AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Commemorating the 50th anniversary of Elijah Muhammad’s passing and the rise of his son, Wallace Deen Muhammad, later known as Warith Deen Mohammed, ceremonies were held at Duke University and in the city of Durham, North Carolina, to honor the legacy of this influential Muslim leader.
In 1975, Warith Deen Mohammed assumed leadership of the Nation of Islam following his father’s death and transformed the movement from a Black nationalist organization into one rooted in faith, human unity, and the authentic teachings of Sunni Islam.
Imam Abdul Wahid, a Muslim cleric and associate at Duke University’s Center for Muslim Life, described the transformation as a turning point in America’s religious history, saying that Warith Deen Mohammed “guided the Nation of Islam from racial separatism toward belief in a single, unified humanity.”
The commemoration brought together Muslim scholars and leaders from Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, and Catholic communities, along with local officials. Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams proclaimed October 30 as “Imam Warith Deen Mohammed Day,” calling him “a pioneering religious leader and promoter of human dignity and interfaith dialogue.” North Carolina Governor Josh Stein also issued a message praising Imam Mohammed’s historic role in advancing coexistence and interfaith understanding.
Vincent Price, President of Duke University, highlighted that Imam Mohammed’s vision of bridge-building among communities and his faith in dialogue continue to inspire the university’s current mission to promote interreligious understanding.
Leila Mohammed, the Imam’s daughter, also addressed the gathering, recalling her father’s final words about “divine consciousness” (taqwa) as a guiding light in her life.
Warith Deen Mohammed, who passed away in 2008, is remembered not only as a transformative figure in shaping American Islam but also, according to those close to him, as a model of humility and service whose legacy continues to inspire future generations of Muslims in the United States.
**************
End/ 345
