Islam, Nation of

Origins

Many of the beliefs and rituals of the Nation of Islam can be traced to the Moorish Science Temple of America (MSTA), which was founded in 1913 by Noble Drew Ali in Newark, New Jersey. Claiming to be an Islamic prophet, Ali foretold the destruction of white society and advocated black separatism.

Ali's MSTA had very little in common with the orthodox Islamic religion, but it adopted several Islamic-like features, including the use of Arabic names and the prohibition of eating pork. When Ali died in 1929, the organization had a few thousand followers in northern cities, but it was fractured by fierce rivalries among its leaders.

In 1930, the leader of one faction, Wallace D. Fard, a light-skinned door-to-door silk salesman who was probably from Pakistan, founded the Allah Temple of Islam (ATI) in Detroit. While keeping many MSTA symbols and teachings, Fard added new elements, including the doctrine that whites are devils created by an evil black scientist named Dr. Yakub.

Fard announced that he himself was the promised Messiah whose mission was to restore the greatness of African Americans, who belonged to an ancient tribe called Shabazz. One of his early disciples, Elijah Poole, who later changed his name to Elijah Muhammad, introduced a new doctrine—that Fard was actually Allah (or God). Although contrary to traditional Islamic teachings, Fard nevertheless endorsed the idea. In about 1931, Fard wrote Teachings for the Lost-Found Nation of Islam, a question-and-answer summary of his religious doctrines.

Public officials in Detroit were dismayed to learn of Fard's militant teachings that called whites a race of devils. In 1933, a ritualistic murder by an unstable member of the group provided the police with a rationale for arresting Fard and other ATI leaders. To avoid prosecution, Fard agreed to leave Detroit and to shut down the temple, which by then had about 10,000 members. However, Fard tricked the police by changing the group's name to the Nation of Islam. At the same time, he established a paramilitary force called the [Page 454]Fruit of Islam. After moving to Chicago in 1934, Fard mysteriously disappeared.

Era of Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X

With Fard out of the way, the most prominent NOI leader was Elijah Muhammad, called Allah's Messenger. Fearing his rivals, Muhammad moved his headquarters from Detroit to Chicago, where he established Temple of Islam No. 2. Although not an eloquent speaker, Muhammad spoke with great conviction, and his message resonated with many people, especially those who were poor and oppressed. He emphasized black solidarity, racial dignity, racial separation, hard work, self-defense, strict morality, and strong family units, with the husband the head of the family. His explanations about Fard's divinity and the demonic origin of whites presented a persuasive explanation for black suffering and provided hope for a better future. When Elijah Muhammad was imprisoned in 1942 for refusal to register for the draft, his incarceration rallied the members and brought additional publicity for the Nation of Islam.

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