IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL.

May 1, 2001

As-Salaam Alaikum.

(Peace Be Unto You)

To Mrs. Grace Sullivan, Hope Sullivan-Rose,

Family, Friends, and, Supporters of the

Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan,

I was deeply saddened when I heard of the passing of the Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan. I sat for a long time reflecting on him and the great work that Allah (God) had blessed him to do in his 78 years of life on the earth.

I loved and admired him greatly, and, I believe that we, as a people, have lost a great friend, a great champion, and, a great warrior against the forces of evil and division that work unceasingly to keep us divided, hateful and distrusting of our roots, and, our people in Africa and in other parts of the Diaspora.

When I think of the Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan, my soul cries out, "Blessed is the man or woman who finds his or her purpose in life."

Allah (God) created nothing without an aim and purpose. The saddest commentary on this world and its life of sport and play is that it has robbed the human family of its aim and purpose for existence on this earth. Therefore, most human beings are born, live, and, die without ever justifying their existence in the creation, thereby diminishing the meaning and value of their lives.

The Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan was a blessed man, for, he found his purpose and worked during his life to demonstrate the fact that he found his purpose for being. He leaves us the legacy of the justification of his existence.

He was kind to me, personally, as well as to the followers of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad when others hated us without just cause. He opened the doors of his great church in Philadelphia and allowed me the honor and privilege to speak to the people of Philadelphia from his pulpit, not only once, but, on several occasions.

I praise Allah (God) for his life and the value of his life. His life has given meaning and purpose to the lives of countless thousands and tens of thousands of human beings, particularly Black people, both here, as well as in Africa.

I was honored to be invited to the second African, African- American Summit held in Libreville, Gabon. He honored me even though I was being vilified in the media as anti-White, anti-Christian, anti-American, anti-Semetic, anti-Gay, anti-Catholic, yet, the Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan allowed me not only the privilege to speak to the many brothers, sisters, and, dignitaries that had gathered at the Summit, but, he allowed me the privilege to speak before the African Heads of State, Foreign Ministers and representatives of African Governments who were present.

In a world where greatness is measured by how many degrees one may possess, or by one’s material possessions, I knew the Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan as a man of principle and integrity. Very few persons in this world are measured by the goodness of their character, integrity, honesty, as well as their good work. Dr. Sullivan’s work with the Opportunities Industrialization Centers (OIC) of America and its nation wide training of young men and women to be able to fit into a growing industrial and technological society; his work to end apartheid in South Africa; his work with Corporate America to get them to open their doors to the gifted ones among us; his great preaching of the Gospel from his understanding of the Teachings of Jesus; his profound work in trying to bridge the gap between Africa and the sons and daughters of Africa in the Diaspora will probably prove to be the greatest legacy that he leaves us, and, the greatest challenge that he leaves those of us who will follow behind him.

It is a great honor to any person to follow behind his casket to its final resting place, because all of us who are living, who one day will pass from this earth, should want to be like he was, dying while living to fulfill the aim and purpose of our existence.

May Allah (God) lift the burden of grief from his wife, daughter, family, and, friends and replace it with joy and thanksgiving. Allah (God) allowed His Spirit to be present among us in this great vessel named, Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan.

I pray that his family and all of us who benefited from his work will honor him by carrying on the noble principles that he established making sure that the African, African-American Summit, of which he is the father will continue until Africa is one, and, all the children of Africa, wherever we are on the earth, will be as one.

There is a verse in the Holy Qur’an that reads, "Speak not of those who die or are slain in the Way of Allah (God) as dead. They are alive, but, you understand not."

There is no death for the Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan. The earth can only claim what belongs to it, but, the great work of Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan lives and so does he.

I Am Your Brother and Servant,

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan
Servant to the Lost-Found
Nation of Islam in the West

HMLF/sm