W. D. Muhammad
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Warith Deen Mohammed (born Wallace D. Muhammad; October 30, 1933 – September 9, 2008) was an
African-American Muslim African-American Muslims, also known as Black Muslims, are an African-American religious minority. African-American Muslims account for over 20% of American Muslims. They represent one of the larger Muslim populations of the United States as ...
leader,
theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...
,
philosopher Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...
, Muslim revivalist, and
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
ic thinker. He was a son of
Elijah Muhammad Elijah Muhammad (born Elijah Robert Poole; October 7, 1897 – February 25, 1975) was an American religious leader, black separatist, and self-proclaimed Messenger of Allah who led the Nation of Islam (NOI) from 1933 until his death in 197 ...
, the leader of the Nation of Islam from 1933 to 1975."Warith Deen Mohammed"
''This Far By Faith'',
Public Broadcasting Service The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the ...
.
In 1975, upon Elijah Muhammad's death, he became the Nation of Islam's national leader (''Supreme Minister'').Lincoln, C. Eric. (1994) ''The Black Muslims in America'', Third Edition, William B. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing Company) page 263 In 1976, he disbanded the original
Nation of Islam The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a religious organization founded in the United States by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930. A centralized and hierarchical organization, the NOI is committed to black nationalism and focuses its attention on the Afr ...
(NOI) and transformed it into an ostensibly orthodox and mainstream Islamic movement. He rejected the previous deification of
Wallace Fard Muhammad Wallace Fard Muhammad or W. D. Fard ( ; reportedly born February 26, – disappeared ) was the founder of the Nation of Islam. He arrived in Detroit in 1930 with an ambiguous background and several aliases and proselytized syncretic Islamic ...
, accepted
whites White is a racial classification of people generally used for those of predominantly European ancestry. It is also a skin color specifier, although the definition can vary depending on context, nationality, ethnicity and point of view. De ...
as fellow-worshippers, forged closer ties with mainstream
Muslim communities Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraham (or ''Allah'') as it ...
, and introduced the Five Pillars of Islam into his group's
theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...
. This organization was called the ''Bilalians'' (1975), ''World Community of Al-Islam in the West'' (1976–77), ''American Muslim Mission'' (1978–85), and finally the
American Society of Muslims The American Society of Muslims was a predominantly African-American association of Muslims which was the direct descendant of the original Nation of Islam. It was created by Warith Deen Mohammed after he assumed leadership of the Nation of Islam ...
. Splinter groups which resisted these changes were formed after Elijah Muhammad's death, particularly under
Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan (; born Louis Eugene Walcott; May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader who heads the Nation of Islam (NOI), a Black nationalism, black nationalist organization. Farrakhan is notable for his leadership of the 1995 Million M ...
, who would revive the name Nation of Islam (from Final Call) for his organization in 1978. Farrakhan's NOI and the previous Final Call claim that they are direct continuations of the pre-1975 NOI and the pre-1975 Final Call.


Biography


Early life and education

Mohammed was born Wallace D. Muhammad on Yemans Street in
Hamtramck, Michigan Hamtramck ( ; ; ; ) is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An enclave of Detroit, Hamtramck is located roughly north of downtown Detroit, and is surrounded by Detroit on most sides. As of the 2020 census, the city had a po ...
in 1933. In 1992, he changed his legal name to Warith Deen Muhammad, which translates to 'Inheritor of the Religion of Muhammad'. His parents were
Clara Clara may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Clara'' (2018 film), a Canadian sci-fi drama * ''Clara'' (2019 film), a Ukrainian animated fantasy film * ''Clara'' (TV series), a German TV series * Clara the Cow, mascot of the Greek TV show '' P ...
and
Elijah Muhammad Elijah Muhammad (born Elijah Robert Poole; October 7, 1897 – February 25, 1975) was an American religious leader, black separatist, and self-proclaimed Messenger of Allah who led the Nation of Islam (NOI) from 1933 until his death in 197 ...
, both highly active in the
Nation of Islam The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a religious organization founded in the United States by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930. A centralized and hierarchical organization, the NOI is committed to black nationalism and focuses its attention on the Afr ...
(NOI), the organization that preached a form of
Black nationalism Black nationalism is a nationalist movement which seeks representation for Black people as a distinct national identity, especially in racialized, colonial and postcolonial societies. Its earliest proponents saw it as a way to advocate for ...
and its own version of Islam. From 1934 until he died in 1975, Elijah Muhammad led the Nation under the title, "the Messenger of Allah." Named to honor
Wallace Fard Muhammad Wallace Fard Muhammad or W. D. Fard ( ; reportedly born February 26, – disappeared ) was the founder of the Nation of Islam. He arrived in Detroit in 1930 with an ambiguous background and several aliases and proselytized syncretic Islamic ...
(Fard), the founder of the Nation of Islam, Mohammed grew up in Chicago as one of seven siblings. His elementary education came from the
Muhammad University of Islam Muhammad University of Islam (MUI) is a Nation of Islam (NOI)-affiliated preschool to 12th Grade school in the South Shore area of Chicago, Illinois, United States, located next to Mosque Maryam. Every major NOI mosque has a MUI. The schools a ...
(MUI) school system (later known as the Clara Muhammad Schools, or Muhammad Schools). He briefly studied Arabic as a youth under Jamal Shakir Diab, a
Palestinian Palestinians () are an Arab ethnonational group native to the Levantine region of Palestine. *: "Palestine was part of the first wave of conquest following Muhammad's death in 632 CE; Jerusalem fell to the Caliph Umar in 638. The indigenous p ...
who was later hired by his father to teach at the MUI in Chicago. Mohammed became a minister under his father in late 1958 and served in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
during the late 1950s and early 1960s. While serving in Philadelphia, W.D. Mohammed commenced an extensive study of
Ahmadiyya Ahmadiyya, officially the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at (AMJ), is an Islamic messianic movement originating in British India in the late 19th century. It was founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835–1908), who said he had been divinely appointed a ...
doctrines under Philadelphia-based Ahmadi missionary Muhammad Abdullah. On October 29, 1961, Mohammed was arrested for failure to report to
Elgin State Hospital The Elgin Mental Health Center (formerly Elgin State Hospital & the Northern Illinois Hospital and Asylum for the Insane) is a mental health facility operated by the State of Illinois in Elgin, Illinois. Throughout its history, Elgin's mission ha ...
. The following day, on his 28th birthday, Mohammed was transferred to
Federal Correctional Institution, Sandstone The Federal Correctional Institution, Sandstone (FCI Sandstone) is a low-security United States federal prison for male offenders in Sandstone, Minnesota. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BoP), a division of the United States Unite ...
to begin a term for having refused induction into the
United States military The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...
. He could have performed community service, but his father pressed him to accept the jail time. He spent most of that time studying the ''
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
'', the main
Islamic holy book Islamic holy books are certain religious scriptures that are viewed by Muslims as having valid divine significance, in that they were authored by God (Allah) through a variety of prophets and messengers, including those who predate the Quran. Amo ...
, and the Bible. He became convinced that the Nation of Islam had to change. In 1963, he was released from prison and resumed studies under Muhammad Abdullah. Close also to
Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...
, who the NOI had expelled, he found that by this time his viewpoints deviated significantly from those of his father, whom he no longer believed to be a prophet. Because of this conclusion, he was excommunicated five different times; by 1974, he returned permanently to the NOI.


