. “That’s why Black August gets swept under the rug.”

For Mike Africa of the MOVE organization, the relevance of Black August depends on purpose. “If it genuinely helps people and drives meaningful change, it remains essential,” he said during a Final Call interview. Honoring political prisoners, he said, must translate into structural change—starting with the family.

Supreme Dow, curator of the Black Writers Museum, told The Final Call about the importance of intergenerational dialogue where younger generations can pass on information about the significance of Black August. He calls for intergenerational engagement—elders in dialogue with young people.

Ms. Chionesu reminds young people of their legacy: the first Black student union at California State, the sit‑ins, Freedom Rides, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown. “Those were students. Young people. That legacy belongs to them,” she said.

The importance of remembering

Black August is not abstract. It shows up in living rooms, libraries, and community centers.

In Los Angeles, Mr. Simmons outlined a month of programming: an opening event at the Radical Hood Library; Pan‑African Women’s Day; a Black Panther Party breakfast; a group reading of “Blood in My Eye” and weekly physical training and study sessions.

In Philadelphia, Bigga Dre is organizing a strategic planning session on environmental justice, targeting the country’s largest incinerator in Chester, where three‑fourths of Philadelphia’s trash is burned. “This is environmental racism,” he said.

Ms. Chionesu’s work includes “Black Poli Sci 101” sessions with Jalil Muntaqim, who spent nearly 50 years incarcerated after joining the Black Panther Party at 16. Her organization is also investigating toxic mold in a women’s prison.

And on August 15, the October Gallery will host a meditation seminar in commemoration of Black August.

Organizers of these various commemorations return to a single idea: a people cut off from their history can be stripped of their future.

“Marcus Garvey said it best,” Bigga Dre noted. “A people without knowledge of their past is like a tree without roots.” Supreme Dow frames the stakes clearly: “It has always been illegal for us to fight for our freedom.

The struggle demands more than performance. It demands study, action, and consistency.” Ms. Abdullah offers the simplest invitation: “None of us were born knowing this. Start where you are,” she said.

“Forty‑seven years on, the men who died inside California’s prisons are still being remembered by people the state tried to silence—and by a movement that refuses to be forgotten,” Ms. Abdullah said.

The post Acknowledging our history and our fight appeared first on Final Call News.

Brother John returned to Allah (God) July 26, 2026, at the age of 98. At his service, family, friends, and admirers gathered to honor a man widely regarded as a brilliant mind and helper of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

Born November 3, 1927, in Avera, Georgia, and raised in Philadelphia, Bro. John’s early life hinted at an extraordinary trajectory ahead. His schoolmates included future luminaries such as the Reverend Leon Sullivan and Robert N.C. Nix, who would become the first Black Supreme Court Justice in Pennsylvania’s history.

Brother John excelled academically, graduating from Bryant College in just two years with a major in accounting and economics before becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)—an achievement rare for Blacks of his era.

But Bro. John’s destiny would not be confined to boardrooms or accounting firms. In 1954, he encountered the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad through Minister Jeremiah Shabazz.

Soon after, Minister Malcolm X brought him to New York to assist in the secretarial department of Temple No. 7 (as it was known at that time). His sharp intellect, professionalism, and administrative discipline quickly drew the attention of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

In 1960, Bro. John was appointed National Secretary of the Nation of Islam, a position he held for a decade. Those who worked with him say his impact was profound and far-reaching.

“He should be remembered as a top-notch follower of Elijah Muhammad,” said Rafiq Kalimidin, to The Final Call, a former Temple No. 12 secretary. “He handled all the books. He made a great contribution to … the Nation of Islam. He was appointed by Elijah Muhammad himself.”

Brother John’s professionalism stood out in an era when few Black people had access to higher education or corporate training. “He was a voracious reader with a very astute mind,” said Mohammad Shah, a family friend. Mr. Shah added that Bro. John brought “a very professional approach to administration.”

His administrative reach extended far beyond the walls of the Chicago headquarters. Muhammad Ikhlas, Mr. Ali’s nephew by marriage, recalled how respected he was among pioneers of the Nation of Islam.

Brother John’s younger brother, Michael Simmons, also described him as “a brilliant mind.”

Brother John’s intellectual appetite was legendary. “He read 10 newspapers a day,” Mr. Simmons said. “He was one of the most well-informed people you’d ever want to meet. He could talk to you about any subject. You always came away knowing more than you started out with.”

Beyond his public accomplishments, Brother John was remembered as a devoted family man. “John was a family man. He loved family,” said Rudolph Ali. “With all respect and love for my brother, I loved him for that.”

His niece, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, called him “a meticulous and incredible organizer, strategist, and visionary.” She recalled his commitment to attending every graduation celebration, no matter how busy his schedule.

His son, Jon D. Ali, said his father’s dedication to both family and the Nation defined his life. “He loved his daughters. He loved the children. All his grandchildren. He was a very happy man.”

He added that his father’s guiding principle was simple: “Dad, what did you do?” he once asked his father. “He said, ‘What the Messenger told me to do. I followed instructions.’”

