Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan was among hundreds of Muslims attending a service Thursday to mourn the death of Imam W.D. Mohammed, the son of Nation of Islam founder Elijah Muhammad.
W.D. Mohammed moved thousands of blacks into mainstream Islam after breaking with his father’s Chicago-based Nation of Islam organization and was considered among the great Muslim leaders in North America.
The 74-year-old died Tuesday at his suburban Chicago home of heart disease and diabetes.
“Imam Mohammed’s leadership was inspired by God,” Khadija Mohammed, the late leader’s wife, told the crowd at the afternoon prayer service. “I love my husband and I wish I could spend the rest of my life with him.”
She then read verses from the Quran – the attendees at the Islamic Foundation of Villa Park erupting periodically with chants of “Allahu akbar,” Arabic for “God is great.”
When Mohammed’s body was taken away in a silvery-gray casket, mourners trailed behind reciting verses.
The crowd was a mix of Nation of Islam and mainstream Islam followers. Some had traveled from around the country to pay their respects.
“He taught us about human excellence and tried to do the right thing,” said 60-year-old Jihad Shahid, who came from St. Louis. “People should read his literature and study it. People should live what he taught.”
Many speculated about whether anyone would take over for Mohammed, with some believing there won’t be a successor.
“I’m upset but not deeply saddened,” Aeenah Muhammad, a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said about the leader’s death. “He did an amazing job. Humanity will lead itself.”
Farrakhan – surrounded by tight security – delivered no public remarks, but consoled Mohammed’s family members.
Farrakhan and Mohammed had a long, strained relationship. In 1975, Mohammed became the leader of Nation of Islam when his father died. The movement espoused black supremacy and self-reliance. But Mohammed soon broke with Nation of Islam and became a mainstream Muslim. Farrakhan revived the old Nation of Islam.
The two publicly reconciled in 2000, but Mohammed continued to criticize Nation of Islam leaders.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Be the first to comment