Religious leadership and ministry


Reforming the Nation of Islam

Upon his father's death on February 25, 1975, Mohammed was unanimously chosen as the leader of the Nation of Islam and introduced to the NOI membership at the annual
Saviours' Day Saviours' Day is a holiday of the Nation of Islam commemorating the birth of its founder, Master Wallace Fard Muhammad (W. D. Fard), officially stated to be February 26, 1877. It was established by Elijah Muhammad. History The Community o ...
convention on February 26, 1975."Warith Deen Mohammed"
''This Far By Faith'',
Public Broadcasting Service The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the ...
''Evolution of a Community'', WDM Publications 1995 Among the first changes Mohammed instituted, he dropped the title Supreme Minister and took the titles
Mujaddid A ''mujaddid'' () is an Islamic term for one who brings "renewal" () to the religion. According to the popular Muslim tradition, it refers to a person who appears at the turn of every century of the Islamic calendar to revitalize Islam, clean ...
, Chief Imam, or simply Imam, in 1976. The same year, he unveiled a new flag for the NOI community.Gardell, Mattias. ''In the Name of Elijah Muhammad: Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam''. Duke University Press, 1996 page 112 These were just two of the many reforms which Mohammed introduced. Among others, he eliminated the NOI dress code, disbanded the military branch of the NOI, clarified the concept of the devil, and introduced an eclectic, esoteric interpretation of Islam he labeled, ''The Divine Mind/Body-Christ.'' According to WD's former Special Aide Dr.
Na'im Akbar Na'im Akbar (born Luther Benjamin Weems Jr.; April 26, 1944) is an American scholar, public speaker, and author known for his Afrocentric approach to psychology. Akbar entered the world of Black psychology in the 1960s, as the Black Power Movem ...
, WD's ''Teachings'' are not restricted to WD's followers but "will provide for the social community a series of readings which will cultivate and grow them more effectively as social human beings... based on the most renowned religious teachings of a teacher in the West." Similarly, via his various written works, ''
Muhammad Speaks ''Muhammad Speaks'' was a Black Muslim newspaper published in the United States. It was one of the most widely read newspapers ever produced by an African American organization. It was the official newspaper of the Nation of Islam from 1960 to 1 ...
'' newspaper, and public speeches, he gradually introduced and explained Islam's Five Pillars. He stated that Fard was not divine and that his father was not a prophet. All of the over 400 temples were converted into traditional Islamic
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
s. He also renamed the community several times before finally settling on the
American Society of Muslims The American Society of Muslims was a predominantly African-American association of Muslims which was the direct descendant of the original Nation of Islam. It was created by Warith Deen Mohammed after he assumed leadership of the Nation of Islam ...
to reflect the new thinking.Lincoln, C. Eric. (1994) ''The Black Muslims in America'', Third Edition, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 265.''Evolution of a Community'', WDM Publications, 1995 Mohammed was frank about his intentions to evolve the movement. On November 19, 1978, he spoke on the "Evolution of the Nation of Islam" at the
American Academy of Religion The American Academy of Religion (AAR) is the world's largest association of scholarly method, scholars in the List of academic disciplines, field of religious studies and related topics. It is a nonprofit member association, serving as a profess ...
in
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
. Mohammed's changes reached deep into the philosophy of the movement which his father had led for so long. He rejected literal interpretations of divine scriptures, his father's theology, and Black-separatist views, and based on his intensive independent study,
history History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...
, and
theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...
, he accepted whites as fellow worshipers. However, he also encouraged
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
s (Bilalians) to separate themselves from their pasts, in 1976 calling upon them to change their surnames which were often given to their ancestors by slave masters.Gardell, Mattias. ''In the Name of Elijah Muhammad: Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam''. Duke University Press, 1996 page 111 He forged closer ties with mainstream Muslim communities, including
Latino Muslims Hispanic and Latino American Muslims are Hispanic and Latino Americans who are adherents of the Islamic faith. Hispanic and Latino Americans are an ethnolinguistic group of citizens of the United States with origins in Spain and Latin America. ...
.Essien-Udom, E. U. (1962) ''Black Nationalism: A Search for an Identity in America'', New York City: Dell Publishing Company, p. 93, He also decentralized power. On September 10, 1978, in an address in
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he resigned as Chief Imam and appointed a six-member council to lead the Community. Mohammed felt quite keenly about his role in reform. In an interview which was published in the ''Muhammad Speaks'' newspaper and conducted by his brother
Jabir Herbert Muhammad Jabir Herbert Muhammad (April 16, 1929 – August 25, 2008) was an American businessman and co-founder of Top Rank, Inc. He was the longtime manager of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. Early life Muhammad was born in Detroit, Michigan, as the ...
, Mohammed described his role as the successor to their father as that of a Mujeddid, one who would watch over the new Islam or community. In 1979 he used the title Mujeddid (Mujaddid) on his byline in his weekly articles for the '' Bilalian News'' (the new title of ''Muhammad Speaks''). Warith Deen Mohammed received encouragement from the international Muslim community, yet the changes which he made within the Nation of Islam were not universally accepted.Farrakhan berated by W. Deen Mohammed – Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
''The Christian Century'', Vol. 112, No. 34
Several dissident groups resisted, most notably those who followed Louis Farrakhan in breaking ranks with Mohammed. These groups revived the name 'Nation of Islam' between 1977 and 1979. At the outset of the 1991 Gulf War, Warith Deen Mohammed became the only American Imam to issue a public endorsement of the US military bombing of Iraq. Two consecutive ''Muslim Journal'' issues featured the endorsement on its front page. The endorsement came on the eve of the
Amiriyah shelter bombing The Amiriyah Shelter Bombing was an aerial bombing attack that killed at least 408 civilians on 13 February 1991 during the Gulf War, when an air-raid shelter ("Public Shelter No. 25") in the Al-A'amiriya, Amiriyah neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq, ...
. The following year, in recognition of his military endorsement, the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
and
Pentagon In geometry, a pentagon () is any five-sided polygon or 5-gon. The sum of the internal angles in a simple polygon, simple pentagon is 540°. A pentagon may be simple or list of self-intersecting polygons, self-intersecting. A self-intersecting ...
honored WD Mohammed for his "loyal and unswerving religious leadership in support of our Nation during the difficult times during the
Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
." Mohammed described the invitation "I am like floating in the air. I never dreamed that we would receive such an invitation." When questioned about his
Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
endorsement and call for Muslims to fight Muslims generated conflicts in his community, he replied, "Yes, it is a conflict. It is a conflict of emotions and a conflict of conscience for many. But for me it is no conflict of conscience when I know that I am on the right side. Once I know that I am on the right side, I have no conflict of conscience at all. I did not rush into any decision. I thought it out very carefully…So I thank America many times. I thank you again. I thank the military. I thank the Army. I thank all of you. I told my sons I would be proud if my sons were in the military." In 1995, Mohammed released a statement in which he expressed his concern about Farrakhan's motivations and the racial divisiveness of his ministry.''In The Name of Elijah Muhammad: Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam'', Mattias Gardell, Duke University Press, Durham, North Carolina 1996. Yet over the next twenty years, the pair would embrace publicly. Warith Deen Mohammed declared, "I will never denounce him as long as he says he wants to be a Muslim." They also declared reconciliation at the annual NOI ''Saviours' Day'' convention on February 25, 2000, and NOI ''Million Family March'' on October 16, 2000. Still, on August 10, 2007, Mohammed repeated his frustration with the separatist stance of the current Nation of Islam, stating that its leaders had, "for the last 10 years or more,...just been selling wolf tickets to hreatening, without substancethe white race and having fun while they collect money and have fancy lifestyles." He predicted a quiet evolution in the NOI towards unity with the mainstream
American Muslim Islam is the third-largest religion in the United States, religion in the United States (1.34%) after Christianity in the United States, Christianity (67%) and Judaism in the United States, Judaism (2.4%). The 2020 United States Religion Cens ...
community.


