# We Are Farrakhan

Dear Black brothers and sisters:

As Salaamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuh!!! Hotep!!!

Peace!!!

May this letter find you in the best of spirits!!!

#WEAREFARRAKHAN

I am clear why the Honorable Minister Lous Farrakhan, and the Nation of Islam, are being labeled dangerous to the world by Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg and the White power structure. They represent a school of thought in Al-Islam rooted in Black liberation theology. The Nation of Islam is one of the last Black organizations left in the world standing against White supremacy and the system of racism.

Last Friday, during my lunch break, I proceeded to fulfill my duty to Allaah (SWT) by going to Masjid Ibrahim for Salaatul Jum’uah (Arabic for Congregational prayer) in Newark, NJ. Although I practice Afrikan centricity in my daily life, my faith is Al-Islam.

As usual, resident Imam Mustafa El Amin gave a powerful Khutbah (Arabic for Sermon). After the Salaat (Arabic for prayer), Imam El Amin announced to all Muslims that there was going be a Janazah ( an Arabic for Islamic Funeral ) for a Muslim brother. Now this Muslim brother was killed a few days ago on Maple and Chancellor Ave in Newark, NJ.

We performed the obligatory Janazah service for our Muslim brother. As I looked around the Masjid, there had to be over 500 Muslims at the Masjid. Even a young Blackman took his shahaadah (declared that there is no God worthy of worship, but Allah. And that Muhammad Ibn Abdullah is the Messenger of Allaah). On one end, I was happy to see so many Muslims. But on the other hand, I became upset. I knew that many of these Muslims were trapped under the oppression and behaviors of the dunya’s (an Arabic word for this world’s life) world (i.e. drug dealers, drug addicts, alcoholics, poor people, jobless people, miseducated people, etc). Then, I could not help but to get angry about the consistency of these conditions plaguing Muslims, particularly Black Muslins, at every Masaajid (Arabic word for Mosques ) I visit around Black communities in the inner cities. I said to some of the brothers and sisters there that Alhamdulillah rabbil al’aameen (Arabic for Praise be to God, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds) and Ase’(Yoruba / Nigerian word that means it is so) that many of these brothers and sisters came to Al-Islam. The Holy Qu’ran says to us that if we keep our duties to Allaah (SWT), we will have our reward in the next life. But at the same time, the Holy Qu’ran teaches us that if we keep our duties to Allaah (SWT), we will have our rewards in this life. However, because we Muslims, particularly Black Muslims, have not found a comprehensive way to apply the Holy Qu’ran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (s.’a.s) to make Al-Islam relevant to our lives and to create empowerment programs for Black Muslims, the Blackman, the Black woman, and Black youth. Black Muslins, and Black people, are continuously being engulfed in oppressive conditions on this earth. White supremacy, and the system of racism, are the prevailing conditions that are preventing all of us (Black Muslims or not ) from having our reward with Allaah (SWT) in this life.

Many of us will continue to have one foot in the wilderness of North America of the dunya ( an Arabic word for this world’s life) and one foot in Al-Islam. And many times, the Black Muslim will get totally lost in the dunya and forget about Al-Islam. I then said to my brothers and sister there at the Masjid, I know why Allah (SWT) has called me to stand again with Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. They, the Honorable Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, represent a school of thought in Al-Islam willing to unapologetically be Black and fight against White supremacy and racism.

I think a little history of of Al-Islam in America needs to be invoked to help us understand why there is a strong Muslim presence in the United States, particularly in the Black community.

According to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, a man came to the Western Hemisphere to save Black people lost in the world due to slavery. The Honorable Minister Farrakhan said, he believes that with the permission of Allaah (SWT), Master Fard Muhammad, the founder of the Nation of Islam, came from Makkah, Saudi Arabia to North America to liberate oppressed Black people on July 4, 1930 with Al-Islam and the knowledge of Self to free us from White racial domination. He said, Master Fard Muhammad stayed until Allah (SWT) blessed him with his greatest student. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said the student’s name was the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He said that Master Fard Muhammad taught the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad many things, such as Afrikan History, European history, American history, Native American history, racism, White supremacy, Black self hatred, oppression, agriculture, health, food science, women’s history, fatherhood, motherhood, politics, economics, military sciences, politics, government, and theology.

