Masjid Muhammad

OUR HISTORY
A Short History of Masjid Muhammad “The Nation’s Masjid”
Dating back to the mid 1930s, Masjid Muhammad, The Nation’s Mosque® (of America) is representative of the oldest established Muslim community in the Nation’s Capital and America. This community established the first Mosque to be built from the ground up in America’s capital city by its citizens, and the first in America by descendants of enslaved, African Americans and African-Muslims. Also called, “The Nation’s Masjid (Mosque)” or “Washington Masjid”, is the place of worship for several thousand Muslims in the Washington, D.C. area. Every Friday, near midday when the traditional “Adhan” (call to prayer) is heard there, hundreds gather to offer praise and thanks to Allah (G-d) and listen to the Imam deliver a meaningful, inspiring khutbah (sermon). This is the Jumua’h service, the Muslim’s congregational worship, as commanded by Allah in the Holy Quran and as has been practiced in the world for more than 1400 years.
When the Hon. Elijah Muhammad passed in 1975, his son, Warith Deen Mohammed inherited, and confirmed with overwhelming majority support, the leadership of the Nation of Islam. He began to implement far-reaching changes, both physical and spiritual in nature. Temple No. 4 or Mosque No. 4, then under Dr. Lonnie Shabazz (Abdul Alim Shabazz), was renamed the Washington Masjid. The word “Masjid” was introduced, meaning a place of prostration and worship. Other changes included removing most of the seating to permit worship in the traditional Islamic manner, dissolution of the militaristic Fruit of Islam, called “FOI”, which had been initiated in response to the hostility which the early Muslims in America had encountered, and admission of Caucasians into the community. Essentially, under the leadership of the late Imam W.D. Mohammed, Masjid Muhammad, as hoped by his father Elijah, transitioned from a nationalist presentation of Islam into the mainstream practice of proper universal Islam following the Quran and the life example of Prophet Muhammad of over 1400 years ago.
Most important, however, were the spiritual changes. Khalil Abdel-Alim (raa) was appointed the first (Resident) Imam by W.D. Mohammed in 1975. With him came a new spirit of Islam into the community, based upon the pure teachings of the Holy Quran. The allegorical and symbolic teachings of the Nation of Islam were transformed into direct guidance based upon the revealed words of Allah. A policy of truthfulness and openness was implemented; lines of communication were established not only with other Muslim communities in Washington, D.C., but with sincere Christian and Jewish groups. It was during the period of the late 1970s, Masjid Muhammad became the leader in interfaith relationships and it continues to be a significant faith community partner today, as well as a bridge builder to help the cultural and religious divide.