The Nation of Islam
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Transcript The Nation of Islam
THE NATION OF ISLAM.
Amanda
Royer, Andrew
Weissmann,
Lauren
Wathen
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
THE NATION’S BEGINNINGS
In 1930, W.D. Fard Muhammad, an African American man,
founded Temple No. 1 in Detroit
Fard’s followers called him Allah, God or The Great Mahdi
This new religion taught that Christianity, the “white man’s” religion,
was the teachings of the devil
Fard believed that a separate African- American homestead was
needed in America
This “nation” was to be a “nation within a nation”
Fard disappeared in 1934 and Elijah Muhammad, a leader of
another temple in Chicago, took the leadership position of the
Nation of Islam
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
Elijah Muhammad continued to spread the message Fard
started
Elijah was called the Messenger of Allah and Holy Prophet
The Nation of Islam expanded to the North under the Elijah’s
leadership
Under Elijah’s leadership, the Nation of Islam consisted of
mostly poor, urban African Americans
Members of the society were required to live a moral life
Moral life- no smoking, no drinking, treating members of their family and
neighborhoods with respect, holding a steady job and staying off
government assistance
MALCOM X
Around the 1960s, Malcom X made a pilgrimage to Mecca and
met Muslims from every race and background
Before Elijah was killed by a group of rivals of the Nation of Islam,
Malcom X challenged the beliefs of Elijah
In 1975, Elijah Muhammad’s son, Wallace D. Muhammad
agreed with Malcom X
The beliefs of the Nation of Islam were changed to reflect a more
universal, orthodox Islam
WALLACE D. MUHAMMAD
After becoming leader of the Nation of Islam, Wallace
changed his name to Warith Din Muhammad
Warith brought the Nation of Islam into union with Sunni Islam
Warith made many other changes in the Nation of Islam
The 5 Pillars of Islam were enforced
Temples were renamed mosques
Non- African American people were allowed to worship
A group led by Louis Farrakhan did not agree with Warith’s
apology
This group separated from the majority and started their own sect
LOUIS FARRAKHAN
Louis purchased the main temple of the Nation of Islam
This temple gave Louis a power base to work from
Louis gained popularity quickly
Some people felt betrayed by Warith after he allowed many changes
into the Nation of Islam
Louis believed that race problems in the United States were a
problem faced by all American citizens
INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN THE NATION
W. D. Fard Muhammad
• Founded the Nation
in 1903
• Believed that African
American Muslims
needed a special
group in America
• Disappeared in 1934
Elijah Muhammad
• Took over the Nation
in 1934 after Fard
• Was called the
“Messenger of Allah”
and “Holy Prophet”
• Required members
to live moral lives
Warith Din Muhammad
Louis Farrakhan
• Became leader and
changed his name
• Enforced the 5
pillars, called
temples mosques,
allowed non-African
American to worship
• Purchased the Main
Temple of Islam
• Allowed many
changes into the
Nation of Islam
• Believed that the
problems in America
faced by one person
were problems faced
by all people
• Follow him on Twitter
@LouisFarrakhan
BELIEFS AND
PRACTICES
BASIC BELIEFS
The Nation of Islam believe in the oneness of God
They follow both the Qur'an and the Bible
There will be resurrection of the dead, but not in the
physical sense, instead they will be resurrected in the
mental sense
The Nation believes that African Americans are God’s
Chosen People
They should not participate in wars
Allah appeared in W.D. Fard Muhammad
SACRED TIMES
There are 2 Savior’s Day Celebrations
Savior’s Day (February 26)- held to celebrate the
birth of their founder W.D. Fard Muhammad
This year was their 84 th year celebrating this holiday
Savior’s Day (October 7)- started in 1985, this
holiday celebrates Elijah Muhammad’s birthday;
most people did not know W. Fard Muhammad
and have been transformed by Elijah Muhammad
SACRED ITEMS
The Bible
The Bible has been tainted and misinterpreted, in
order to gain truth the Bible must be reinterpreted
The Qu’ran
Prayer Rug
Lapel Pin
Small pin worn on a jacket to signify allegiance to the
religion
Kufi (solid color only)
Muslim “skull cap”
SACRED ITEMS
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMITTANCE
There are 2 requirements for entry into the
Nation of Islam
Must submit themselves to the beliefs of the
Nation of Islam
Must submit a basic pledge card to the
processing part of the National Center
Names of members must be written in the
“Lamb’s Book of Life”
NATION OF ISLAM VS
ISLAM
IN COMPARISON
Nation of Islam
Believe that Elijah
Muhammad is a true
prophet
Wallace Fard Muhammad is
Allah on Earth
Believe that African
Americans are God’s
Chosen People
Black supremacy
White domination is considered
the devil
Blacks are on the same level
as Allah
Islam
The Nation of Islam is
not considered to be
part of Islam
Believe that
Muhammad was the
last prophet
Religion open to all
people
Men are never on par
with God
IN COMPARISON…
Nation of Islam
Newer religion founded
in 1930
Believe in the Myth of
Yakub which states that
white people were
made not by God, but
by a black scientist
Exists primarily in North
America
Islam
Older religion founded
in 622
God made ALL people
Exists throughout the
world on every
continent; widespread
WORKS CITED
"AsSalaam Alaikum - Welcome to Nation of Islam - Settlement
No. 1 ." AsSalaam Alaikum - Welcome to Nation of Islam Settlement No. 1 . Nation of Islam, n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.
"Chart: Nation of Islam and Traditional Islam." Beliefnet. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.
Clemmons SNJM, Nancy. Exploring the Religions of Our World.
Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2008. Print.
Julita. "Dif ference Between Islam and the Nation of
Islam." Dif ferenceBetween.net. May 19, 2011
"Re: Yakub: The Scientist That Created the White Man." Web
log comment. - History Forum ~ All Empires. N.p., n.d. Web.
13 Mar. 2014.