Thousands attend Villa Park service to honor 'bridge' of Islam
Thousands of Muslims from around the nation came to Villa Park Thursday to pay respect to the life of a man they saw as a "bridge" between mainstream Islam and one of the most important outgrowths of the religion in the 20th century.
Religious leaders like Chicago's Louis Farrakhan and Brooklyn's Siraj Wahhaj were among an estimated 4,000 mourners who joined family, friends and supporters in a celebration of the life of Imam W. Deen Mohammed. Mohammed, 74, passed away Tuesday during the holy Islamic month of Ramadan.
Mohammed, a son of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad, emerged from the Nation of Islam but followed Malcolm X, who was moving toward traditional Islam when he was assassinated in 1965. When Mohammed's father died, he became the leader, broke off from his father's teachings and led hundreds of thousands of followers toward mainstream Islam.
Wahhaj was a follower of Elijah Mohammed when the Nation of Islam leader died. Soon after, Imam W. Deen Mohammed came to Wahhaj personally and led him toward the traditional interpretation of the faith.
"I became a true Muslim in 1975 when Imam Deen Mohammed became the leader," Wahhaj said."He had an unbelievable impact on me, and he is the bridge from the Nation of Islam to Orthodox Islam."
Muslims formed endless rows and came together in the mosque's lawn for Thursday's service.
"This was the largest (funeral prayer) ever prayed here at the Islamic Foundation," Islamic Foundation's Sheik Abdul Rahman Khan said. "We felt it was an honor for the Islamic Foundation to be the host for such a great event and to give the final rights to one of the greatest leaders of Islam in America."
While many admirers of Imam W. Deen Mohammed flew or drove in from all over the nation to attend his prayer service, area residents also made a point to participate in the historic event.
Rabya Khan, formerly of Oak Brook, said Mohammed's a role model and represents a symbol of hope.
"He's an example of someone who has been born and raised in America, who's always had the background of Islam in his family," she said. "But he's also able to reach out to people of all different faiths and backgrounds, and make the national Muslim community bigger and better."
Sadaf Syed of Willowbrook noticed license plates from many different states and felt the harmony Thursday.
"It's sad we lost somebody so knowledgeable and somebody who drove people to Islam," she said.
Kazim Mohammed of Des Planes was one of many young Muslim Americans who attended the service.
"I came to pay my respects to the man who's the leader of the largest Muslim group in America," he said.
Khan agreed.
"I think it's a blessing for us to gather and remember such a wonderful person who had such a tremendous influence on the American Muslim community," she said.
After the prayer service, family and close friends proceeded to the interment at Mt. Glenwood Cemetery in Glenwood.
There also will be a unity Friday prayer at 1 p.m. at Homewood Hotel, 17400 S. Halsted St. in Homewood, and a community memorial service at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Regal Theatre, 79th and Stony Island Ave. in Chicago.