Building ties within the Muslim community

Mohammed was intent on strengthening bonds between his movement and the wider American Muslim faith community as well as with followers of
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
abroad. It was his goal to align
American Muslims Islam is the third-largest religion in the United States, religion in the United States (1.34%) after Christianity in the United States, Christianity (67%) and Judaism in the United States, Judaism (2.4%). The 2020 United States Religion Cens ...
with
Sunni Islam Sunni Islam is the largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any Succession to Muhammad, successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr ...
. In 1976, he took a delegation to
Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...
on an official
state visit A state visit is a formal visit by the head of state, head of a sovereign state, sovereign country (or Governor-general, representative of the head of a sovereign country) to another sovereign country, at the invitation of the head of state (or ...
to meet with Prime Minister
Forbes Burnham Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham (20 February 1923 – 6 August 1985) was a Guyanese politician and the leader of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana from 1964 until his death in 1985. He served as Prime Minister of Guyana, Premier of British Guia ...
, and the then President of Guyana
Arthur Chung Arthur Raymond Chung (10 January 1918 – 23 June 2008) was a Guyanese politician who served as the first president of Guyana from 17 March 1970 to 6 October 1980.
, during which he forged ties with the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Ahmadiyya, officially the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at (AMJ), is an Islamic messianic movement originating in British India in the late 19th century. It was founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835–1908), who said he had been divinely appointed a ...
in the region. In
Geneva, Switzerland Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the capital of the Republic and Ca ...
in 1985, he met with Dr. Muhammad Ahmad Al-Sharif, Secretary General of the
World Islamic Call Society The world is the totality of entities, the whole of reality, or everything that exists. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the world as unique, while others talk of a "plu ...
of
Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...
and Dr. Abdul Hakim Tabibi, an
Afghan Afghan or Afgan may refer to: Related to Afghanistan *Afghans, historically refers to the Pashtun people. It is both an ethnicity and nationality. Ethnicity wise, it refers to the Pashtuns. In modern terms, it means both the citizens of Afghanist ...
mujahid ''Mujahideen'', or ''Mujahidin'' (), is the plural form of ''mujahid'' (), an Arabic term that broadly refers to people who engage in ''jihad'' (), interpreted in a jurisprudence of Islam as the fight on behalf of God, religion or the commun ...
, to discuss areas of future cooperation with the World Islamic Call Society and the Muslim Community of America. He hosted
Grand Mufti A Grand Mufti (also called Chief Mufti, State Mufti and Supreme Mufti) is a title for the leading Faqīh, Islamic jurist of a country, typically Sunni, who may oversee other muftis. Not all countries with large Sunni Muslim populations have Gra ...
Abdullah Mukhtar, the leader of an estimated 60 million Muslims at Masjid Bilal, during his first visit to the United States in 1994. In 1999, he was elected to serve on the
Islamic Society of North America The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is a non-profit Muslim religious organization based in the United States and serving North America. It provides a number of programs and services to North America's Muslim communities and broader societ ...
's ''
shura Shura () is the term for collective decision-making in Islam. It can, for example, take the form of a council or a referendum. The Quran encourages Muslims to decide their affairs in consultation with each other. Shura is mentioned as a praise ...
'' board. That same year, during
Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (''Fasting in Islam, sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed ...
, he pledged to work with the Grand Mufti of Syria, Shaikh
Ahmed Kuftaro Ahmed Kuftaro (Arabic: أحمد كفتارو; December 1915 – 1 September 2004) was the Grand Mufti of Syria, the highest officially appointed Sunni Muslim representative of the Fatwa-Administration in the Syrian Ministry of Auqaf in Syria. Ka ...
an-
Naqshbandi Naqshbandi (Persian: نقشبندیه) is a major Sufi order within Sunni Islam, named after its 14th-century founder, Baha' al-Din Naqshband. Practitioners, known as Naqshbandis, trace their spiritual lineage (silsila) directly to the Prophet ...
for the advancement of Al-Islam during a meeting with Kuftaro and Shaikh
Nazim al-Haqqani Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil Al-Qubrusi Al-Haqqani (born Mehmet Nâzım Âdil; 21 April 1922 – 7 May 2014) (), commonly known as Shaykh Nazim (), was a Turkish Cypriot Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslims, Muslim imam and one of the most influential ...
. He was the special invited guest and keynote speaker at the "Inaugural Conference on the Growth and Development of Islam in America", held at
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
on March 3–4, 2000.


Interfaith cooperation

Just as Mohammed sought to be racially inclusive, he also focused on cooperation between multiple faiths. On May 23, 1976, he conducted a massive interfaith Spiritual Life Jubilee with the
