Messenger Muhammad Meets The Press

Reprinted from the February 4, 1972 issue of Muhammad Speaks Newspaper

Questions and answers compiled from an interview in the home of Messenger Elijah Muhammad, January 14, 1972

Question:  Mr. Muhammad, is it true that you are planning to build a new home for your family. I think right adjacent to your present home?

Muhammad:  It is true those houses are my homes.

Question: The press has evaluated the new homes at a half a million dollars.

Muhammad: I wish I had gotten off with that cheap price, but it is twice that much that these buildings are costing. All four of the homes cost a million dollars a little over a million dollars; about $2,230,000.

Question:  I was referring to a new home for yourself and your wife. Mr. Muhammad, that home, sometimes referred to as a mansion, the cost has been estimated to cost one half million dollars.

Muhammad: I think they are costing a little more for the house here on the corner.

Question:  There are reports that you are in the process of purchasing a large tract of land to build low income houses.

Muhammad:  We have some information from the authorities that they could supply us with an area now for about a hundred thousand, I do not know exactly. I have not gone into any serious questioning about it.

Question: Federal government or local government?

Muhammad: Local government, the city.

Question: How soon do you expect those to be built?

Muhammad:  I do not know. I have not went into seriously, these offers, but I hope to do so soon because we need them. My greatest desire on the South side is to build better homes for the Black Man on the South side Chicago. Again, my greatest desire is to put him up a hospital, which he sorely needs; he really needs a hospital. Again, the third, I would say, it is an educational center to teach him the knowledge of self.

The city has not approached me yet to sell me and my followers these houses. But, they have indirectly indicated this would be easy to do, if I wanted to get them for such purposes.

Question: Do you have a date in mind when you would like to begin construction of these one hundred single family homes?

Muhammad: We would like to go into that as soon as possible with the proper authorities.

Question:  Will you also try similar enterprises in other cities?

Muhammad: Yes, everywhere we are. This group in Baton Rouge, claiming to be Muslims, is there a known leader?

Question:  Do you know how many Muslims have been killed in the last few years, either by police or internal strife? Do you keep such a record?

Muhammad: We try, but I am not saying how many we have no record, today.

Question: You spoke earlier about police brutality. Were you suggesting that this was some kind of police plot? Or are you sure it was a splinter group?

Muhammad: Yes, we have been attacked and still are being attacked by the police department and there are some few of my followers who have been killed by the police department.

Question:  Do you feel that the police might have been responsible for what happened at Baton Rouge or on the West Coast?

Muhammad: I am not eager to say pro or con on this matter, because I do not have too much knowledge of it. But I do know, according to what has passed, that the police department down there could give you better knowledge than me.

Question: You indicate that the numbers of the Nation are increasing.  How do you feel about the fidelity that is coming from the individuals who are joining up with the Nation? Do you feel people are becoming more deeply involved or more deeply a part of the Nation of Islam, or do you think the numbers tend to spread things thin?

Muhammad: I think for the last year or so that we have increased in the registry of our people, with very good people. Their morals are good and they are trying now to increase themselves into better morals. Our natural Black people all over the country are trying to do that.

Question:   Have you designated a successor for yourself?

Messenger:  I do not do that. I cannot do that. I did not choose myself. God chose me and if He wants a successor, He will Choose that one.

Question:  By what means would someone come up?

Messenger:  I do not know that, because I do not believe there is one coming up. The work that I am doing, I don't think God needs one, because when man and God have come face to face, as the old saying goes, then that is the end of it. When we are face to face with God, that is the end of it and so what would another one do? There is nothing for him to do.

Question:   After you are gone, Mr. Muhammad, the Nation of Islam will continue to exist but how?

Messenger:  It will be a New Islam to what the old Orthodox Islam is, today. It will be altogether a New One.

Question: You mean your successor will preside over a New Islam?

Messenger:  There will be no successor. There is no need for a successor when a man has got the Divine truth and has brought you face to face with God.

Question:  How will your resources be administered?

Messenger:  That will be carried on by the Nation. After setting up the Nation on the right way, or right path, to take care of themselves, they do not need any more instruction on that. They will follow it as the Constitution of America has been followed.

Question:  Will it be run by local Mosques?

Messenger:  No, No, No. After this, the whole entire Nation of Black people will be governed Divinely and the government will be a Divine government and not something that is governed locally, like we have today. We will have a Divine government set up for us, and it will stand forever. We will not need any change.

Question:  What did you mean, "new, different from Orthodox?"

Messenger:  I meant just that. We have a New Islam coming up. The Old Islam was led by white people, white Muslims, but this one will not be. This Islam will be established and led by Black Muslims, only.

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