Nation of Islam

General information:
-The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a religious and political organization founded in the 1930’s in the
United States by a certain Wallace Fard Muhammad.
-The radical black nationalist group is focused around the idea that the entirety of the non-white race is
divine and white people are literal devils.
-Their symbol is a Islamic sickle moon with a star and the letters “J” (Justice),”F” (Freedom),”E”
(Equality) and “I” (Islam) in each corner.

Their believes:
-Allah (God) himself is a black man since he represents the dark nothingness from which the universe
itself has emerged.
-Unlike Sunni or Shia Muslims, the NOI don’t believe in an afterlife and a materialistic. This goes so
far that they don’t believe that Allah is immortal. There are multiple gods which all inherit their
powers from the death of the previous one. The earliest example of a NOI God is the founder Fard
Muhammad.
-The original humans were Arabic dark-skinned people who lived in the area around the Nile Valley
and the holy city of Mecca (according to them the only holy place on earth).
-According to the Nation the white race was formed by a prodigy scientist named “Yakub”.
-Yakub created a white homunculus which, unlike the black race*, was not divine and therefore prone
to lying, violence and brutality.
-Allah then sent a prophet, Moses, as well as Jesus of Nazareth to “civilise” the white race. Allah then
permitted the white race to rule the earth for 6000 years.
-Allah allowed this to happen in order for the black race to discover the inherent potential for evil
within man and how to overcome it to become gods.

Criticism:
-The Nation faced accusations of “theological prejudice
against white people” all the time (as well as
antisemitism). The most famous member of the
organisation, Malcolm X, even praised Hitler as “a very
great man”.
-In 1961 the Nation even co-operated with the American
Nazi Party (ANP). The Leader, George Lincoln
Rockwell, was quite fond of Malcolm X and his
segregationist ideas. (I am not kidding, white-
supremacists did in fact work together with black-
supremacists). Both groups believed their race could
only thrive in separated countries.
-Their connections to anti-sematic and supremacist groups gave them the nickname “the black nazis”.

*NOTE: „Black race“ does not imply only people of African descent. It includes all “people of
colour”. Therefore “yellow” “red” and “brown” people are all part of the divine race. The only
exception is the western white race (i.e. people of European descent)
History:
-Islam was already a spread-out religion in the New World due to African Muslims being brought on
the continent by the Spanish. And although Islam as a religion almost died out in the African-
American community, the religion offered a form of black identity which helped in the fight for equal
rights.
-The founder of the NOI, Fard Muhammad, claimed to be a Saudi Arabian theologist on a mission to
emancipate the African-Americans. However, his true identity is very disputed since there are finger
prints which connect him to a drug dealer named “Willie D. Ford”.
-He appeared in July of 1930 in Detroit and quickly gathered a large following of 7000-8000 people.
-His organisation grew and grew and he was able to open schools, mosques and even form his own
paramilitary wing the so called “Fruits of Islam”.
-His views and theology were heavily inspired by the Pan-African Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey.
-In 1931 a certain Elijah Poole joined the NOI.
-In 1933 after a series of arrests and murders surrounding the NOI occurred, Fard Muhammad
suddenly disappeared.
-Elijah declared that Fard was Allah himself and has disappeared into his own realm with “Elijah
Muhammed” staying as his messenger.
-During the Second World War the NOI was monitored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
because of their pro-Japanese sentiments.
-After WW2 the organisation gained new impetus by the accession of famous human rights activist
Malcolm Little (later Malcolm X, the X was given him by Elijah personally).
-Another famous member was Cassius Clay (nowadays known by the name “Muhammad Ali”) who
received significant criticism after joining in 1961.
-In March of 1964 Malcolm X left the NOI after a hajj (Islamic pilgrimage) to Mecca and meeting
white Muslims which shifted him from his previous hostility towards white people. Malcolm started
denouncing Elijah for his extramarital affairs which lead to his exit.
-In February of 1965 he was assassinated by three NOI members which lead to the decline of the
group and its popularity among the African-American community.
-After shifting more and more into Sunni Islam due to Elijahs death and his son taking over, the NOI
was eventually renamed twice and then disbanded in 1985.
-A former NOI Harlem temple minister called Louis Farrakh revived the group in 1977 and it still
exists to this day.
-Under Farrakh the NOI re-established itself with Elijahs ideals and believes, strictly denouncing his
successor as a traitor.