Peoples Temple The Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ, originally Peoples Temple Full Gospel Church and commonly shortened to Peoples Temple, was an American new religious organization which existed between 1954 and 1978 and was affiliated with the C ...
in Los Angeles, California and headlined with
Jim Jones James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) was an American cult leader, preacher and mass murderer who founded and led the Peoples Temple between 1955 and 1978. Jones and the members of his inner circle planned and orchestrat ...
on the subject, "A New Heaven and a New Earth". In 1977, he participated in a Muslim-Christian dialogue in
Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
with Dr. Jack Evans, then President of
Southwestern Christian College Southwestern Christian College (SwCC) is a private historically black Christian college in Terrell, Texas. History SwCC was founded in 1948 by the educator and minister G. P. Bowser under the name Southern Bible Institute in Fort Worth, Texa ...
in
Terrell, Texas Terrell is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Kaufman County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 17,465. Terrell is located about east of Dallas. History Terrell developed as a railroad town, beginning in 1873 with the con ...
. In February 1978, he gave a historic address before more than 1,000
Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
and Muslims at the Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, D.C., then under the leadership of
Rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
Joshua O. Haberman. This was a focus that would persist throughout his career. In 1993, he spoke at the Interfaith Roundtable National Conference of Christians, Jews and Muslims in Detroit, Michigan.''Evolution of a Community'', WDM Publications, Chicago, 1995. "If we look at the broad definition for Muslim, we have to say that even though a Christian may be worshipping Jesus the Christ Prophet more than he is worshipping Allah, he or she may be Muslim in their spirit. They may still be Muslim, though the orientation has now dominated their Muslim urge. The person carrying a heavy cross may be a Muslim inwardly. So it is for a Jew, or Communist, or a Buddhist, or a Hindu." In March 1995, he gave the keynote address at the Muslim-Jewish Convocation in
Glencoe, Illinois Glencoe () is a lakefront village in northeastern Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,849. Glencoe is part of Chicago's North Shore and one of the wealthiest communities in Illinois. According to t ...
. From October 1–6, 1996 he met with
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
and Cardinal
Francis Arinze Francis Arinze (born 1 November 1932) is a Nigerian Catholic prelate who was Prefect of the Secretariat for Non-Christians (1984–2002) and Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (2002–2008). He was one of the ...
at the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
in Rome. On August 17, 1997, he was presented the Luminosa Award for Unity from the
Focolare Movement The Focolare Movement is an international organisation of spiritual and social renewal and Christian new religious movement that promotes the ideals of unity and universal brother/sisterhood grounded in the Golden Rule. It was founded by then e ...
. On September 9, 1997, he addressed the
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Jewish Council speaking on themes of worldwide justice and fairness. On May 18–20, 1998, he attended the Conference on Religion and Peace which was sponsored by the Center for Christian, Jewish Understanding of
Sacred Heart University Sacred Heart University (SHU) is a private, Roman Catholic university in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1963 by Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sacred Heart was the first Catholi ...
in Auschwitz, Poland. In June 1998 he addressed the Muslim Friends of the Focolare conference in Rome, Italy,W. Deen Mohammed Speaks, biography.
in October of the following year, along with a 92-member delegation, he spoke before a gathering of 100,000 people in the
Vatican Vatican may refer to: Geography * Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy * Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City * Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome * Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...
. Pope John Paul II and the
Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama (, ; ) is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The term is part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everything Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣 识一切 瓦齐尔达喇 达赖 喇嘛) given by Altan Khan, the first Shu ...
were both in attendance. On October 29, 2001, Mohammed, Minister
Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan (; born Louis Eugene Walcott; May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader who heads the Nation of Islam (NOI), a Black nationalism, black nationalist organization. Farrakhan is notable for his leadership of the 1995 Million M ...
,
Pastor A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...
Robert H. Schuller, and members of the
Parliament of the World's Religions There have been several meetings referred to as a Parliament of the World's Religions, the first being the World's Parliament of Religions of 1893, which was an attempt to create a global dialogue of faiths. The event was celebrated by another c ...
participated in an "Evening of Religious Solidarity" at the Islamic Foundation in
Villa Park, Illinois Villa Park is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage County, Illinois, United States, within the Chicago metropolitan area. The population as of the 2020 Census was 21,113. History When Ovaltine established its factory, it needed a wa ...
.


