Louis Farrakhan’s eldest son dies in Arizona

The eldest son of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan died in Phoenix on Saturday at the age of 60.

Louis Farrakhan Jr. had a heart condition and he “passed peacefully in his sleep at the family home,” according to a statement from the Nation of Islam.

“We thank Allah (God) for the life of Louis Jr., and 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 read. “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.”

Louis Jr. was one of nine children of Minister Louis Farrakhan and his wife, NOI first lady Khadijah Farrakhan.

Services will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at Mosque Maryam at 7351 S. Stony Island.

The Nation of Islam has espoused black nationalism and self-reliance since the 1930s, but the elder Farrakhan has been known for provocative comments considered anti-Semitic or against the U.S. government.

In 2001, Farrakhan Jr. pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic battery for hitting his pregnant wife with a metal serving tray, the Chicago Sun-Times reported at the time. She received stitches on her forehead in the February incident.

Contributing: AP