The UnIslamic Nation of Islam
cause an immense number of responses in any situation. To some, this organization
symbolizes blatant racism. To others, it is seen as a savior of the black community.
Regardless of one's opinion of the Nation, though, the differences between
Al-Islam(traditional Islam) and the beliefs of the Nation cannot be denied. The Nation of
Islam is a social movement. This social movement is undoubtedly rooted in religion, and
its principles are derived from those of traditional Islam, but their basic philosophies are
so strikingly different that the Nation of Islam cannot be considered Islamic. In 1930, the
Nation was founded by an African immigrant who called himself Wallace D. Fard
Muhammad. He stated that his mission was to take "the black nation to the full range of
the black man's possibilities in aworld temporarily dominated by the blue-eyed
devils"(http://www.forerunner.com/foreruner/X0065_Nation_of_Islam.html). This
philosphy was carried on to the next leader of the Nation, Elijah Muhammad, and
eventually to the current leader, Louis Farrakhan. The Nation was founded as a black
organization, and has remained as such. Islam, on the other hand, is all encompassing.
The first, and most astonishing, difference between the Nation and traditional Islam is the
role of race in the church's philosophy. the Nation's philosophy clearly states that, "We
believe that intermarriage and race mixing should be prohibitted (www.noi.org/
program.html)". The traditional wording of the Koran, however, states that diversity in
race is one of Allah's greatest creations(Koran, 30.22). The Nation of Islam restricts its
membersip to those who are black. the beliefs of traditional Islam, however, state that all
persons are born Muslim, and that "every person is endowed by Allah with the spiritual
potential and intellectual inclination that can make him a good Muslim.(4) The Islamic
church ignores the issue of race when examining one's spiritual purity. Rather, It is the
spirit itself which defines a Muslim. Traditional Muslims and members of the Nation of
Islam also differ in their definition of what it means to be Muslim. The belief in Islam is
defined by five Pillars: shahada(the belief in only one Allah), salah(prayer),
zakuh(obligatory charity), sawm(fasting), and hajj(pilgrimage)
(www_leland.stanford.edu/group/Thinker/v2/v2n3/Saudi.html). Of these Five Pillars, the
Nation of Islam requires none of its members. The shahada is rejected by the Nation
because it belives that Wallace D. Fard Muhammad was Allah incarate. (noi.index)
Salah, or the five daily prayers in the direction of Mecca, are also not required of
members of the Nation(coolguy). Zakuh is rejected by the nation, as it believes charity is
a "way to benefit the dominant classes of the culture.(coolguy). Sawm is also not
Pement, Eric. “Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam: Part One.” Cornerstone. 1997, vol. 26, issue 111, p. 10-16, 20. < http://answering-islam.org.uk/NoI/>.
Race and religion are two concepts in American culture that can really tie people together, or clearly separate them apart. A group forged by strong common roots in both race and religion can be a powerful societal force, if it wants to be. The Nation of Islam is a small but growing religion in America that has become somewhat of a social movement because of its strong and radical ideas on race. In this paper, I will try to explore the beliefs of the Nation of Islam, and the ramifications it could and has had on racial relations in America. The Nation of Islam, or NOI, is a relatively new religion. The first temple of Islam was established in Detroit by Master Fard Muhammed in 1930. Much of the theology was based on the simple facts that: "Allah is god, the white man is the devil, and the so-called Negroes are the Asiatic black people, the cream of the earth."(1) And, in accordance with their bizarre view of creation, involving a mad scientist creating the white race from the black race, the twentieth century represents the time for black people to regain their rightful position as god¹s chosen people. (1) The Nation of Islam was spawned from Orthodox Islam, an age-old religion. However, Orthodox Islam has openly denounced the NOI as a heretic sect for three main reasons: the NOI¹s rejection of the belief in an afterlife, its tendency to view human leaders as deified figures, and its strong racist attitudes. (2) For a brief time, during the seventies, Wallace Deen Muhammed became the leader of the NOI and tried to take it in a new direction, more conforming to "true Islamic beliefs." This group is now called the American Muslim Mission and still exists in small numbers today. (1) ...
Islam culture in a way that was not seen in JudeoChristian ones. ( Murray 91). The
similarity is they all three believe Jesus was a real person. Muslim’s believe that Jesus was a
Of the several organizations that brought African Americans together during the 60’s were the Black Muslims. During this time, the Black Muslims preached hatred towards the “white devils” saying that the white man was doomed to failure. They also preached liberation from the white man and freedom from conformity of racial stereotypes. Along with fighting to stray away from these typecasts, the Black Muslims addressed self-help and promoted black business. Although the cry for a separate territory was never heard, one predominant voice stood out.
