1983-April-8

A.M. Journal

Muhammad Speaks

Imam W. Deen Muhammad

QUESTION: Would you reflect on the masjid in Washington, D.C. and the direct input from the Honorable Elijah Muhammad?
-Norfolk, Va.

IMAM: I recall him mentioning his plans, his desire — at that time it was only a desire — to build a mosque, because for a long time we were calling our places of worship temples, but for this particular plan, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad said "mosque."

He said, we have to have at least one structure that's built as a mosque from the ground up, like they have in the Muslim world. That was the language he used, and he said, he would like to have it in Washington, D.C.

I recall him telling us that, and it wasn't long - maybe a year or so — that we heard from him that they had found a place and were building a mosque there.

Lucious Beyah — he was called minister at that time — had converted from Christianity. He was formerly a Christian minister who had his own church and his own following. He brought many of his followers to join the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

He was the minister at that time and the one who corresponded with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad during the construction of the mosque there.

I have visited there many times since then and it's a very beautiful mosque, a beautiful place. I think the facility there is just what we would build ourselves if we had to do it — we would build a facility like that.

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad knew what to build and he did a very good job.