Bro. John attributed his longevity to the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and those closest to him say nothing mattered more to him than being a dedicated follower of the Messenger. “The thing most important to him was that he had been a dedicated follower of Elijah Muhammad,” said Mr. Simmons.

Brother John Ali was preceded in death by his parents, John and Viola Simmons, his son Wallace, and his siblings Willie, Nathaniel, and Reginald. He is survived by his youngest brother, Michael. Mr. Ali leaves behind a devoted family, including his children Jon, Marie, Sultan, and Clara, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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But the voice—the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, speaking about Black separation with a clarity she had never encountered—stopped her cold. She went to the mosque that Sunday in Plainfield, N.J. She never looked back.

Today, Sister Dr. Monique Swift Muhammad is a member of the Nation of Islam as a proud M.G.T. and G.C.C. (Muslim Girls Training and General Civilization Class, the women of the N.O.I.). She is also the president of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi), a clinician and a community builder.

She is a Muslim woman who prays before every session with clients, quotes and references Minister Farrakhan in her clinical work, and believes that Black psychological liberation and spiritual elevation are the same struggle.

“If I had not found the Nation of Islam,” she says plainly, “I probably would have quit by now.” She is not being dramatic. She means it.

Nation and Black first

Sister Dr. Monique Muhammad grew up asking questions no one around her was equipped to answer. When she arrived at Rutgers University and majored in Africana Studies, she found the intellectual framework. When she heard Minister Farrakhan, she found the spiritual one.

“Africana Studies was the backdrop,” she told The Final Call. “I didn’t understand who I was as a Black person—our plight, our history. Majoring in Africana Studies deepened that context significantly.”

From Rutgers, she moved to NYU for a master’s in counseling, shifting from the macro lens of social conditions to the intimate terrain of personal identity, which she said helped her understand herself and the range of experiences we have as Black people.

Her path eventually led her to ABPsi, where she found a professional home aligned with her deepest commitments. “Black first,” she said plainly. “That’s where I’ve been. And that’s what this organization is.”

When she went to the Sunday meeting at the Plainfield, New Jersey mosque, after seeing and hearing Minister Farrakhan on tape, legendary Student Minister Abdul Karim Muhammad was at the podium.

He was talking about building a Black army. Sister Dr. Monique—raised on Public Enemy, shaped by righteous militancy, and newly inspired by Africana Studies—thought she was signing up for one kind of fight. Allah (God) had something else in mind.

“What I thought would make me a killer for our people turned me into a healer,” she said.

When asked who sharpened her into the psychologist she is today, Sister Dr. Monique did not hesitate. “First and foremost, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad,” she said. “He helps us see who we are as human beings—spiritually, socially, personally. There’s nothing he hasn’t touched.” Minister Farrakhan comes next, she said.

She also said, Student Min. Dr. Ava Muhammad (may Allah be pleased), an attorney and scholar, showed her that spiritual conviction and professional excellence were not in conflict.

Professionally, she leans heavily on Dr. Wade Nobles, a founder of ABPsi and who she calls, one of the most influential thinkers in African-centered psychology, calling him a “prolific writer,” and stating that “his work grounds me.”

According to the organization’s website, the Association of Black Psychologists was founded in San Francisco in 1968 by several Black Psychologists from across the country who united to actively address the serious problems facing Black psychologists and the larger Black community.

“Guided by the principle of self-determination, these psychologists set about building an institution through which they could address the long-neglected needs of Black professionals,” notes abpsi.site-ym.com.

Her term as president of ABPsi is 2025-2027. Her presidency comes at a moment she describes as unprecedented. “It feels like a time we’ve never seen before,” she said. “I don’t think it’s an accident that I am where I am.”

She references Minister Farrakhan’s warning that it takes more emotional fortitude to function today than in years past. The pressures are immense, particularly for Black people.

Her overarching mission is clear: sovereignty. “All roads point to our sovereignty as an organization,” she said, referring to ABPsi. “We don’t have the luxury anymore to think of ourselves in the context of White America. We must think of ourselves as sovereign human beings.”

Sister Dr. Monique’s clinical framework for racial trauma carries the same precision as her community work. She does not use abstractions. She uses the example of the damage done by a bullet. “The bullet enters,” she explains.

“That is the initial wound—slavery, discrimination, being followed in a store, not getting the job. But a bullet ricochets. It pierces the spleen, the heart, the lungs. That is the internalization—the (feelings of) worthlessness, the self-doubt, the sense of being less than.”

And then there is the historical layer. “The genetic inheritance of trauma, passed from generation to generation. Epigenetics tells us this. You are born already carrying a wound you never personally received,” she said.

Three levels. One injury. Most psychology only treats the surface. “You cannot heal what you refuse to name,” she says. “And most of psychology has refused to name this,” she said.

The most misunderstood truth about Black suffering, she argues, is not the trauma itself. It is how deep it goes.

“The core of who we are is fractured,” she said. “We’re functioning—educated, working, buying homes—but not functioning knowing who we are.”

Sister Dr. Monique is direct about what clinical training got wrong. “They train you to be neutral,” she says. “Don’t bring yourself into the room. But there is no such thing as neutral. I am who I am.”

