With Allah’s Name, The Merciful Benefactor, The Merciful Redeemer

To Minister Farrakhan: Thanks, but no thanks!

By Michael Saahir – Imam

December 13, 2008

24:27-29 O ye who believe! enter not houses other than your own, until ye have asked permission and saluted those in them: that is best for you, in order that ye may heed (what is seemly). If ye find no one in the house, enter not until permission is given to you: if ye are asked to go back, go back: that makes for greater purity for yourselves: and Allah knows well all that ye do. It is no fault on your part to enter houses not used for living in, which serve some (other) use for you: And Allah has knowledge of what ye reveal and what ye conceal.

As-Salaam Alaikum! After reading twice the Muslim Journal interview that was conducted by Sultan Muhammad with Minister Louis Farrakhan I have come to the conclusion: Minister Farrakhan; thanks but no thanks!

Frankly, I find the interview quite offensive, often times repulsive. Your words spoken as if we, the students (community) of Imam W. Deen Mohammed are leaderless. As long as we have Imam Warith Ud-Din Mohammed in our hearts, minds and souls we will NEVER be leaderless.

Since the passing of Imam Mohammed other leading figures in the African American Islamic experience have made outright overtures that NOW we should try to get together as one united Muslim community. This smacks that Imam Mohammed was the hindrance to previous attempts of Muslim unity.

Minister Farrakhan it is offensive when you (and other leading figures) invite us to unity, but in the process you position yourself as the only one capable to lead. One brother, since the passing of Imam Mohammed invited all African American Muslims to unite, but only after identifying himself as one of the four Islamic African American scholars. You, Minister Farrakhan invite us to “unity” after identifying yourself as the one to bring about a “synthesis” of the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the teachings of Imam W. Deen Mohammed. I beg to differ.

You described the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad as a “thesis,” which means “a position or proposition that a person (as a candidate for scholastic honors) advances and offers to maintain by argument b: a proposition to be proved or one advanced without proof.” Then you describe Imam Mohammed’s teachings as an antithesis, which means “the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences.” Antithesis we may say is an opposing viewpoint. Then you have the audacity after all of these years to position yourself as the one to bring into existence a synthesis of these two great leaders. Webster says that a synthesis is, “deductive reasoning b: the dialectic combination of thesis and antithesis into a higher stage of truth.” Minister Farrakhan are you suggesting that you have a higher truth than that of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Imam W.D. Mohammed?

Imam W. Deen Mohammed has already synthesized the message of his father with his message. The understanding of the students of Imam W.D. Mohammed is that the seventh child of Elijah and Clara, as promised by Mr. W.D. Fard was the synthesis and continuity of Fard’s and Elijah’s work. We all have been told repeatedly of the name on the door that was written on the wall, “Wallace D.”

Min. Farrakhan, with all due respect, Sir you do not qualify to give us a synthesis. Even your own words spoken in January of 1975 testify to this fact.

“Messenger Muhammad told me personally. I don’t know who was around to witness. I can witness for myself – and the truth is a witness of itself. The Messenger told me, and I don’t want you to think in any way other than the way I’m saying it. He said that when the germ left him that was to be the base of this man (Minister Wallace), he said, “The Saviour was in that germ.” And while he was being formed in his blessed mother’s womb the Saviour told the Messenger to name him after himself. The Saviour told him to ‘name him Wallace D. Muhammad.’”

While I reflect upon these words that came, unsolicited from your mouth it amazes me that during your interview in Muslim Journal you still managed to say, “and he assumed leadership of the Nation of Islam.” Allah forgive us all for our sins. You want us to accept that you give a synthesis of Imam Mohammed’s life, leadership and legacy while you still use language such as “he assumed leadership.” Language that tells us that you still have difficulty accepting Allah’s Will and the believer’s will that Imam W. Deen Mohammed is the sole heir to his father, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad?

The thesis, antithesis and synthesis have already been done. We do not want or need another version. Allah guided Imam W. Deen Mohammed to accomplish the synthesis many years ago. And praise be to Allah that through his mercy He deposited the synthesis that was developed by Imam W.D. Mohammed deeply into our souls – the souls of the students of Imam W. Deen Mohammed.

You claim that you understand Imam Mohammed’s teachings… I doubt that you are able because of time and distance, and because of a lack of your humility – the ability to submit as a student. Imam Mohammed gave us, his students endless hours of teachings on Islam, his father and Mr. Fard Muhammad. He took our minds on journeys into the Word of G_d; journeys that you chose not join in on. You can’t synthesis that which you have not interacted or had a spiritual or mental intercourse with.

At a December 12, 2004 Imam’s Class our beloved Imam Mohammed shared a special moment he had with his father. He told us, “My father said to me that if he changed what he was telling the people, the people would say that what he was saying before was not correct. He said, “Son, I am not to correct what I am saying.” He was telling me it was in my hands. I had not established myself in his image. You don’t know how it feels to stray from your father and undo his teachings and know that my father would be comfortable with me. My father would finish his dinner and then relax. He would just carry on the conversation. He invited me to sit with him. He said to me, “Something must be after this”! I was not confrontational with my father. “You can have it all.” He told me these things and it was a mercy not to have me feeling that my father was hating me for what I was doing. He loved what I was doing. He said, “Clara, my son has got it. My son can go anywhere he wants to preach.” He said, “Preach that gospel.” I had no gospel. Most of the officials were there when my father made those statements. When my father passed, the national staff was already supporting me. I was tearing down the place. I had to tear it down in order to build it up again. I knew where I was going and I knew the true believers would appreciate it.”

