Warith Deen Mohammed

In this Aug. 31, 2003 file photo, Imam W. Deen Mohammed responds to those gathered at the annual meeting of the American Society of Muslims in Chicago. Mohammed, the son of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad who moved thousands of African Americans into mainstream Islam to become among the most important Muslim leaders in North America, died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, according to his nephew. He was 74. (AP Photo/Stephen J. Carrera, File) Photo Courtesy of The San Diego Union Tribune

Warith Deen Mohammed was an American religious leader and the second son of Elijah Muhammad, the founder of the Nation of Islam. After his father's death, Warith Deen Mohammed took over leadership of the Nation of Islam and played a significant role in transforming the organization into a more mainstream, orthodox Islamic group.

Born in 1933 in Michigan, Warith Deen Mohammed was raised in the Nation of Islam and became a minister in the organization at a young age. After his father's death in 1975, he was named the national spokesman and was tasked with the responsibility of leading the Nation of Islam in a new direction.

Warith Deen Mohammed embraced traditional Islamic beliefs and practices, distancing himself from the more controversial and racially divisive teachings of the Nation of Islam. He worked to bring the group closer to mainstream Islam and encouraged African Americans to embrace their identity as Muslims.

Under Warith Deen Mohammed's leadership, the Nation of Islam transformed into the American Society of Muslims and eventually became the American Society of Muslims for World Peace. He also established several Islamic schools, mosques, and community organizations, and played a key role in promoting inter-faith dialogue and understanding.

Warith Deen Mohammed passed away in 2008, but his legacy continues to have a profound impact on the Muslim community in America and around the world. He is remembered as a visionary leader who worked tirelessly to promote unity, understanding, and peace.

Publications by Imam W.D. Mohammed can be purchased online from W. Deen Mohammed Publications. Listen to lectures by Imam W.D. Mohammed online at New Africa Radio. 

W. D. Muhammed and Malcolm X Photo Courtesy of Duke University
The Original Logo Courtesy of Masjid Al-Mu’minun