She brings her full self—her faith, her Muslim garment, her spiritual discernment—into every session. “But I don’t heal anybody. It is only by the Grace of Allah (God), coming through me (counseling and therapy), that healing happens.”

The Nation of Islam’s emphasis on discipline is something she carries directly into her clinical work. The Nation taught her to find beauty in hardship, to see the reward in struggle. That is not common language in mainstream therapy.

“The Nation taught me to subordinate myself to something bigger than me,” she says. “That is how I lead. That is how I heal. Not for recognition. Not for the prize. For the mission.”

Misunderstandings about Black healing

“We think healing is in accomplishments,” she said. “A Black president. Marching. Voting. Protesting. Legal victories. But that’s not what heals us.”

True healing, she insists, is spiritual. “Connecting with the spirit of who we truly are—that’s the missing piece. We’ve tried everything else. Spirit is what we keep skipping.”

The upcoming 57th Annual ABPsi Convention theme, scheduled for July 29 through August 1 at Morgan State University, an HBCU in Baltimore, reflects this conviction. This year’s theme, “The Illumination: Freeing the African Spirit,” was chosen by Sister Dr. Monique.

Founded September 2, 1968, after more than 200 Black psychologists staged a walkout from the American Psychological Association’s annual meeting in San Francisco, ABPsi has always been an act of organized refusal. It has never answered to the APA. It has never pretended that Black psychology is just mainstream psychology practiced on Black bodies.

Sister Dr. Monique is pushing ABPsi members to move from comfort to commitment—from relying on outside funding to building from within. She has chosen a presidential Adinkra symbol that captures her entire philosophy: Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu—two crocodiles conjoined at the stomach, fighting over food they already share.

“They fight because of ego,” she says. “But everything they consume feeds the same stomach. When we fight each other, we are only destroying ourselves,” she added.

“Our healing is in our spiritual elevation,” explains Sis. Dr. Monique. “Everything in the physical—all the marching, all the voting, all the lawsuits—none of it is enough without reconnecting with the spirit of who we truly are.”

Dr. Monique Swift Muhammad has built her life—and now her presidency—on that truth.

“We are the solution,” she says. “We always have been. We just need to remember.”

For more information, visit ABPsi.org.

The post Sister Dr. Monique Swift Muhammad A Muslim woman, clinician and president of the Association of Black Psychologists appeared first on Final Call News.

For Black Philadelphians, who already face profound economic hurdles, the statewide gambling boom is not mere entertainment. It is the construction of a digital plantation economy in which corporations harvest the hopes, habits, and vulnerabilities of the people for profit. 

In 2024 alone, internet gaming and sports wagering revenues in Pennsylvania surged past a staggering $6 billion. Penn State University’s 2024 Interactive Gaming Assessment confirms that one in five adults in the Commonwealth now gamble online.

As the industry grows, the fallout is accelerating faster than the systems meant to contain it. Today, nearly half of all calls to the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline involve online gambling. 

According to Nielsen Ad Intel, the Philadelphia region has outpaced New York and Las Vegas as the number one online gambling advertising market in the United States. Between January and September 2024, gambling companies spent over $37 million saturating the region with ads.

These promotions flood billboards, bus shelters, social media feeds, and streaming platforms in Black neighborhoods already burdened with predatory marketing. 

This modern digital crisis mirrors the stark warnings delivered decades ago by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. In His seminal book, “Message to the Blackman in America,” in the chapter titled, “On Sport and Play,”

The Eternal Leader of the Nation of Islam offered a comprehensive critique of American entertainment, warning that gambling and systemic vices were engineered to exploit the poor and distract from spiritual awakening. He taught about the entrapment of “games of chance.”

“Great sums of money are spent in sport and play, in games of chance and gambling, in the operation of sporting houses. Millions are spent on horse racing and numbers rackets and are a disgraceful publicity of indecent sport,” the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad wrote.

Community advocates in Philadelphia are also raising the alarm. Supported by funding from the Department of Behavioral Health, the Black Women’s Health Alliance is rolling out a comprehensive awareness and prevention campaign featuring billboards, social media outreach, and educational materials.

The initiative aims to address the severe financial toll problem gambling takes on families, highlighting the growing impact of casino access on isolated seniors and the rapid rise of sports betting among youth. 

“We aren’t here to judge, but we want our community to pause and set firm guardrails before they play,” said Brenda Dunston, head of the Black Women’s Health Alliance, to The Final Call. “The industry invests heavily in keeping you at the games, so you have to know your limits … and never let gambling control your life or your ability to pay for essentials.” 

Ms. Dunston also noted that the statistics are particularly alarming for so-called “minority” women. Recent data shows that 35% of minority ethnic females experience high levels of gambling harm, compared to just 12% of the overall female gambling population. 

“Many are single parents desperately trying to provide for their families, and they view gambling as a potential way out,” Ms. Dunston explained. “Unfortunately, casinos capitalize on this vulnerability.” 

The data reveals a highly dangerous pattern. Mixed-mode gamblers—those who play both online and in person—face the highest risk of addiction. Furthermore, 20% of online gamblers engage in illegal or unregulated sites, where losses are unrecoverable and protections do not exist. 