But the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said that he required the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad to read and study 104 books on Al-Islam. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad said to him that his favorite book was the Holy Qu’ran. But Most Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said that the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad said to him that before I teach Islam to Black people, they must first have a thorough knowledge of their Black selves.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said that when Master Fard Muhammad left North America in 1933, the Honorable Most Elijah Muhammad was made the leader of the Nation of Islam. In turn, he taught his Ministers the lessons Master Fard Muhammad taught him in the early days of the Nation of Islam. But two of the most important lessons the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught his Ministers was that Al-Islam and the knowledge of self were the salvation for Black people.

According to the history of the Nation of Islam, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s greatest Ministers studied these lessons intensely in the, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and the early 1970s. Some of these Ministers rose up to become some of greatest leaders in the world for Al-Islam and Black consciousness such as Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad, and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

Al-Islam as taught by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad inspired the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, and the Nation of Islam, to fight for the unity and the empowerment of Muslims, Black Muslims, Black unity, oppressed people, and oppressed Black people.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan went to work liberating Black Muslims, and Black People, from the oppression White supremacy and the racism in the dunya by cleaning us up from drugs, drug dealing, gangs life, thug life, alcoholism, dysfunctional families, miseducation, Black self-hatred, broken marriages, broken man hoods, broken woman hoods, broken homes, and promiscuous sex.

I came to Al-Islam and Black consciousness through the Nation of Islam under the leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. He, and the Nation of Islam, inspired me, and many other Black people, to become community activists, educators, and devout Muslims. I, in turn, for over 30 years of life, I am 56 years old now, I have been organizing oppressed Black people to come to Al-Islam and to fight for Black liberation. This all came about actually following the example of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

However, after all these years, It pains my heart to see Black Muslim brothers and sisters soooo divided and steeped in fitna ( an Arabic word for civil strife) with the Nation of Islam. Our divisions has left a void of unity amongst Black Muslims and Black people.

Many of us Black Muslims are too divided to unite to establish Al-Islam for the liberation of Black Muslim life and for oppressed Black communities.

According to the history of Al- Islam in America, when the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was physically here in America, Black Muslims were progressing much more than now. Black Muslims had businesses, supermarkets, stores, discipline, respect for Islam, love for their Black selves, love for Black people, and programs geared towards empowering Black Muslims and Black people.

In 2019, because of the pervasive apolitical stand of many Muslims in Al-Islam, and the US government’s destruction of many Black nationalists organizations, White supremacy and the system of racism are rebooting themselves to continue the domination of Black people.

White supremacy, and the system of racism, are promoting whiteness as the standards of everything again in 2019.

Racist attitudes and behaviors by non-Black Muslims brothers and sisters in the Ummah (Arabic word for community) are being directed towards us Black Muslims and Black people in America. These things are occurring more often now. It is so bad in certain quarters of Black Muslim Life that now Black Muslims are holding forums, conferences, and town hall meetings trying to desperately remind the Muslim world that racist practices in the Muslim Ummah, and in the world, must never be tolerated.

But on top of that, because of White supremacy and the system of racism Black life has been devalued. We now have very few Black Muslims organizations, Black nationalists organizations, Black Muslim businesses, Black businesses, independent Black Muslims schools, and independent Black schools.

This is why the Honorable Louis Farrakhan decided in 1978 to leave Imam Warith Deen Mohammed association of Muslims in the Ummah to reestablished the Nation of Islam organization. He reintroduced the Nation of Islam to a new generation of Black people in the 1980’s and 1990’s left behind by the Civil Rights and Black Power movements.

