The End of an Era?

With Farrakhan Ill, the Nation of Islam Prepares for Change
By Darryl Fears and Hamil R. Harris - Washington Post Staff Writers

Nearly 30 years after Louis Farrakhan seized control of the Nation of Islam, the organization is preparing for a change at the top. The controversial minister is battling what he has described as a "life-threatening" illness -- painful swelling of the prostate that has left him more than 30 pounds underweight, dehydrated, anemic and unwilling to eat. Farrakhan, 73, recently relinquished his duties and turned control over to an executive panel of trusted lieutenants, exhorting them to move the Nation of Islam forward and prove that it is more than the charisma and influence of one man. See Complete Article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/21/AR2006102100337.html