An analysis of  helpline logs shows a rising number of callers reporting drained bank accounts, maxed-out credit cards, the inability to pay utilities, and emotional breakdowns. When a working-class Black family loses $500, it is not just a setback; it is the rent, the groceries, and the school uniforms. 

Local faith leaders recognize this targeted exploitation as a direct threat to the Black family. Bishop J. Louis Felton, president of the Black Clergy in Philadelphia and senior pastor at Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, stressed during a telephone interview with The Final Call that the industry preys on wishful thinking.

“Theologically, our doctrinal viewpoint is that we believe in going for a sure thing, and gambling simply isn’t it,” Bishop Felton said. “It might start out small and harmless—like a teddy bear—but it quickly grows into a chimpanzee, then a gorilla, and eventually Godzilla or King Kong.

Nobody starts gambling expecting to lose their home, family, marriage, or relationships. But it is so addictive that you can’t just quit when you want to.” 

Bishop Felton warned against the community falling for the illusion of easy money. “They target us directly, and we cannot be gullible enough to let people make billions of dollars off our misery. That is exactly how the rich keep getting richer while the poor keep getting poorer.” 

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad warned of the repercussions and fallout from gambling.

“Hundreds of millions of dollars change hands for the benefit of a few to the hurt of millions of poor people in the bread lines, and suffering from the lack of good education, with their last few pennies they help the already helped to try winning with these gambling ‘scientists’

Who have prepared a game of chance that the poor suckers have only one chance out of nine hundred to win. Therefore, the world of sports is causing tremendous evils,” He wrote in His monumental book, “Message to the Blackman in America,” in the chapter, “On Sport and Play.”

“Think over the destruction of homes and families, the disgrace, the shame, the filling up of jails—state and federal—with victims of sports and play, the loss of friendship, the loss of beautiful wives and husbands, the loss of sons and daughters to these penal institutions. From dope, knives and guns, this evil is practiced under Christianity,” the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad continued.

Today, these “gambling scientists” use sophisticated algorithms and targeted ads to ensure users keep spinning. For Black men, the trap is laid with sports betting ads featuring hip-hop imagery. For Black women, the lure is casino-style mobile games. For Black youth, betting is normalized by influencers. 

If left unchecked, the digital casino will continue to expand, draining billions from the very people already fighting for economic survival. 

“We must confront this crisis with the urgency it demands. Protecting our wealth, our families, and our future requires us to recognize this digital casino for exactly what it is—a predatory economic trap designed to keep our communities impoverished.

True power and self-determination come from building up our own steadfast lifestyles through education, faith, and hard work, rather than enriching the very corporations that profit from our pain,” Bishop Shelton said.

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The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Eternal Leader of the Nation of Islam, taught on the protection and elevation of the Black woman. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, His National Representative teaches the same including that the woman is the Second-Self of Allah (God).

“… God says from that single being He created its mate of the same essence. So, the woman is created from the same essence that man was created from; and the essence that man was created from is God, so the essence that the woman was created from is God too,”

Minister Farrakhan stated in a message he delivered during a nationwide women-only meeting broadcast live from Mosque Maryam in Chicago, Illinois, on April 18, 2015, titled, “Save Our Girls: A Nation Can Rise No Higher Than Its Woman.”

Minister Farrakhan continued, stating, “The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught us that God is ‘Self-Created.’ He doesn’t have a ‘mommy’ or ‘daddy.’ He created Himself. Wow! So, if He is ‘Self- Created’: He looked within Himself and found you, and out of Himself He created wo(mb)-man. How great are you to be The Second Self of God?”

The value of women and how they are portrayed, viewed, and treated, particularly Black women, has eroded over the years in the United States.

However, despite the profound challenges facing Black women, their resilience emerges—undiminished and inspiring.

The Final Call interviewed Black men from various backgrounds, who shared their admiration and love for Black women.  

Dr. Anthony Monterio, a scholar and Philadelphia community leader, speaks with reverence: “When I look back, the women who had the greatest influence on me, outside of my mother and family, were figures in the Civil Rights Movement.

The one who impacted me the most when I was barely out of my teens was Civil Rights pioneer Diane Nash. Her strength and fearlessness were incredible.”

Dr. Monterio goes further, challenging the world’s limited perception regarding the value of sisters. “The women I admire crystallized within themselves a revolutionary consciousness.”

This “fearlessness”—described time and again—is not only an individual attribute, but a communal inheritance. As Dr. Monterio reflects on what Black women taught him, he centers on the lesson of self-belief: “My mother taught me confidence.

She instilled in me that no matter what the world may think of you or say about you, you must believe in yourself. She believed in me, and that helped me believe in myself.

For a Black man navigating a White male supremacist society, that confidence is so important. If that mother connection is right, you can walk through the worst storm and still hold your head up high.”

To celebrate Black women is to recognize their place at the forefront of justice and liberation. “I don’t just think about Black women; I think about Black women in the struggle,” Dr. Monterio told The Final Call, “What moves me is their fearlessness—the fact that when they enter the struggle, they’re prepared to give up their lives.

