The Final Call | National News

Faith, focus and determination

By Mahalieka Muhammad | Last updated: Oct 29, 2015 - 11:17:34 AM

What's your opinion on this article?

Less than a year after donating kidney, Muslim woman runs marathon Nadirah celebrates after finishing her race. Photos: Ahmad Wadud Muhammad

DETROIT - The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam teaches that “A woman shall rise as high as her God-given gifts and talents allow her in her own interest and in the interest of her Nation within the framework of the Laws of Islam.”

Nadirah Muhammad of Detroit embodies these qualities and desired to register to run with the 3:30 Pace Team at the Detroit Free Press Talmer Bank Marathon on Sunday, October 18. Ms. Muhammad previously trained and ran a few marathons, but what makes this race so special is that she ran it less than a year after donating a kidney. Ms. Muhammad, a Muslim, donated a kidney to her Christian student, Aja Booth in December, 2014.

Download PDF

“I shared with Aja that I was training for the marathon and she stated that she wanted to run with me one day. I said ‘OK, only if she could keep up!, Ms. Muhammad said laughing. Her family was very supportive of her decision to run the 26 mile marathon. “They had no concerns because I am in excellent health. My physician told me after I recovered from surgery I should ease back slowly exercising. By 2-3 months post-surgery, I was back to my normal workout routine. I followed my doctor’s orders and am confident she would support my decision to run,” she explained.

A decade earlier while competing in the same race, Ms. Muhammad was slowed by a nagging knee injury and wanted to run again to achieve her goal of completing it in three hours and 30 minutes, she said.

Although she did not meet her time goal, she did complete the race in five hours and was greeted at the finish line by friends and family, including her husband Durand and son Tariq. Ms. Muhammad overcame obstacles of cold temperatures as well as a flare up of a sore knee but she was determined.

“I was doing fine when the race began, despite the bitter cold, at mile eight. When I was in the Windsor tunnel my knee started to hurt a little and by mile nine it was hurting extremely and I knew I would not finish in 3 hours and 30 minutes. My goal became to finish and I would be happy with my time,” she said. For the remainder of the race she alternated between walking and jogging and repeated the mantra, ‘Slow and steady wins the race’.

“I called on Allah, said a prayer and ‘Allah-U-Akbar!’ (God is the Greatest) various times throughout the marathon. I turned on Pandora, called my family, and just enjoyed the experience. I knew this was going to be my last marathon so I soaked up the scenery and beauty of various neighborhoods in Detroit,” she added.

After thinking she should maybe give up, Ms. Muhammad thought about all the support she was receiving from family, friends, Muhammad Mosque No. 1 in Detroit, and the school where she teaches. “I didn’t want to let any one of them down by quitting so I kept going, feeling accomplished as I passed another mile. We are our worst enemy and I knew everyone would be pleased that I finished so that made me feel better. Plus M.G.T. (women) can do all things but fail so quitting was never an option; it was just a passing thought. No guts, no glory!”

Nadirah Muhammad, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and her mother Karriemah Muhammad. Photo: Haroon Rajaee

Ms. Muhammad thanked the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Mother Khadijah Farrakhan and their family for continuously loving and supporting her in all of her endeavors, her parents Abdullah Muhammad and Sis. Captain Emeritus Karriemah Muhammad as well as her family and friends. “I was confident because after she fully recovered from the kidney donation, she eased back into her exercise regimen with no problems,” her father, Abdullah Muhammad said of his daughter.

“For Nadirah she is always doing something out of the ordinary,” said her mother Karriemah Muhammad when asked how she felt about her daughter running a marathon less than a year after donating a kidney. “How do I feel about Nadirah running in the marathon? That’s her. I don’t expect anything less,” her mother said proudly.