Imam Warith Deen Mohammed was the seventh son of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. While under his father’s leadership, his name was Wallace Muhammad. When his father departed in 1975, the family of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad elected Imam Warith Deen Mohammed the leader of the Nation of Islam. In three years, he then moved the members of the Nation of Islam to Sunni Al-Islam. He would later change his name to Warith Deen Mohammed. While leading his Sunni Islamic association of Muslims, he was made the National Imam. To this date, Imam Mohmmed led the largest conversion of Black people to Al-Islam in the history of America.

While the Nation of Islam struggles with the Muslim world to find its place in Deen Al-Islam (Arabic phrase that means the spiritual path of the total submission of one’s will to do the will of God), they have not forgotten about helping to uplift Black Muslims and Black people.

On their pathway to the Muslim Ummah (Community), the Nation of Islam boldly believes that Black people must have Black power. This is what makes the Nation of Islam uniquely different from many other Islamic groups within the Muslim Ummah. In the context of Afrikan centricity, the Nation of islam is a legitimate Black Muslim organization needed in Black people’s fight for liberation.

The Nation of Islam has made the agenda of Black Muslims and Black people a priority. They believe it is absolutely imperative that Black Muslims and Black people be freed from the shackles of White supremacy, the system of racism, and Black self-hatred.

As many of us Afrikan centered Black conscious folk already know this: anything that is pro-Black, and empowering, the racist power structure will try to discredit it entirely.

This has already happened in the past to many Black nationalist organizations, and is still happening today. And this is why White supremacy, and the system of racism, are focused on destroying and discrediting the Nation of Islam in the present day.

Alhamdulillah (Arabic for All Praises Are Due to God) and Ase (Yoruba / Nigerian phrase that means it is so) that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has re-established Nation of Islam Mosques in every major city in America for our people to hear the pro-Black teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad since his departure in 1975. Alhamdulillah and Ase (Yoruba / Nigerian phrase means it is so) that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan reestablished the Fruit of Islam (F.O.I.) The manhood training program for males. Alhamdulillah and Ase (Yoruba / Nigerian phrase means it is so) the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan reestablished the Muslims Girls Training - General Civilization Class (MGT-GCC). The women-hood training program for females.

Alhamdulillah and Ase (Yoruba / Nigerian phrase means it is so) that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan reestablished the eat to live dietary program of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad to teach people healthy eating practices.

However, looking at the current poor conditions Black Muslins, and Black people, are in today we are not free and independent from the White power structure in America.

We are very dependent on White people for our basic necessities, for our 5O1CEs, for our schools, for hospitals, for our mental health clinics, for our elected officials, for media, for music, for our rap music, for philosophy, for economics, for ideologies, for our leaders, for theologians, for our technology, and our political affairs.

Despite our people experiencing gains in the Civil Rights struggle of the 1950s and ’60s, and Black Pride during the Black Power Movement of the 1960s and early ’70s, Black Muslims and the Black community have fallen back to sleep.

In the 1980s, and early 1990s, conditions in the Black community worsened.

Unemployment rates in the Black community were at depression levels. There was a huge increase of the incarceration rates of Black men. Police violence was on the rise. High school drop out rates increased for Black youth. Black families headed only by Black women increased substantially. The crack epidemic began destroying Black neighborhoods, Black men, Black women, Black families, Black youth, and Black people. All of these horrible conditions in the Black community created abnormal levels of violence in the Black community from New Jersey to California.

In response to these conditions going on unchecked in the Black community, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan called for a Million Black men to come to Washington, DC on October 16, 1995, to fight for ourselves, our Black women, our Black children, our Black families, our Black neighborhoods, and our Black community. He called it the Million Man March. Because of the respect, and the love Black people had for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, over two million Black men showed up at the National Mall in Washington, DC. At that time, the Million Man March became the largest Afrikan American demonstration in United States history.