Resilience and power

The wellspring of Black women’s strength runs deep, touching the spiritual and the divine. NemRa Neteru,  a young artist whose work hangs in the legendary October Gallery Museum, another voice in the Philadelphia community, beautifully describes this source of strength in Black women.

“I think the reason why they continue so strong is something divine. They have sisterhood, for one, but they’re also connected to divine sources. You can feel it. You’ve seen it throughout history.” 

For NemRa, the lesson from Black women is not merely survival, but a way of being.  This resilience is a throughline that passes from one generation to the next, evolving as it is expressed through daily acts of brilliance and compassion, he explained.

NemRa admires “their tenacity to continue to excel no matter what the world gives them. They transmit it into something beautiful, something powerful.” Their impact is not limited to individual transformation — Black women shape everyone around them. “I think they shape all our growth. They help us continually evolve.

There’s always a next level—that’s what their energy represents. There’s always something more. Our job is to match that, to continue to evolve, and not get complacent. That’s what I love about our sisters.”

Yet, what Black women need is not another command to be strong, but a promise of real support. NemRa puts it plainly: “Security. Protection. Assurance that we’ll stand by them throughout everything that happens. And I would say love, to be honest. They aren’t loved properly as they should be,” he told The Final Call.

Across the decades, Black women have quietly and powerfully shaped families, institutions, and cultural movements.

Reverend Colonius Avent, the progressive Pastor of Rising Star Baptist Church located in Emporia, Virginia, sees this every day in both his home and his ministry. “Black women have come a long way. They have a great influence, especially in the community. They assist and help so many people.

In my church, the support from Black women is overwhelming. They are truly the backbone.” He credits his wife, not just as his partner in ministry, but as his teacher in humanity: “Helping people. I didn’t do a lot of that before, but because of her influence, I do now. She’s taught me the importance of reaching out and making a difference.”

Pastor Avent stressed that the world undervalues just how transformative Black women are. “Their impact, Black women do so much and have a great influence. They are sympathetic and assist people in ways I’ve learned from.

Their contributions are often overlooked, but they are vital.” This sentiment is echoed in his message to Black women: “Keep on doing what you’re doing. You are appreciated for how well you do and how you influence Black men to bring out the best in them.”

Nation of Islam Student Delaware Valley Regional Minister Rodney Muhammad of Mosque No. 12 in Philadelphia carries the legacy of driven, brilliant Black women within him. “My mother … was the first Black woman in the 1950s to model for Ford Motor Company.

Later, she worked hard as a secretary, but she went back to school to get her bachelor’s degree because she had me early on. Then she went on to get her master’s and doctorate. She moved herself up. … That drive and resilience shaped me,” he said.

For Student Min. Rodney Muhammad, the full strength of Black women lies in their indomitable spirit in the face of cruelty. “You have to look at the resilience of Black women. During slavery, the Black man was the target, but the Black woman endured unimaginable cruelty.

Despite that, she held families together and ensured survival.” This spiritual and intellectual resourcefulness has been underestimated and underappreciated for far too long. “Black women have an uncanny ability to take even the smallest idea from a Black man and help it grow into something greater.”

His message is clear: “Black women have always been the backbone of our communities, but they deserve men who are driven and determined to build something greater. Together, we can achieve self-determination and create a future where we rely on ourselves, not others, for our success.”

Throughout its over 90-year history in America, women in the Nation of Islam have been critical in its establishment and growth. Mother Clara Muhammad, wife of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Mother Khadijah Farrakhan, wife of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan,  and countless others, have demonstrated and displayed intelligence, leadership and gifts to the Nation of Islam and the world.

Bishop Frank M. Reid III a longtime AME pastor from Baltimore, Maryland, puts it plainly and powerfully: “The Black woman is the original woman,” he said, explaining that all other races and ethnic groups come from her. 

For Bishop Reid, there is an obvious line from the divine to the familial. “Every Black woman is a queen, but she’s been miseducated. … But the real power comes from God who made the woman, because as the woman goes, so goes the nation. So goes the family, so goes our people.”

He also said that this power is not simply theoretical, but part of everyday reality. “My mother taught me that readers are leaders. My mother taught me the importance of education. She wasn’t working when my mother and father separated, but she got a job and raised four children.

She didn’t graduate from high school, but all four of her children graduated from college and have professional degrees.” The lessons that Black women pass down—education, resilience, faith, and leadership—shape entire communities for generations, he explained.

Respect and protect   

As Dr. Monterio eloquently puts it: “The greatest love of all is the love for your people and the love for the freedom of your people. If you love your people and you love freedom, other things more easily fall into place.”

Sisters need security, protection, appreciation, and love. They need recognition of their intellectual, spiritual, and emotional gifts. They need to be supported, defended, and uplifted—not just in words, but in action.

As NemRa reminds us: “That I love them and I care for them. And that I’ll continue to grow to be the best man and brother I can be for them and our community.”

The Divine Guidance and Teaching of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, as taught by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, is clear.