I began this writing with a quote from the Holy Qur’an that read in part, “O ye who believe! enter not houses other than your own, until ye have asked permission and saluted those in them: that is best for you, in order that ye may heed (what is seemly). If ye find no one in the house, enter not until permission is given to you: if ye are asked to go back, go back: that makes for greater purity for yourselves: and Allah knows well all that ye do.”

I can’t speak for all of the students of Imam W. Deen Mohammed, but my reply to your knocking on our door is that you go back. Please go back until we ask you to come back for a visit. I will try to explain why – at this time – you must go back.

When coming as a guest, a visitor we first knock. The knock is our way of seeking permission to enter. And we wait, patiently for the household to invite us in. Once we’re allowed in we don’t begin suggesting how the household affairs should or could be conducted. An intelligent guest remains as a guest who knows, without being asked, when it is time to leave.

It is improper to make overtures to Imam Mohammed’s community. We’re not a lonely widow (community) looking for a man (leadership). Our “marriage” to Imam W. Deen Mohammed/ Warith Ud-Din Mohammed was not only physical, more importantly (and longer lasting) our “marriage” to him was mental and spiritual.

Minister Farrakhan there are other important religious (theological) concerns that need reconciling between our two communities before we can even begin to consider any real coming together to build the model Islamic communities that Imam Mohammed worked diligently for. We, as students of Imam W. Deen Mohammed have made a clear, public, unrelenting and unadulterated declaration that Allah alone is G_d, our Creator and Sustainer; a declaration that includes that Prophet Muhammed from Arabia is G_d’s Messenger and our leader, prayers and peace be upon him.

There exists too much ambiguity on your Nation of Islam’s stance on Mr. W. D. Fard. The Holy Qur’an is clear as stated in Sura (chapter) 112: Ayats (verses) 1-4 that reads, “Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him.”

Minister Farrakhan Mr. W. D. Fard was “Begotten” according to record in 1877. His father’s name was Alphonso and his mother’s name was Baby-G.

Your media arm The Final Call and your website:… still promote the un-Islamic belief that G-d morphed Himself into a man. In the December 16, 2008 issue of The Final Call and also on NOI website: http://www.noi.org/muslim_program.htm under the heading “What the Muslims want”- point No. 12 that currently states “WE BELIEVE that Allah (God) appeared in the Person of Master W. Fard Muhammad, July, 1930; the long-awaited "Messiah" of the Christians and the "Mahdi" of the Muslims.”

The Holy Qur’an, the book that you said is your guidance says in Sura 3: Ayat 64; reads, Say: ‘O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, lords and patrons other than Allah." If then they turn back, say ye: "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah’s Will).

In Imam Mohammed’s synthesizing of the Nation of Islam’s teachings he recognized that his father had died, passed away on February 25, 1975. Allah says that EVERY human being will experience death. Min. Farrakhan, I have never heard you say, “The Hon. Elijah Muhammad has passed away. You mentioned that your brother, uncle and Imam Mohammed and his brother Jabir (Herbert) “passed” away. You even mentioned the “passing” of your beloved mother. But never do you say “the passing or the death of The Hon. Elijah Muhammad” You always say, “When he departed,” as if he is mysteriously going to return, or that he escaped death – Allah’s promise to us all.

Even as Muslims, we readily recognize that Prophet Muhammed, prayers and peace be on him, died. In Sura 3: Ayat 144 it is made plain to us that prophets and messengers physically die and that it is Allah alone Who never dies.

In the same issue of Muslim Journal (December 19, 2008 issue) that published the first installment of your interview with Sultan Muhammad there was an excellent article (on page 9) by Imam F.B. Rasheed, a student of Imam W. D. Mohammed After reading Imam Rasheed’s article my thoughts were, “Now this is the article that should have received the honor of front page and center-fold coverage in Muslim Journal. This I truly believe because Imam Rasheed’s words, however brief, are true to the mission left with us by our Imam, the honorable W. Deen Mohammed.

The wisdom of Imam W. Deen Mohammed blessed us with a decentralized community. You choose to operate differently. Imam Mohammed successfully worked to remove the ideal of “royal family,” while you went and reinstituted this burdensome concept. Imam Mohammed said in plain words, “There is no royal family.”

Monarchs in many countries that are highly populated with Muslims are so often societies that are hampered when it comes to education, and human and civil rights. Prophet Muhammed, prayers and peace be upon him never established or accepted the royal family concept.

Minister Farrakhan your attachment to centralization and to “royal family” is yet another (of many) indicators of the dichotomy that exist between the community in association with the leadership of Imam W. Deen Mohammed and the Nation of Islam that you lead. You state that you understand Imam Mohammed’s “mission from Allah.” You may not realize how much time and distance has removed you from knowing what we his students know.

Again, no disrespect to the great work you have done with your community, but with all humility I say, with no hesitation, don’t be surprised if you, Minister Farrakhan may have to sit under the feet of some of Imam Mohammed’s students before you may qualify to approach us in the manner that you are trying to pursue in this interview. Imam Mohammed has taught his students well, very well.

Minister Farrakhan, in my conclusion there is much more that I could say on this matter. Believe me, much more! Your interview in Muslim Journal contains many points of contention that is causing consternation within Imam Mohammed’s community. Let it suffice to say that at this time let the community of Imam W. Deen Mohammed work our way through this period of adjustment, without any outside voices interfering. Thanks, but no thanks!

I send this to you in peace. From your brother, Michael “Mikal” Saahir – Indianapolis, IN

“Mikal” Saahir is the resident Imam of The Nur-Allah Islamic Center, an Islamic community in association with the leadership of Imam W. Deen Mohammed, located in Indianapolis, IN.