Islam is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion alongside Judaism and Christianity. It is currently the second largest religion in the world today. Its beliefs come from the Qur'an which literally means "the recitation" which is believed to be a literal transcription of the word of God. Its main prophet is named Muhammad who began Islam by speaking with the angel Gabriel in a cave during his meditation and then acting as an instrument of God to help write the Qur’an. Muhammad then spread Islam to the scattered tribes of Arabia by becoming the leader of Yathrib and using his wonderful leadership abilities to then grow his influence over virtually all of Arabia. Muhammad is known by Muslims to be the seal of the profits because no profits after Muhammad should be considered legitimate. Muhammad also left behind the Hadith or “tradition” which is a collection of writings compiled of reports of Muhammad’s actions as leader of Yathrib. These reports are used as a more specific code of ethics in day to day life and from these reports the 5 Pillars of Islam are derived (Smith 160). Although Islam shares many similarities to Judaism and Christianity it is often viewed in the US with hate derived from preconceived notions following the attack on September 11th 2001. This paper seeks to provide an overview of Islam’s history as well as its two major sects and 5 main pillars to remove preconceived notions and provide a glance into the minds of the Islamic people.
Marsh, Clifton E. From Black Muslims to Muslims: The Resurrection, Transformation, and Change of the Lost-Found Nation of Islam in America, 1930-1995. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1996.
The Nation of Islam, which Malcolm X was an important member of, is not a religious organization as the name suggests but rather an organization whose goal was to make the lives of African Americans better instead of actually teaching the proper ethics of Islam. One of the main objectives of this organization was Black Nationalism, through which Black leaders can control the areas where there is a majority of African Americans. This cause was greatl...
Although both Christianity and Islam have similarities one big belief sets them apart greatly, the belief of Jesus Christ. Now, both believe that Jesus Christ was at one time alive and both believe that he was a sinless man. However, Christianity believes that not only was Jesus a sinless man but he was fully man and fully God. Islam, on the other hand, believes that Jesus was a great prophet, but nonetheless he was just a man. Christianity also believes that Jesus Christ died for their sins and that through faith in Jesus Christ alone will promise you eternal life in
The Nation of Islam, during the 60’s, was one of the forerunners for African American unity. They strove for a separate black community. They wanted to be completely separated from the white community only because, according to their beliefs, white people were all devils. Elijah Muhammad being influenced by many people and factors in his life led the Nation of Islam to the point where many blacks started to look toward Islam as a way out. The Nation provided an escape from the harsh racial treatment and discrimination that was going on during the time.
Centered around revelations of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam was founded thousands of years ago. According to Mary Fisher, author of Living Religions, followers of Islam are commonly referred to as Muslims (Fisher, 2008 p. 381). Very similar to the structures of both Christianity and Judaism, Islam is a monotheistic religion, where worshipers believe in a single God, commonly referred to as Allah, according to Mary Fisher (Fisher, 2008 p. 386). In fact, many Muslims recognize some of the prophets from Judaism and Christianity, such as Moses and Jesus, as messengers of God, according to Mary Fisher
Judaism and Islam are known to be two of the main religions that are found throughout the world. They each have similar traits and many more differences. They both are monotheistic, which means they only believe in one god. Muslims worship the God called Allah, which means in Arabic “the God”. And Jews worship the god called Yahweh, which means the God of Israel. Their differences include their core beliefs, rituals, symbols, and history.
It is obvious that over time Whites have created a particular image that most people see when they think about what Jesus looks like. The most common idea of a picture of Jesus is Him having fair skin, blue eyes and long flowing dirty blond hair. Many people do not picture Jesus as a Black person might picture Him. In this alone, there is an implication of a specific stereotype on Jesus, which implies that His message does not apply to everyone. This is the reason why blacks are on a ‘quest’ for a Black messiah. White theology makes it seem as though God’s word is oriented toward white people and not black people. White theology is limited in its interpretation of the Christian faith as far as other races are concerned because Whites never conceived the “Black Jesus walking in the ghettos”. The tragedy of the interpretations of Jesus Christ is that in His name, the most ...
Islamic nation. As examples given earlier about modernization which includes nations such as Turkey and on the other side of the spectrum the practice of Islamic Shariah. As a final note, my main objective from this book review is to see Islam from the eye of Muslims and Non-Muslims alike.
The Shahadah, or testimony, is the first of the five pillars of Islam. In order to officially convert to Islam, it is required to recite the Shahadah three times, “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” This has been a practice within the Islamic faith for hundreds of years. Yet, even within the Islamic faith there are differing versions. Those who practice Shia Islam add, “and Ali is the friend of God” to the end of the Shahadah. This, among many other practices, is an example of the religious plurality that exists within the Islamic world. The Islamic world is home to a large and diversified religious community that, on the surface, seems homogenous in its religious practices. But many religious schools of jurisprudence, schools of theology, and other religious movements exist under the umbrella of Islam, these schools bring religious diversity to Islam that seek to meet the diverse needs and wants of the religious marketplace of the Islamic world. Though the United States is often used as the example to describe religious pluralism, there are many instances in the Islamic world that can even rival the plurality of the American religious market. The Muslim Brotherhood is a prime example of an Islamic organization that has become deeply entrenched in society. Through the extensive use of social services and extreme religious power, the Muslim Brotherhood has been able to enjoy a large membership base, devoted to their cause, and dedicated to its principles. Every year, many Muslims will embrace Sufi Islamic practices into their lives. The Islamic world is not an exception to the religious economies model and is, in fact, a very religiously diverse region of the world.