American Islamic leader dies

Imam W.D. Mohammed, who moved thousands of black Americans into mainstream Islam after breaking with his father’s Nation of Islam group, has died today, according to his nephew.

Sultan Muhammad confirmed his uncle’s death, but did not immediately offer details. He said the family planned to issue a statement later in the day.

The Cook County Medical Examiner said it received the body of a 74-year-old Wallace Mohammed today.

W.D. Mohammed, the son of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad, was known both as Warith Deen Mohammed and Wallace Muhammad. A post-mortem was planned for tomorrow.

When Elijah Muhammad died in 1975, his son was named leader of the Chicago-based Nation of Islam, which promoted self-reliance and black supremacy, a belief that mainstream Muslims consider heretical.

But W.D. Mohammed quickly abandoned that teaching and led the Nation toward orthodox Islam, emphasising the faith’s message of racial tolerance.

Minister Louis Farrakhan, who broke with W.D. Mohammed over the change, separately revived the old Nation of Islam.