Son Of Minister Louis Farrakhan Dies At Family Home In Arizona

Louis Farrakhan Jr., eldest son of the Nation of Islam leader, died in his sleep Saturday (June 2) at a family home in Phoenix, according to the organization and police.

Farrakhan Jr. was 60 and suffered from a heart condition, the Nation of Islam said in a news release. He was one of nine children of Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan, 85.

“We thank Allah (God) for the life of Louis Jr., his contribution to rise of black and oppressed people and for touching so many of us in a deep and very personal way,” the statement said.

“He worked alongside his father and family in fulfilling the mission of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam and his dedication and sacrifice to our cause will never be forgotten.”

When Farrakhan Jr. was not helping with his father’s cause, he enjoyed designing clothing and creating art, said Richard B. Muhammad, editor of the Nation of Islam’s newspaper.

“Louis Farrakhan Jr. was a very lively, warm person with a great sense of humor,” Muhammad said Monday. “It was really a joy to be with him.”

A spokeswoman for the Phoenix Police Department said officers responded to the Farrakhan residence about 9:30 p.m. Friday.

“There were no indications of foul play,” Sgt. Mercedes Fortune wrote in an email Monday (June 4).

Police said the medical examiner will determine a cause of death. The Maricopa County medical examiner’s office Monday could not locate information on the case.

The Nation of Islam is headquartered in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood.

In 2000, Farrakhan Jr. made headlines when he pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic battery after he was accused of hitting his pregnant wife with a metal serving tray at his home in south suburban Crete. At the time of his arrest, Farrakhan Jr. worked on various projects with the Nation of Islam but did not hold any posts with the organization.

Services will be Friday at 3 p.m. at Mosque Maryam, 7351 S. Stony Island Ave, according to a post on the elder Farrakhan’s Facebook page.