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Farrakhan, W.D. Muhammad Promise to "Join Forces": U.S. Paper
LOS
ANGELES, Feb.17 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – Two of America’s most
recognizable and powerful African-American Muslim leaders – Louis Farrakhan
and Warith Deen Muhammad – came together on Friday vowing to join forces after
years of separation over religious differences, a U.S. daily reported Saturday.
Farrakhan,
leader of the Nation of Islam, and Muhammad of the Muslim American Society –
both of whom reconciled two years ago – appeared publicly together for the
first time at the Nation’s “World Saviour’s Day” convention in Los
Angeles on Friday, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times.
The
theme of the conference, lasting from Feb. 13-17, was “Healing the Wounds to
Bring About a Universal Family.” Workshops included such topics as “Healing
the Wounds of Abraham’s Children” – an interfaith panel for Muslims,
Christians and Jews – and “Women in Religion Address the Men,” plus
discussions on family, education, health and even slavery reparations.
The
Nation of Islam is generally rejected by orthodox or mainstream Muslims because
of its core belief in the prophethood of its late leader, Elijah Muhammad –
W.D. Muhammad’s father – and the divinity of his teacher, W. Fard Muhammad.
Islamic belief teaches that divinity belongs solely to God and that the prophet
Muhammad, who lived and died in what is now Saudi Arabia fourteen centuries ago,
was the final prophet of God.
W.D.
Muhammad rejected the Nation’s beliefs and embraced orthodox Sunni Islam –
whose message is universal and not based on race – nearly a quarter of a
century ago, although he remained active in the black community. Farrakhan,
however, held fast to the belief system of the Nation of Islam.
But
this fiery and controversial orator, who has earned notoriety among critics in
America and other Western countries for alleged “anti-Semitic” comments,
appears to have softened his hardcore black nationalist stance with hints of
shifts towards more mainstream Islam. And that appears to have earned him
Muhammad’s support, according to the L.A. Times report.
"We
are going to stick with Minister Farrakhan all the way to the promised
land," Muhammad was quoted in the article as saying, when he led thousands
of Muslims in the Friday noon prayer at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The
report cited Muhammad as saying during an interview that Farrakhan was easing
carefully away from the Nation’s belief system to avoid alienating his
followers, but that he did not actually accept those beliefs anymore.
However,
Muhammad said in the article that Farrakhan is "a political figure; [I'm] a
religious figure and that's the way it's going to stay," – and therefore
the two movements would probably never merge completely.
But
their message on Friday was one of reconciliation and growth. Farrakhan said
that the Nation of Islam was taking the same path as all major religious
movements by starting out on a narrow path and slowly growing, broadening and
evolving, according to the Times.
Farrakhan
and Muhammad promised to come together to strengthen the black community, the
report said, suggesting that an Islamic movement based in America’s
democratic, pluralistic society could serve as a model for the rest of the world.
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