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught that the Black woman must be respected and protected and that “a nation can rise no higher than its woman.”

Final Call staff contributed to this report.

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The retired educators, whose passion for Black/African history and literature has left an indelible mark on the institution, were celebrated with the dedication of the newly named Theodore and Elsie Erwin Archives.

The event, held in early March, was attended by community leaders, institutional partners, and friends of the museum, and was a testament to the power of collective effort and the enduring importance of preserving Black history.

The Erwins, who donated more than 1,500 books, African artifacts, and jazz CDs to the museum, were lauded for their immeasurable contributions to the preservation of African and African American heritage.

The story of the Erwins’ donation is one of serendipity and generosity. As they prepared to move from their home on Sedgwick Street, the couple faced the daunting task of finding a new home for their extensive collection of books.

“I remember sitting in the back room, surrounded by books, and thinking, ‘What are we going to do with all of this?’” Mr. Erwin recalled with a chuckle.

The answer came in the form of a phone call to Supreme Dow, the museum’s founder and curator. Mr. Dow, who arrived with a couple of boxes, was unprepared for the magnitude of the Erwins’ collection. “I went upstairs and found myself in the middle of a library,” he recounted.

When he asked which books to take, the Erwins replied, “All of them.” What followed was a whirlwind of trips to a store for boxes and three days of packing, resulting in over 75 boxes of books and countless treasures.

The archives, now a cornerstone of the museum, house not only books but also rare and signed editions, including works by Langston Hughes and Amiri Baraka. Among the gems is a first edition of “the Usawa” by Dr. Maulana Karenga, signed and dedicated to the Erwins.

These artifacts, Mr. Dow emphasized, hold more than monetary value. “They are lessons, stories, and legacies that will inspire generations to come.”

The dedication ceremony was a heartfelt affair, with speeches from local leaders, including State Representative Andre Carroll, who shared his own journey of discovering the museum during the pandemic.

“This institution is a treasure,” Mr. Carroll said. “It’s a place where our history is preserved and celebrated, and it’s an honor to have it in the district I serve.”

Victoria Bennett, the museum’s board chair, echoed these sentiments, thanking the Erwins and the community for their unwavering support. “This museum exists because of people like you,” she said. “Your contributions ensure that our stories are told and our voices are heard.”

For Mr. Erwin, the journey to becoming a lover of history and literature was a personal one. He shared how his early disdain for history transformed after trips to Africa and encounters with scholars like Dr. John Henrik Clarke and Dr. Asa Hilliard.

“When you start reading African history, it takes you to the rest of the world,” he said. His passion for learning and sharing knowledge has been a guiding force in his life, and now, through the archives, it will continue to inspire others.

As the ceremony concluded, attendees were invited to explore the museum and view the archives, which are still being cataloged and organized. Mr. Dow, ever the visionary, reminded the audience of the museum’s humble beginnings and the challenges it has faced, from fires to pandemics.

“This building stands because of the love and support of this community,” he said. “And today, we honor two people who embody that spirit.”

The plaque presented to them reads: “Theodore and Elsie Erwin Archives: Dedicated Educators and Founding Friends of the Black Writers Museum. In recognition of your generous gift of over 1,500 books and your immeasurable love for our youth.”

As visitors walked through the museum, the spirit of the Erwins’ generosity was palpable. Their gift is more than a collection of books; it is a legacy of love, learning, and the unyielding belief in the power of history to shape the future.

Mr. Dow told The Final Call, “As a small institution without an endowment, this donation has an immense impact on preserving Black literature and making it accessible to our youth.”

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The gymnasium was transformed into a regal setting, with black and gold decorations symbolizing the dignity and grace with which Minister Akbar lived. His favorite jazz standards played softly in the background, while a photo exhibition on a large screen chronicled his extraordinary journey.

Tributes poured in from across the globe, including heartfelt messages from Doha, Tunisia, and Tanzania. One particularly moving tribute came from Dr. Arikana Chihombori Quao, a Zimbabwean diplomat and activist, who praised Minister Akbar for his lifelong advocacy for Black unity. “He was a bridge between continents, a man who connected us to our roots and inspired us to dream of a united Africa,” she said.

The program was hosted by Student Minister Jamil Muhammad, who opened the event with a warm greeting. “We are here to celebrate a life well-lived, a touchstone in our history,” he said. “Minister Akbar was a historian of the first rank, a man who taught us how to make history while honoring it.”

Minister Akbar’s daughter, Sister Germaine Prescott-Harris, delivered a deeply personal and emotional tribute. “To the world, he was a leader, a historian, and a soldier. But to me, he was simply Dad,” she shared. Sis. Germaine recounted stories of her father’s unwavering support, from attending her graduations to naming her granddaughter. “He always sent me postcards from around the world, reminding me that no matter where he was, he was thinking of me,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion. She concluded with a heartfelt prayer, thanking Allah (God) for her father’s life and legacy.

Another powerful moment came from Sis. Nafisatu Bukar Muhammad, Minister Akbar’s wife, who spoke of his teachings and their shared journey. “He taught me about the politics of the world and the importance of service,” she said. “He was a wonderful man, and I learned so much from him.”