However, three years prior to organizing the Million Man March, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan went on a speaking tour in every major city in America called the Stop the Killing Tour. He spoke to tens of thousands of Black people, particularly Black men, on a monthly basis. It was out on of this tour that the Million Man March was called into existence.

Since the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was successful at convening the Million Man March, he inspired other community leaders and groups to convene massive marches in the Black Community. The Million Women’s March took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1997. In Harlem, NY and in Atlanta, Georgia, Million Youth Marches took place in these Black communities in 1998. Hundreds of thousands of Black people showed up at these major events in America. All of it inspired by the work and leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam .

He did not just keep our struggle for Black liberation to the confines of America. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, and the Nation of Islam, took our struggle for Black liberation to Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab world, the Middle East, and the international Muslim Ummah. He called it the World Friendship Tour in 1996. Telling the world what injustices of White supremacy and racism did to oppressed Black people in America.

I pray that the Creator, and the wisdom of Afrikan ancestors, will be used by the Black liberation teachings of the Nation of Islam under the leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. In sha'allah (Arabic words for if it be the will of God) I believe brother Farrakhan will wake up and inspire our people all over again and produce a new wave of strong principled leaders amongst Black Muslims and Black people in the new millennium.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan is not anti-Semitic, anti-White, or anti-anybody. He is a pro-Black Muslim leader working hard to liberate oppressed people (i.e. Muslims, Black Muslims, Black people, Latino people of color, poor people, etc.) from the contradictions of White supremacy, racism, and Black self-hatred.

Al-Islam teaches us Muslims that only Allaah (SWT) is the only eternal, the most perfect, and the most divine force in all the worlds. There is no human being (i.e. Sheikh, Imam, scholar, Minister, elected official, Rabbi, Preacher, teacher, Whiteman, Blackman, Latino, President, a person of color, etc) on earth comparable to Allaah (SWT). The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan is not divine nor a perfect human being. He will live and he will die like Allaah (SWT) says we all will do in this world. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan makes mistakes like many human beings do in this world. Some of the things he says and does, I do not agree with at all. Some of his tafsir (an Arabic for interpretation) of Al-Islam, I do not agree with at all. However, as a Black Muslim and as a Black leader, I respect his 60+ years of service to Al-Islam, the Muslim Ummah, Muslins, the Nation of Islam, Black Muslims, oppressed people, Black people, and Black liberation. And there are many Black Muslims, like myself, and many Black people that respect the 60+ years of service the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has made to the Islamic Ummah and the Black community. Most importantly, I respect the fact that he, and the Nation of Islam, are moving in the direction to stand firmly on the five pillars of Al-Islam, especially La ilaha illa-llah, Muhammadur-rasulu-llah (Arabic for there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).

In closing, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, and the Nation of Islam, represents the last independent Black Muslim organization left in the world. America consistently, and intentionally, is working to make sure that the world forgets that Black people have experienced a long history of injustices. The White power structure created our oppression in the Black community through racism, sexism, police violence, unjust incarceration, White Supremacy, hundreds of years of slavery, nearly 100 years of state-sanctioned legal discrimination, and racist violent terrorism, Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) and Ase (Yoruba / Nigerian phrase means it is so) that the Honorable Minister Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam are still left in the world standing for us and justice against white racial domination of Black life.

As Salaamu Alaykum!!!

Hotep!!!

Peace!!!

-Bashir Muhammad Akinyele is a History Teacher, Black Studies Teacher, Community Actvist, Chairperson of Weequahic High School's Black History Month Committee, commentary writer, and Co-Producer and Co-Host of the All Politics Are Local, the number #1 political Hip Hip radio show in America. I can be reached at (bashir.akinyele@gmail.com).
Note: Spelling Afrika with a k is not a typo. Using the k in Afrika is the Kiswahili way of writing Africa. Kiswahili is a Pan -Afrikan language. It is spoken in many countries in Afrika. Kiswahili is the language used in Kwanzaa. The holiday of Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 to January
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