Brother Jesus Muhammad

also known as

Hebert Muhammad Jr.

^{An Unsung Hero in the Nation of Islam}

Editor's Note:  Herbert Muhammad Jr., the grandson of Messenger Elijah Muhammad, against all odds, stood up against the perpetrators of the "bloodless coup" that took place in the Nation of Islam just a few days after The Messenger's death, on February 25, 1975.

    There are many Ministers in the Nation of Islam, who stood  by and let known hypocrites against Allah, Who came in the Person of Master Fard Muhammad, , namely Wallace (Warith) D. Muhammad , ransack the work of Messenger Elijah Muhammad and his true followers.

   Muhammad Speaks, now, presents to you the PROOF of this unsung Hero of Messenger Elijah Muhammad's Teachings and Programs, HERBERT MUHAMMAD JR.

   The following article is reprinted (word for word) from the March 8, 1975 edition of the New Amsterdam News:

    Trouble in the World of Islam

Grandson of Muhammad Defies Son's Leadership

_{This photograph is reprinted from Muhammad Speaks Newspaper, March 21, 1975. The caption under this picture is also reprinted (word for word) from that edition. "Shown are the sons of Messenger Elijah Muhammad paying last respects to their Father, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad at Mount Glenwood Cemetery, in Thornton, Ill., a temporary resting place. They are (from left) Grandson Sultan Muhammad, Captain Elijah Muhammad Jr., Dr. Akbar Muhammad, Minister Emanuel Muhammad, Minister Nathaniel Muhammad, Supreme Minister Wallace D. Muhammad (to the rear of Min. James Shabazz) and Brother Herbert Muhammad.}

Three days after the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was buried in Chicago's Mount Glenwood Cemetery, his grandson told the Amsterdam News that the late leader of the Black Muslims "did not groom or name" his 41 year old uncle, Wallace D. Muhammad, as successor to the Nation of Islam's highest post.

    The man who telephoned the Amsterdam News, identified himself as Herbert Muhammad Jr., son of Cassius Clay's manager, Herbert Muhammad. "I was a personal aide and attendant to my grandfather for six months prior to his death," he said.

   The caller added that he was under police protection because of the reaction to statements he made to certain Chicago media over long distance telephone. He gave the name of the detective who was with him and also said the FBI had come to talk with him.

 Verified by police

    The Amsterdam News asked New York City police headquarters whether Herbert Muhammad Jr. grandson of the late Elijah Muhammad was under police protection. The reporter also gave the name of the detective who was said to be with Muhammad at that time. The police official later called back and said: "The information is correct."

    Over the telephone, Elijah Muhammad's grandson told the Amsterdam News, Monday: "On or about February 20, 1975, Wallace D. Muhammad, my uncle, place an article in the Chicago Daily Defender, in which he made the statement that my grandfather, Elijah Muhammad, had groomed him and named him as his successor.

    "This is a statement to which I am totally opposed, for it is expressively of the manner in which he had attained leadership of the Nation of Islam, based on a lie. For my grandfather did not groom him nor name him to be his successor any more so than he had done for others of his family.

   "The statement he, Wallace, made in the Chicago newspaper implies that my grandfather would teach his son in the way of leadership over his many ministers and loyal followers," Herbert Muhammad Jr., continued.

"Chosen by God"

   "The way my grandfather often put this was that he would give you wisdom and God would bless you with understanding. This is in keeping with his, Elijah Muhammad's statement to the press in 1972, there in his home, 4847 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago.

   "His statement, when asked by the press for a direct statement as to who his successor would be, was that God would choose his successor. That is to say that a messenger of God as he put it, does not get into the business of choosing a messenger, for he is chosen by God," the grandson reported.

   "I want to make clear at this point that my grandfathers followers, as far as I was involved myself in this, can choose to remain avowed to Wallace, my uncle. However, for myself, my position is that my grandfather did not groom him or name him to be his successor.

"A Lie"

   "Wallace's statement was a lie. It was made after my grandfather had in fact gone into a coma from which he never recovered at the time of his release of that statement."

    The younger Herbert said that he confronted his uncle with the newspaper article but he did not comment on the issue.

    "I then went to the telephone there on the 11th floor of Mercy Hospital, called my father and expressed my outrage at the article.

    "I also called my uncle Raymond Sharieff, Supreme Captain of the Nation of Islam for more than 40 years, and expressed to him my outrage; further stating to him that I felt that we as a family should get together and put Wallace out of the Temple in keeping with the manner in which my grandfather had been handling him in such matters.

    "For Wallace had only re-entered the Nation of Islam on the grace of his father only five months previously."

   The grandson said that "my grandfather's other son, Nathaniel, had in fact shown greater loyalty to his father in that he was a minister of 7 or 8 temples in the Kansas City area. Also my grandfather had made mention to him, Nathaniel, that he was thankful to Allah that he had blessed him, my grandfather, with a son in Nathaniel.

   He added that Muhammad had told "my father Muhammad, that if he, my grandfather, would ever get to the point that he was not coherent and able to speak, that my father, Herbert Muhammad would legislate his business affairs, "Herbert Jr. stated.

Family Meeting

   "During a meeting held by my grandfather's sons, Herbert, my father; Emanuel, my grandfather's oldest son; Nathaniel and Wallace it was decided that Wallace and Nathaniel would equally share in the spiritual maintenance of my grandfather's following; and my father would run the economic and managerial aspects of the Nation of Islam.

    But Wallace said at the meeting that he could "Do it alone, carry the Nation of Islam alone; with my father opposing him privately among his brothers sitting there.

   "Following the meeting, Wallace made his statement to the newspaper, thereby placing my father and uncles in a difficult position. For if they spoke against what Wallace D. Muhammad said publicly, it would only give the appearance of a power struggle within the family," said the grandson of the late Elijah Muhammad.

No Response

    The Amsterdam News telephoned Minister Louis Farrakhan, national spokesman of the Nation of Islam, at Muhammad's Temple No. 7 in Harlem. The reporter also called the Minister of the Temple No.2 in Chicago; but neither the latter nor Minister Farrakhan was available.

   In both cases the reporter left a message that the Amsterdam News desired a comment on the statement of Herbert Muhammad Jr. that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad did not groom or name Wallace Muhammad to succeed him. Neither call was returned by press time.

Much Much More To Come! 

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