Bro. Jihad Muhammad, one of Minister Akbar’s sons, reflected on the lessons his father imparted. “He taught me leadership, humility, and the importance of connecting with people,” he said. “My father was an exceptional man, and his principles will guide me for the rest of my life.”

Hadiya Claxton, Special Envoy for St. Kitts and Nevis, shared her family’s deep connection to Minister Akbar. “He was a giant in the service of the global African community,” she said. “His vision of Pan-Africanism was not just a dream—it became a force that connected us across borders, oceans, and generations. My family’s first visit to West Africa was because of his invitation and encouragement, and those moments shaped our sense of belonging and connection. His legacy is a beacon that continues to inspire us all.”

Upon the news of his passing, family members of Minister Jabril Muhammad, a close friend of Min. Akbar and pioneer of the Nation of Islam, sent a letter to express their gratitude for the life of such a man. “With profound gratitude for Almighty God Allah’s many blessings, the family of Min. Jabril Muhammad joins the Nation of Islam and the global community in commemorating the extraordinary life and transition of our beloved brother, Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad,” the letter from Sis. Ati Cushmeer on behalf of the family stated in part.

“To us, he was more than a towering figure on the world stage; he was a humble, down-to-earth brother and friend to our father and one of the companions of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. Although both were pioneers in the Nation, their bond was sealed in a sacred moment of history—as foundational members of the rebuilding of the Nation of Islam. By the will of Almighty God Allah, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan attracted some of the best strategic and intellectual minds to rebuild the Nation. Bro. Akbar was in that number, but he stands out as one of those who would form the pillars that the Nation of Islam stands on today.”

Sis. Samimah Aziz, another of Minister Akbar’s daughters, offered a heartfelt perspective on her father’s final days and the importance of caring for elders. “My father was diagnosed with vascular dementia, and we put together a care team to ensure he was well taken care of,” she said. “It’s so important for us to think about how we care for our seniors. My father’s strength and courage were evident even in his final days, and I am eternally grateful for the support of the Nation of Islam and our family during that time.”

Eric Grier, one of Min. Akbar’s grandsons (son of his late daughter Madinah), recalled some life lessons his grandfather taught him. “I owe the type of life that I have to my grandfather. He taught me the importance of community, my family, going back to Africa and having a worldly perspective.”

Min. Akbar’s granddaughter, Sis. Naeesa Aziz, thanked her grandfather for encouraging her to write about her life experiences. “I’m a writer today because of him. He always encouraged us to be curious about the world and to be informed about everything that’s going on in the world.” Following in the footsteps of her grandfather as a world traveler, she added, “and the final thing he taught me was to always sign up for the airlines’ mileage program to get your miles when you fly,” she laughed.

Other notable figures, including Flavor Flav of Public Enemy, shared fond memories with The Final Call of Minister Akbar’s hospitality during a trip to Ghana. “He was like a leader to me, always humble and full of wisdom,” the hip-hop legend said.

Student Minister and Student Imam Abdul Salaam Muhammad of Mosque No. 6 in Baltimore also shared a heartfelt memory with The Final Call of his first encounter with Minister Akbar. “I remember meeting him in Baltimore in 1990. He was auctioning a record from Black Family Day 1974, and I kept bidding on it. He asked me why I wanted it so badly, and I told him it was because I loved history and that I had turned one year old on that very day. That moment began a journey of mentorship and brotherhood that I will carry with me forever,” he said. Student Min. Salaam is also the N.O.I. Archivist. Reflecting on Minister Akbar’s legacy, he added, “He taught us to never devalue life’s journey. His work as a world traveler and historian showed us that we could come from America and make friends all over the world.”

Student Minister Troy Muhammad of Detroit also spoke of Minister Akbar’s profound influence. “I was blessed to invite him to our mosque on several occasions, where he shared historical insights that left a lasting impact,” he said. “The power of his words and the strength in his voice were undeniable. His dedication to service and his role as the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s best helper are lessons we can all strive to emulate. His legacy is endless.”

From the Southern Region of the Nation of Islam, similar echoes of relationships built by and through Min. Akbar resonated with those who traveled to pay their respects. Atlanta held a viewing on March 23 prior to the Chicago viewing, March 26 and the janazah on March 27.
Bro. Ronald Muhammad and his wife, Sis. Janice of Mosque No. 15 in Atlanta, traveled to Chicago for the service. “We’re so honored to be here and be a part of this. I think what stands out the most (for me) is his work with the Ummah Reflects podcast (formerly the Ramadan Prayer Line) and being so instrumental in the World Friendship Tours of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. We’re just grateful and thankful to Allah for this worthy servant, and he’s dearly missed,” he said.

Bro. Leonard F. Muhammad, a member of the Nation of Islam Shura Executive Council, reflected on Minister Akbar’s mentorship and perseverance. “When I came into the Nation of Islam, Brother Akbar was already doing the work. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan paired us together, and that began a brotherhood that lasted until his passing,” he said. Brother Leonard highlighted Minister Akbar’s resilience, particularly in the face of health challenges. “He had a heart attack many years ago, but he became a pescatarian and an avid walker, which contributed to his longevity. He showed us that while we say ‘Allah is the Best Knower,’ we still have to put in the work to live. Brother Akbar exemplified that.”

