Moorish Science Temple of America

Political Philosophy

As a nationalist organization, the temple membership places great emphasis on identifying themselves specifically as Moors and Moorish. Although the members reject the use of the word black to describe them, nothing in the official literature instructs them to reject Africanity. They avoid describing themselves as black because they understand that the term black has no international recognition as an actual nationality connected to a nation and government. Moorish Americans also point to the negative meanings primarily associated with the term black in the English language. Although the membership does not directly assert an understanding of the ancient Kemetic concept of Nommo (the power of the spoken word), they adhere to the concept's basic principles by refusing to identify with the pejorative Eurocentric designates of black, Negro, and colored. The temple membership believes that in doing so they are spiritually, politically, and psychologically empowered.

Teachings

The official teachings declare that Moorish Americans are to “propagate the faith… and to establish the faith of Mohammed in America.” But Moorish Science Temple Muslims do not practice religious orthodoxy. MSTA Islam submits to Allah via adherence to a [Page 342]simplified spiritual creed. Moorish Scientists, as they call themselves, are taught to maintain love, truth, peace, freedom, and justice. Temple members are taught to engage the world with these spiritual principles in this order, with love being first and justice being last. Moorish Muslims are more concerned with following the basic spiritual principles than they are with following the more orthodox practices associated with the religion of Islam. In fact, Ali called Moorish Science “Islamism” to distinguish it from the Islamic religion.

Ali represents a homegrown teacher whose teachings are seen as having direct relevance to the African's peculiar conditions in the Americas, as evidenced by the fluid approach to the ritualized practice of spiritual laws. Nevertheless, his teachings are closely related to Sufism and to the Marabout and Murid Islamic Orders of Africa, in that they follow the basic elements of Islamic cosmology while remaining regionally centered and drawing their key guides and venerated ancestors from their own immediate community and unique history.

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