Farrakhan Reiterates Reunification Commitment

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan on Sunday reaffirmed his pledge to reconcile his breakaway movement with orthodox U.S. Muslims, a move aimed at healing one of America’s most contentious religious rivalries.

Farrakhan used the occasion of the Nation of Islam’s most important annual gathering, Saviours’ Day, to embrace W. Deen Mohammed, the leader of the orthodox Muslim American Society and the son of the late Elijah Muhammad.

“He and I will be together,” Farrakhan said of Mohammed. “Not for evil but for love - not for hatred, but in good.”

Before Sunday’s rally, W. Deen Mohammed had made clear what orthodox Muslims nationwide expected: a different Farrakhan. And Farrakhan spoke directly to the expectation.

“Has Farrakhan abandoned us? Has Farrakhan changed?” he asked the audience of more than 20,000. “Yeah, I have. Everybody should be changing … but I haven’t abandoned you.”

The speech was regarded as one that could make or break Farrakhan’s fledgling vow to reconcile with other orthodox Muslims.

Elijah led the Nation of Islam for decades, but after his death in 1975, his son led the movement toward orthodoxy. In 1978, Farrakhan broke away to revive Elijah’s teachings under the old Nation of Islam name.

Lawrence Mamiya, a Vassar College expert on black American religions, conservatively estimates the core membership of the Nation of Islam to be 50,000 to 100,000. He said W. Deen Mohammed’s group, the Muslim American Society, has about 200,000 core members. The overall following is thought to be much higher for both. Experts estimate there are 4 million Muslims in the U.S. - about 1 million of them black Muslims.