Political and social activities

Throughout his ministry, Mohammed remained politically active, both domestically and internationally. His early meetings with prominent political figures included meetings with Egyptian President
Anwar Sadat Muhammad Anwar es-Sadat (25 December 1918 – 6 October 1981) was an Egyptian politician and military officer who served as the third president of Egypt, from 15 October 1970 until Assassination of Anwar Sadat, his assassination by fundame ...
in 1975,
Sharjah Sharjah (; ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is the capital of the Emirate of Sharjah and forms part of the D ...
ruler Sheik
Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi (; born 2 July 1939) is an Emirati royal, politician, author, historian, and the current and 11th ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah and a member of the Federal Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates s ...
in 1976, and United States President
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...
in 1977. He was the only American who was invited and the only American to attend the 10th Annual Islamic Conference of Ministers in May, 1979, in
Fes Fez () or Fes (; ) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fez-Meknes administrative region. It is one of the largest cities in Morocco, with a population of 1.256 million, according to the 2024 census. Located to the nort ...
, Morocco.Gardell, Mattias. ''In the Name of Elijah Muhammad: Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam''. Duke University Press, 1996, p. 108 In April 1988, he participated as the representative of Muslim Americans in the "Political and Religious Leaders Campaign for Planetary Survivor" in
Oxford Town Hall Oxford Town Hall is a public building on the street called St Aldate's in central Oxford, England. It is both the seat of Oxford City Council and a venue for public meetings, entertainment and other events. It also includes the Museum of Oxfo ...
. Later that year he was among 100 leaders in religion, government, business, law and philanthropy who gathered in
Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It had a population of 15,425 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern par ...
during the Williamsburg Charter Foundations "First Liberty Summit". In 1995, he participated in the ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' Forum on Management in
Naples, Florida Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 19,115, down from 19,539 at the 2010 census. Naples is a principal city of the Collier County, Florida, Naples–Marc ...
. In 1996, he participated in the "National Discussion on Race & Reconciliation" sponsored by the
National Press Club A press club is an organization for journalists and others who are professionally engaged in the production and dissemination of news. A press club whose membership is defined by the press of a given country may be known as a National Press Club ...
in Washington, D.C. In late 1997, he attended the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC; ; ), formerly the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1969. It consists of Member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, 57 member s ...
(OIC) in
Teheran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District. With a population of around 9.8 million in the city as of 2025, ...
, Iran, and he participated in ''The Religious Community and Moral Challenge of Poverty Round Table Discussion'' convened by former U. S. Senator
Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...
in 1998 in
Carbondale, Illinois Carbondale is a city in Jackson County, Illinois, United States, within the Southern Illinois region informally known as "Little Egypt". As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 25,083, making it the most po ...
. In November 1999, he attended consecutive World Peace Conferences. The first conference, ''Jubilenium Interfaith Conference for World Peace'', was an invitation-only event held in
Tiberias Tiberias ( ; , ; ) is a city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. A major Jewish center during Late Antiquity, it has been considered since the 16th century one of Judaism's Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Heb ...
, Israel. The second was the ''7th World Assembly of the World Conference on Religion and Peace'', held in
Amman Amman ( , ; , ) is the capital and the largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of four million as of 2021, Amman is Jordan's primate city and is the largest city in the Levant ...
, Jordan. He was a prominent political speaker. Mohammed gave the first invocation in the
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
ever by a Muslim in 1992.''The Black Muslims in America'', Third Edition, C. Eric Lincoln, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, page 265, 1994. That same year, he became the first Muslim to deliver an address on the floor of the
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
State Legislature A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of ...
. In 1993, he gave an Islamic prayer during the first
Inaugural In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inau ...
Interfaith Prayer Service of President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
, and again in 1997 at the second
Interfaith Interfaith (also called "interreligion") may refer to various ways of relating between beliefs, creeds, ideologies, faiths, or religions: * Interfaith conflict (disambiguation) * Interfaith dialogue, also known as interfaith cooperation * Interfai ...
Prayer Service. In 1996, he was invited to Egypt by Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak Muhammad Hosni El Sayed Mubarak (; 4 May 1928 – 25 February 2020) was an Egyptian politician and military officer who served as the fourth president of Egypt from 1981 to 2011 and the 41st Prime Minister of Egypt, prime minister from 1981 to ...
