Louis Farrakhan reveals illness

[J Bananas]

The leader of the American Muslim organisation Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan, says he is seriously ill.

In an open letter to members, the 73-year-old said he was suffering pain like that he had felt in 1998 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

He requested that his followers carry on with his movement after his death.

He supports African-Americans having their own nation and is regarded as one of the most controversial and charismatic African-Americans alive.

He has also been accused of being an anti-Semite.

He revealed his health problems in a letter on Friday to Nation of Islam members in its newspaper, the Final Call, in which he compared his health problems to those of Fidel Castro.

'Period of testing'

The letter, also published on Nation of Islam's website, goes into graphic detail about his fight against "serious pain".

He announces that he is "postponing indefinitely all engagements, meetings and appointments".

"In this period of testing, you can prove to the world that the Nation of Islam is more than the charisma, eloquence and personality of Louis Farrakhan," he said.

Lawrence Mamiya, a professor of religion and Africana studies at Vassar College, in Poughkeepsie, New York, said that Mr Farrakhan's death could strain the organisation.

"Through [its] history, the death of a leader has meant a number of divisions," he told The Associated Press.

[Sikotic™]

Those damn blue eyed devils did this! Let's riot. I'll hit em in the head with a brick and I'm dancin'!

[TraceOneInfinite]

This would be a serious blow to the advancement of African Americans.  Farrakhan is brilliant, and the world would be losing one of the few voices left that speaks truth to power on a national stage.

No doubt, somebody will probably take over leadership after Farakhan, although they may lack the same effectiveness as Farrakhan in the same way that Farrakhan lacked the effectiveness of Elijah Muhammad, and Elijah Muhammad lacked the effectiveness of Fard Muhammad. Also, there will most likely there will probably also be another splinter group.  Maybe something along the lines of the 5% Nation. 

W.D. Muhammad (son of Elijah) was the man who first took over after Elijah Muhammad died, and he took his followers into the universal practice of Islam.  Maybe the next leader after Farrakhan will do the same.  (Although that lead to Farrakhan splintering off and refounding the Nation 3 years later)  My hope is that alot of his members get absorbed into traditional, orthodox Islam, which is a very likely possibility because 2 million entered into mainstream Islam after Elijah Muhammad died.  Maybe before he dies he will tell all his followers that he was preparing them for entry into true Islam and that they can leave nationalism and shirk (associating partners with God) behind.

[J Bananas]

This would be a serious blow to the advancement of African Americans.  Farrakhan is brilliant, and the world would be losing one of the few voices left that speaks truth to power on a national stage.

right bryan because white people really respect louis farrakhan, well except for you. but a lot of youth molestation victims grow up to be psychos, you know all about that

[King Tech Quadafi]

right bryan because white people really respect louis farrakhan, well except for you. but a lot of youth molestation victims grow up to be psychos, you know all about that

i dont know about that. i mean c walkerr is stupid as shit but i dont see a psycho in him. could be wrong tho