W.D. Muhammad

I It was an intensely cold afternoon in Chicago on 26 February, 1975, when some 20,000 members of the Nation of Islam, from across the U.S.A., filled Chicago’s Amphitheatre to capacity. It was their Saviour’s Day, for them the most significant, and one might even say, the holiest day of the year. O...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal: Zafar Ishaq Ansari
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: International Institute of Islamic Thought 1985
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/fa5b0d6705c24fb58dd205f3b10aefb6
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
id oai:doaj.org-article:fa5b0d6705c24fb58dd205f3b10aefb6
record_format dspace
spelling oai:doaj.org-article:fa5b0d6705c24fb58dd205f3b10aefb62021-12-02T18:18:47ZW.D. Muhammad2690-37332690-3741https://doaj.org/article/fa5b0d6705c24fb58dd205f3b10aefb61985-12-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.ajis.org/index.php/ajiss/article/view/2918https://doaj.org/toc/2690-3733https://doaj.org/toc/2690-3741 I It was an intensely cold afternoon in Chicago on 26 February, 1975, when some 20,000 members of the Nation of Islam, from across the U.S.A., filled Chicago’s Amphitheatre to capacity. It was their Saviour’s Day, for them the most significant, and one might even say, the holiest day of the year. On this day every year they gathered to celebrate the birthday of Fard Muhammad, whom they considered to be “God-in-Person,” the one for whom “praise is due forever.” Although Saviour’s Day was observed across the U.S.A., its celebration in Chicago had a special significance for members of the “Nation of Islam.” For in Chicago the guest of honour used to be none other than Elijah Muhammad himself, the “Messenger of Allah,n who addressed his followers with marathon speeches that electrified them. Saviour’s Day was always a day of solemn rejoicing and celebration. This year, however, the members of the Nation appeared tense and grim; their faces drawn, darkened with anguish. For only the day before, their leader, Elijah Mubarnmad, who had led them for over forty years had breathed his last in Chicago’s Mercy Hospital after a prolonged struggle against numerous aliments. The news had left the members of the “Nation of Islam,” popularly known as “Black Muslims," baffled, bewildered, speechless. They had immense love and devotion for their leader, believing him to be the Messenger of Allah. They had witnessed many healthy changes in their own lives and in the lives of a very large number of fellow Blacks as a result of the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and of their association with his movement, the Nation of Islam. The wholesome influence of Elijah Muhammad was evident in their improved economic conditions, the stability of their family life, their enhanced prestige in society, and even in their robust and elegant demeanour. Because of such improvements in their lives, some Blacks had begun to venerate Elijah Muipmmad almost to the point of worshipping him. Moreover, there had developed a feeling among many followers of Elijah Muhammad that he was immortal. This feeling had perhaps received support in the past from the fact that on many an occasion Elijah Muhammad had, almost miraculously, quickly fecovered from very serious illnesses ... Zafar Ishaq AnsariInternational Institute of Islamic ThoughtarticleIslamBP1-253ENAmerican Journal of Islam and Society, Vol 2, Iss 2 (1985)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic Islam
BP1-253
spellingShingle Islam
BP1-253
Zafar Ishaq Ansari
W.D. Muhammad
description I It was an intensely cold afternoon in Chicago on 26 February, 1975, when some 20,000 members of the Nation of Islam, from across the U.S.A., filled Chicago’s Amphitheatre to capacity. It was their Saviour’s Day, for them the most significant, and one might even say, the holiest day of the year. On this day every year they gathered to celebrate the birthday of Fard Muhammad, whom they considered to be “God-in-Person,” the one for whom “praise is due forever.” Although Saviour’s Day was observed across the U.S.A., its celebration in Chicago had a special significance for members of the “Nation of Islam.” For in Chicago the guest of honour used to be none other than Elijah Muhammad himself, the “Messenger of Allah,n who addressed his followers with marathon speeches that electrified them. Saviour’s Day was always a day of solemn rejoicing and celebration. This year, however, the members of the Nation appeared tense and grim; their faces drawn, darkened with anguish. For only the day before, their leader, Elijah Mubarnmad, who had led them for over forty years had breathed his last in Chicago’s Mercy Hospital after a prolonged struggle against numerous aliments. The news had left the members of the “Nation of Islam,” popularly known as “Black Muslims," baffled, bewildered, speechless. They had immense love and devotion for their leader, believing him to be the Messenger of Allah. They had witnessed many healthy changes in their own lives and in the lives of a very large number of fellow Blacks as a result of the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and of their association with his movement, the Nation of Islam. The wholesome influence of Elijah Muhammad was evident in their improved economic conditions, the stability of their family life, their enhanced prestige in society, and even in their robust and elegant demeanour. Because of such improvements in their lives, some Blacks had begun to venerate Elijah Muipmmad almost to the point of worshipping him. Moreover, there had developed a feeling among many followers of Elijah Muhammad that he was immortal. This feeling had perhaps received support in the past from the fact that on many an occasion Elijah Muhammad had, almost miraculously, quickly fecovered from very serious illnesses ...
format article
author Zafar Ishaq Ansari
author_facet Zafar Ishaq Ansari
author_sort Zafar Ishaq Ansari
title W.D. Muhammad
title_short W.D. Muhammad
title_full W.D. Muhammad
title_fullStr W.D. Muhammad
title_full_unstemmed W.D. Muhammad
title_sort w.d. muhammad
publisher International Institute of Islamic Thought
publishDate 1985
url https://doaj.org/article/fa5b0d6705c24fb58dd205f3b10aefb6
work_keys_str_mv AT zafarishaqansari wdmuhammad
_version_ 1718378253815644160