to address the Supreme Council of Affairs in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
on the theme "Islam and the Future of Dialogue between Civilizations". He sat on a number of councils and committees, both domestically and abroad. In 1986, he was selected to serve on the World Supreme Council of Masajid (mosques) as one of only three representatives of the United States. Also in 1995 he was selected as a President of the World Conference of
Religions for Peace Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural, tra ...
(WCRP) and addressed its governing board in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
, Denmark.''Muslim Journal'', April 7, 2000, page 14.''Life The Final Battlefield'', W.D.M. Publications, Chicago, 2008 In January 1997, he was appointed to President Bill Clinton's Religious Advisory Council. In 2000, he was named to the executive committee of the Religious Alliance Against Pornography (RAAP).Masjid Al-Mu'minun 1127 Hank Aaron Dr SW Atlanta, GA 30315: Imam W.D. Mohammed
/ref> He made his opinions on political matters known. On July 4, 1976, he started the New World Patriotism Day celebrations which were conducted on
Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...
in major cities across America. In 1984, Mohammed went against the mainstream African American political establishment and opposed Reverend
Jesse Jackson Jesse Louis Jackson (Birth name#Maiden and married names, né Burns; born October 8, 1941) is an American Civil rights movements, civil rights activist, Politics of the United States, politician, and ordained Baptist minister. Beginning as a ...
's run for the Democratic nomination for president. In 1985, to protest the Chicago
probate court A probate court (sometimes called a surrogate court) is a court that has competence in a jurisdiction to deal with matters of probate and the administration of estates. In some jurisdictions, such courts may be referred to as orphans' courts o ...
handling of an American Muslim Mission case, he organized a "Walk for Justice" that drew 500,000 participants. On December 23, 1989, he spoke at the ''Annual Conference of the Islamic Committee for
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
'' on the plight of the
Palestinians Palestinians () are an Arab ethnonational group native to the Levantine region of Palestine. *: "Palestine was part of the first wave of conquest following Muhammad's death in 632 CE; Jerusalem fell to the Caliph Umar in 638. The indigenou ...
. In 1990, Mohammed supported and endorsed
Neil Hartigan Cornelius Francis Hartigan (born May 4, 1938) is an American politician, lawyer, and judge who served as the 38th Attorney General of Illinois and the 40th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. He is a member of the Democratic Party (United States), ...
for
Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
of
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
. He gave his support to the peacemaking and humanitarian efforts of Bishop
Samuel Ruiz Samuel Ruiz García (3 November 1924 – 24 January 2011) was a Mexican Catholic prelate who served as bishop of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, from 1959 until 1999. Ruiz is best known for his role as mediator during ...
. On September 10, 1990, he participated in the international conference on the "Current Situation in the Gulf", where he made his opposition to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait a matter of public record. He stated: "We consider President George Bush to be an honorable man. We commend his actions in ordering the surgical strikes on Iraqi military installations. These efforts to avoid excessive loss of human life are appreciated." On behalf of the Muslim American Community, he donated $85,000 to
Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...
to aid his efforts to end
apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English:  , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...
in South Africa during a personal meeting in
Oakland, California Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, California, Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major We ...
on June 30, 1990. On
September 11, 2001 The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
, he denounced the terrorist attacks as un-Islamic.


Islamic beliefs and ideology


Fiqh

While he emphasized unity within the Muslim community, Warith Deen Mohammed also asked the American Muslim community to establish a new school of ''
fiqh ''Fiqh'' (; ) is the term for Islamic jurisprudence.Fiqh
Encyclopædia Britannica
''Fiqh'' is of ...
'', a code of conduct for the observance of rituals, morals and social legislation in Islam. He told ''
Islamica Islamica is an Islamic company founded in Chicago, Illinois that sells apparel, accessories and media marketed towards Muslim youth. It was founded in 1999 by Mirza Baig, Azher Ahmed and Afeef Abdul-Majeed. Islamica hosts an internet forum whi ...
'' magazine in 2008 that he felt that the ''
madhhab A ''madhhab'' (, , pl. , ) refers to any school of thought within fiqh, Islamic jurisprudence. The major Sunni Islam, Sunni ''madhhab'' are Hanafi school, Hanafi, Maliki school, Maliki, Shafi'i school, Shafi'i and Hanbali school, Hanbali. They ...
''—the schools of thought within fiqh—were geographically influenced and should be regionally developed, suggesting that "I think we are gradually getting a sense of madhabs in America, especially those like me. We are getting a sense of madhabs. And with the coming generation I think that we will be getting a much stronger sense of it. It is coming more and more." However, his call for a new madhhab came under fire from mainstream Muslims globally who questioned his motivation for desiring such an unprecedented action.


