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Minister Farrakhan released from hospital

By Nisa Islam Muhammad
Staff Writer | Last updated: Jan 30, 2007 - 12:40:00 AM

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The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan
'The Minister wants to thank all those who prayed for his recovery and healing. Let us continue to keep the Minister in our prayers for his complete recovery. His focus is Saviours� Day. With the help of Allah, he hopes to see all of those whom Allah has blessed him to touch through his ministry in Detroit at Saviours� Day 2007.'
�Fatima Farrakhan Muhammad

MOSQUE MARYAM (FinalCall.com) - On the morning of Sunday, January 28, 2007, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was released from a five-week hospital stay following a major surgical procedure. As this great news was delivered via a national webcast from Nation of Islam Headquarters in Chicago, Ill., Nation of Islam Believers and well-wishers for Min. Farrakhan’s speedy recovery responded with shouts of “Allahu Akbar” (God is the Greatest) and numerous other expressions of joy.

“He was in the hospital for five weeks,” explained Min. Ishmael, national assistant to Min. Farrakhan, who moderated the webcast. “I’m happy to announce to the Nation of the Islam and all of the wonderful people who prayed for him that he was released and is out of the hospital, and at home,” he shared.

In addition to the care from his doctors, Min. Farrakhan was under the constant and continued care from his daughter and nurse, Fatima Farrakhan Muhammad, who had been by her father’s side the entire time.

“The Minister wants to thank all those who prayed for his recovery and healing. Let us continue to keep the Minister in our prayers for his complete recovery,” Sis. Fatima told The Final Call.

“His focus is Saviours’ Day. With the help of Allah, he hopes to see all of those whom Allah has blessed him to touch through his ministry in Detroit at Saviours’ Day 2007,” she said.

Min. Ishmael concurred that sentiment. “That’s a man of his word. When he says he’s not going to be able to be with you, that means he’s not going to be able to be with you; but when he says he’ll see you, he’ll be there, Allah (God) willing, then his mind has been set on Detroit.”

“Long before the surgery, the hours before the surgery, coming right out of the surgery, his mind and his heart was set on Detroit, Mich.; and what God has put on his heart several days ago, the message that he will deliver from Detroit on the 25th of February has already been given to him,” Min. Ishmael said.

Min. Farrakhan was hospitalized Jan. 5 in order to undergo a major 12-hour abdominal operation. The surgery was designed to help correct the severe damage caused by the radiated seed implantation procedure he received to treat his prostate cancer. That procedure left him in constant pain for years.

“He’s not where he needs to be; it will take several more days and we celebrate this victory, but there’s still some days ahead and weeks for him to have a full recovery, but the doctors say he has already exceeded their expectations, from the surgery to the days after the surgery,” said Min. Ishmael.

In Los Angeles, Calif., at Muhammad’s Mosque No. 27, Western Regional Representative Min. Tony Muhammad told The Final Call that upon hearing the good news of the Minister’s release, “We all jumped out of our seats.”

“Not only did he leave the building, but he walked out. We’ve been studying The Book of Isaiah, Chapter 53: “The Suffering Servant,” so we knew he would be delivered. We had no doubt. We can’t wait to see him and everyone here is anxious to see that suffering servant,” Min. Tony said.

At Muhammad’s Mosque No. 4 in Washington, D.C., headquarters for the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern regions, it was a total surprise.

“I didn’t know what the announcement was going to be,” Min. Abdul Khadir Muhammad told The Final Call. “When we heard it, we jumped out of our chairs. I saw people clutching their hands to their hearts.”

“They were so excited to hear that the Minister didn’t want to wait for the wheelchair and walked to the elevator and then out to his car. Everyone is pumped up about the news,” said Min. Khadir.

In the Southwest regional headquarters at Muhammad’s Mosque No. 45 in Houston, Texas, under the direction of Min. Robert Muhammad, the reaction was similar. “An eruption took place that rivaled the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The people were enthused and even more inspired to bring a sizable delegation to Detroit,” he told The Final Call.

For Southern Regional Representative Min. Abdul Sharieff Muhammad, the crowd’s reaction at Muhammad’s Mosque No. 15 in Atlanta, Ga. was an “outburst of overwhelming joy,” he shared with The Final Call.

“We were not expecting this and it was such a relief to hear that the Minister was going home. We send out love and prayers from the mighty south,” stated Min. Abdul Sharieff.

Saviours’ Day, to be held this year Feb. 23-25, is always the crowning event of Black history month. It is the Nation of Islam’s annual convention and conference of workshops, special events, children’s activities and the expected highlight of the return of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, who has been absent from the public since August 2006.

This year promises to be an historical event. Min. Farrakhan will deliver what could be his last major public address entitled, “One Nation Under God: The Confusion, The Guidance, The Warning.”

“His earthly work is not over,” explained Min. Ishmael, “But in terms of this phase of his assignment, he doesn’t see himself coming before the public on such a major stage as we are preparing in Detroit.”

“It doesn’t mean that he perhaps will not come back to Mosque Maryam, or speak at a church or honor other engagements; but to deliver a major message from a major venue, to the masses of our people.”

Anticipation around the country is growing for this event, which is expected to draw tens of thousands. They are coming by plane, train and automobile. Caravans of buses are also planned from various cities around the country such as Houston, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

Minister Farrakhan’s speech will be delivered from Ford Field.

“It is the first time that we will ever fill up a stadium and certainly the first in the City of Detroit. Black folks have never even been, most of them, in Ford Field. That’s where the Super Bowl was last year. Black folks have got to come out for their own Super Bowl,” said Min. Ishmael.

“We’re going to celebrate the rich legacy and the contributions and the struggle and the sacrifices of many in the history that we have made in this nation, for Saviours’ Day is the crowning event of Black History Month. It will culminate with the one man that is in the world today that embodies the message of Marcus Garvey, and the spirit of all of those like Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglas and all of those that fought for us,” he said.