Brother Leonard also emphasized Minister Akbar’s unparalleled contributions as the Nation of Islam’s only International Representative. “He wasn’t just given a title—he defined it through his work. From world tours to ensuring the Minister was invited to global conferences, Brother Akbar did more on an international level than most congressmen or senators. His legacy as a diplomat for the Nation of Islam is unmatched.”

Student Minister Jamil Muhammad summed up the sentiment of the day: “Minister Akbar was a unique individual who could connect people from all walks of life. His legacy is one of service, unity, and unwavering faith.”

As the program concluded, attendees left with a renewed sense of purpose, inspired by the life of a man who dedicated himself to the betterment of others. Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad’s legacy will undoubtedly continue to resonate, not only within the Nation of Islam but across the world.

Final Call Contributing Writer J.A. Salaam, Guest Writer Eric Ture Muhammad, and Final Call Staff contributed to this report.

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For years, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has called on the Black community to work to make their communities decent and safe places to live, which was the subject of the keynote message delivered at Saviours’ Day 2026.

The Philadelphia event, titled “Beyond History: Making Our Communities Safe and Decent,” was a call to action rooted in unity, self-improvement and a reclamation of identity.

The panel discussion, hosted during the sacred seasons of Lent and Ramadan, opened with a heartfelt prayer from Reverend Cassius Rudolph of Saints Memorial Church and past special assistant to Reverend Al Sharpton.

“We gather today not just to reflect on our history, but to move forward,” Reverend Rudolph declared. “Safe and decent communities do not happen by accident—they happen when neighbors talk to neighbors, when institutions show up, and when many faiths come together.”

Philadelphia, like many urban centers, faces significant challenges. While homicides have declined from their peak in 2021, the city still recorded more than 400 in 2023, according to Philadelphia Police Department data, with Black Philadelphians disproportionately affected. Poverty, housing instability, and limited opportunities for youth remain persistent issues.

Yet, as Reverend Rudolph reminded the audience, “Philadelphia is filled with brilliance, resilience, and the real possibility of becoming something greater than it is today. But it is up to us to make that happen.”

The evening’s first presentation was delivered by Nation of Islam Student Delaware Valley Regional Minister Rodney Muhammad of Mosque No. 12 who spoke about the transformative power of faith and self-improvement.

“The community will never be better than the people in it,” he said. Drawing on the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, he emphasized the importance of reclaiming Black identity and history. “If you know who you are and what you’ve done, then you know what to expect of yourself,” he said.

Student Minister Rodney Muhammad also highlighted the resilience of the Black community, likening it to the earth’s ability to regenerate after a forest fire. “They flooded our communities with heroin and guns, but even still, we produced record numbers of college graduates,” he said. “We don’t fully know how tough we are,” he added.

Minister Quadri Harris, a Ph.D. student at Temple University and college minister, spoke on some of the rich Black African history from 4241 BCE in the ancient Nile Valley. “We don’t know who we are because we don’t know where we come from,” Minister Harris asserted.

He emphasized the importance of teaching Black history as a continuous, unbroken narrative, rather than beginning with slavery. “When our people know who they truly are, much of what ails us begins to heal.”

 He called for coalitions between Black Christian and Muslim communities, urging them to prioritize unity over division. “We must not allow our religious differences to prevent us from building coalitions,” he said. “The blueprint is there. We just need to follow it.”

Hugh Clark, a retired attorney and school administrator of Lotus Academy, a Philadelphia-based Afrocentric school, spoke passionately about the role of education in healing the wounds of slavery and systemic oppression.

“Education must be about more than learning—it must also be about healing,” Mr. Clark said. He outlined Lotus Academy’s philosophy of  “identity to the third power,” emphasizing the importance of self-knowledge, ethical ideals, and rigorous academic preparation.

Mr. Clark also addressed the psychological scars left by slavery, noting that self-hatred, instilled during the era of enslavement, continues to manifest in community violence.  “Our young people are kings and queens, but they must be taught that because they have been taught the opposite,” he said.

The discussion concluded with concrete steps for community building from grassroots guest organizations. Jabril Yusef of the group, Brotherhood Day, spoke on fostering intergenerational connections by starting with small, personal actions;

Stanley James of the group Philly Truce, spoke on the importance of building trust through consistent, visible presence and team-based community safety efforts.

Brother John Muhammad of Mosque No. 35 in Wilmington, Delaware, suggested holding monthly Black history weekends, adopting a youth to mentor, and creating job opportunities for young people. Bro. John explained that some of our young people who some may think as the “worst,” only “just wanted somebody to talk to.”

The evening ended with a powerful reminder. Reverend Rudolph concluded, “We have enough capital in the Black community alone to build the beloved community that King spoke about. The prophets gave us the blueprint. All we have to do is tap into it.”

As the audience dispersed, the message was clear: the work of making communities safe and decent begins with each individual, each institution, and each act of unity. Together, we can transform our future.

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