Imagery and color symbolism

Mohammed was sensitive to the potential impact of the use of images and symbols in religions. In a 1975 article, he explored this topic and in 1976, he published his first article about the subject in the ''Bilalian News'' (later the ''Muslim Journal''). Titled "A Message of Concern", this article has run in every subsequent copy of the publication. He also spoke about the subject. For instance, during a June 17, 1977 Friday service, he taught his followers about "The meaning of colors in Scripture and the Natural Powers of Black and White", describing ancient scriptural symbolism and its effect on modern-day scriptural and religious interpretation. He also elaborated on how colors in scripture have triggered
racist Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...
influences in religious societies. In 1977, he formed the ''Committee for the Removal of All Images that Attempt to Portray the Divine'' (C.R.A.I.D.).


Personal life

Warith Deen Mohammed's first wife was Shirley Mohammed, with whom he had four children."W. DEEN MOHAMMED: A leap of faith"
page 4, ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
''.
By 1994, according to ''The Los Angeles Times'', Mohammed had been married four times and had fathered eight children. Mohammed married Khadija Siddeeq in 2004. Mohammed's eldest child Laila Mohammed stated that Warith Deen practiced
polygamy Polygamy (from Late Greek , "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marriage, marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, it is called polygyny. When a woman is married to more tha ...
. However this polygamy assertion is disputed within the community. Beyond his public role in religion and politics, Mohammed was involved in real estate, clothing imports, and skin care. During his excommunications from the Nation of Islam in his 30s, he served as a laborer.


Death

Mohammed died in Chicago in early September 2008 of a likely
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
. His body was found in his home by his assistant Rafa Muhammad on Tuesday September 9. In addition to
cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina, heart attack), heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, rheumati ...
, Mohammed suffered from
diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
. According to the '' Final Call'' newspaper, "The
Janazah Islamic funerals () follow fairly specific rites, though they are subject to regional interpretation and variation in custom. In all cases, however, sharia (Islamic religious law) calls for burial of the body as soon as possible. The deceased is ...
prayer service was delayed for close to an hour so the huge crowd that had assembled could be organized and situated."Life and ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed remembered
/ref> The ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' wrote that 8,000 Muslims attended his funeral. His funeral was held at the Islamic Foundation Masjid in Villa Park, Illinois. Imam W.D. Mohammed was buried at Mount Glenwood Memory Gardens (South) Glenwood, Cook County, Illinois.


Honors

On his 44th birthday (October 30, 1977), Mohammed received the Key to the City of
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
, Michigan from the then Mayor of Detroit
Coleman Young Coleman Alexander Young (May 24, 1918 – November 29, 1997) was an American politician who served as mayor of Detroit, Michigan from 1974 to 1994. Young was the first African-American mayor of Detroit and has been described as the "single mo ...
, along with a Proclamation declaring October 30, 1977 Wallace D. Muhammad Day in Detroit."Bilalian News" ''Muslim Journal'' Vol. 3, No. 2, November 18, 1977. Then
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
Governor Bill Clinton proclaimed March 26, 1983 "Economic Dignity Day" in the state of Arkansas. In doing so he stated the following: ''Whereas, through the leadership and efforts of Warith Deen Muhammad, the American Muslim Mission is on the path of economic progress and achieving growth through unity...(I) urge all citizens to engage in activities which promote economic progress.'' On July 4, 1983, Muhammad shared the Reviewing Stand for the 1984 ''New World Patriotism Day Parade'' in Chicago with then
State Senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...
, Emarald Jones,
State Representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United St ...
, Howard Brooks, parade Grand Marshal,
Harold Washington Harold Lee Washington (April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987) was an American lawyer and politician who was the 51st mayor of Chicago. In April 1983, Washington became the first African American to be elected as the city’s mayor at the age of ...
the then
Mayor of Chicago The mayor of Chicago is the Chief executive officer, chief executive of city Government of Chicago, government in Chicago, Illinois, the List of United States cities by population, third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsib ...
, and many other dignitaries. Mayor Harold Washington issued a proclamation declaring July 4, 1984 as ''New World Patriotism Day Coalition Parade Day'' in Chicago. In 1988, King
Hassan II of Morocco Hassan II (; 9 July 1929 – 23 July 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until his death in 1999. A member of the Alawi dynasty, he was the eldest son of King Mohammed V of Morocco, Mohammed V, and his second wife Princess Lalla Abla ...
, invited Mohammed to participate in the traditional devotions during Ramadan, stating: ''Through you Imam W. Deen Mohammed all the people in America are represented.'' In 1992, President
Hosni Mubarak Muhammad Hosni El Sayed Mubarak (; 4 May 1928 – 25 February 2020) was an Egyptian politician and military officer who served as the fourth president of Egypt from 1981 to 2011 and the 41st Prime Minister of Egypt, prime minister from 1981 to ...
of Egypt honored Warith Deen Mohammed with "The Gold Medal of Recognition" for his religious work in the United States. He received the Focolare Movement "Luminosa Award for Unity" in 1997. On May 17, 1999, he received a Certificate of Appreciation from the
United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy of the United State ...
. In 2002, ''
Ebony Magazine ''Ebony'' is a monthly magazine that focuses on news, culture, and entertainment. Its target audience is the Black-American community, and its coverage includes the lifestyles and accomplishments of influential black people, fashion, beauty, and ...
'' selected him as one of its "100 Most Influential Black Americans". On December 9, 1994, he received the Cup of Compassion from the
Hartford Seminary The Hartford International University for Religion and Peace (formerly Hartford Seminary) is a private theological university in Hartford, Connecticut. History Hartford Seminary's origins date back to 1833 when the Pastoral Union of Connecti ...
in
Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
.''Islam's Climate for Business Success'', The Sense Maker, Chicago, 1995, Library of Congress Card Number: 95-071105, On April 6, 2002, Mohammed was made a member of the
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...
International Board of Preachers at
Morehouse College Morehouse College is a Private college, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black, Men's colleges in the United States, men's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia, ...
in Atlanta, and his portrait was hung in the International Chapel there. On Saturday, September 3, 2005, the
Council on American–Islamic Relations A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...
(CAIR) presented an award to W. Deen Mohammed in recognition of his outstanding leadership role in the American Muslim community at The Mosque Cares sponsored Annual Islamic Convention. In eulogizing Mohammed on
CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
blogs, the executive director of CAIR-Chicago, Ahmed Rehab, called him "America's Imam.""Farewell America's Imam"
Cable News Network Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable new ...


Publications


Books authored

* ''The Teachings of W. D. Muhammad'', Muhammad's Mosque #2, Chicago, 1976 * ''The Lectures of Emam W. D. Muhammad'', Muhammad's Mosque #2, Chicago, 1976 * ''Book of Muslim Names'', The Honorable Elijah Muhammad Mosque #2, Chicago, February 1976 * ''The Man and the Woman in Islam'', The Honorable Elijah Muhammad Mosque #2, Chicago, February 1976 * ''As the Light Shineth from the East'', W.D.M. Publications, Chicago, 1980 * ''Prayer and Al-Islam'', Muhammad Islamic Foundation, Chicago, 1982,
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
Card Number: 82-61077 * ''Religion on the Line'', W.D.M. Publications, Chicago, 1983 * ''Imam W. Deen Muhammad speaks from Harlem, N.Y. Book 1'', W. D. M. Publications, 1984 * ''Imam W. Deen Muhammad speaks from Harlem, N.Y.: Challenges That Face Man Today Book 2'', 1985 * ''Meeting The Challenge:
Halal ''Halal'' (; ) is an Arabic word that translates to in English. Although the term ''halal'' is often associated with Islamic dietary laws, particularly meat that is slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines, it also governs ethical practices ...
Foods for Our Everyday Needs'', The Honorable Elijah Muhammad Masjid, Chicago, 1986 * ''An African American Genesis'', M.A.C.A. Publication Fund, Chicago, Illinois, 1986,
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
Card Number: 86-63266 * ''Focus on Al-Islam: Interviews with Imam W. Deen Mohammed'', Zakat Publications, Chicago, Dec. 1988,
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
Card Number: 89-090728 * ''Al-Islam: Unity, and Leadership'', The Sense Maker, Chicago, 1991,
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
Card Number: 91-061449, * ''Worst Oppression Is False Worship "The Key Is
Tauheed ''Tawhid'' () is the concept of monotheism in Islam, it is the religion's central and single most important concept upon which a Muslim's entire religious adherence rests. It unequivocally holds that God is indivisibly one (''ahad'') and si ...
-Oneness of Allah,"'' W.D.M. Publications, Chicago, 1991 * ''Growth for a Model Community in America'', W.D.M. Publications, Chicago, 1995 * ''Islam's Climate for Business Success'', The Sense Maker, Chicago, 1995,
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
Card Number: 95-071105, * ''Mohammed Speaks'', W.D.M. Publications, Chicago, 1999 * ''Blessed Ramadan – The Fast of Ramadan'' * ''Plans for a Better Future: Peace, Inclusion and International Brotherhood'' * ''The Schemes Of Satan the Enemy of Man'' * ''The Champion We Have In Common: The Dynamic African American Soul Books'' 1, 2, 3, & 4, The Mosque Cares Publications, August 2005 * ''A Time for Greater Communities'' Volumes 1–4 * ''Securing our Share of Freedom'' * ''Prayer in al-Islam, A Learner's Guide w/Instructional CD'', WDM Publications, Chicago, 2007 * ''Return to Innocence: Transitioning of the Nation of Islam'', The Sense Maker, Chicago, 2007 * ''Life The Final Battlefield'', W.D.M. Publications, Chicago, 2008


Pamphlets

* ''A Look At W. Deen Mohammed: Muslim American Spokesman for Human Salvation'', A Ministry of W. Deen Mohammed Publication, Chicago, 1993


Video and audio presentations

* Imam W. Deen Mohammed: "Systems of Knowledge", ''Muslim News Magazine'', recorded as a television special by MNM during the 1994 Islamic Convention in Washington, D.C. This classroom lecture was delivered in front of more than 200 Imams and scholars at the Renaissance Hotel. "Systems of Knowledge" is a classroom presentation on the essence of Quranic Arabic and its meaning to all mankind. This presentation marked the only time that Mohammed allowed cameras into one of his private Imam classes. RT: 60 minutes. 1994.


Footnotes


References


External links


Chicago Tribune Bio

WDM Ministry

WDM Publications

Life and ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed remembered


* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mohammed, Warith Deen 1933 births 2008 deaths Nation of Islam religious leaders African-American Muslims Muslim reformers American religious leaders Family of Elijah Muhammad 20th-century Muslim scholars of Islam 21st-century imams American imams Anti-racism in the United States People from Hamtramck, Michigan Religious leaders from Michigan Religious leaders from Chicago Muslims from Michigan American Muslim activists American scholars of Islam 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American people 20th-century Islamic religious leaders