Amanda Royer, Andrew Weissmann, Lauren Wathen

THE NATION OF ISLAM.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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

THE NATION’S BEGINNINGS

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

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD

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

MALCOM X

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

WALLACE D. MUHAMMAD

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

LOUIS FARRAKHAN

INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN THE NATION

W. D. Fard Muhammad Elijah Muhammad

Warith Din Muhammad Louis Farrakhan• Founded the

Nation in 1903• Believed that

African American Muslims needed a special group in America

• Disappeared in 1934

• Took over the Nation in 1934 after Fard

• Was called the “Messenger of Allah” and “Holy Prophet”

• Required members to live moral lives

• 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

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 warsAllah appeared in W.D. Fard Muhammad

BASIC BELIEFS

There are 2 Savior’s Day CelebrationsSavior’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 TIMES

The BibleThe Bible has been tainted and misinterpreted, in order to gain truth the Bible must be reinterpreted

The Qu’ranPrayer RugLapel Pin

Small pin worn on a jacket to signify allegiance to the religion

Kufi (solid color only)Muslim “skull cap”

SACRED ITEMS

SACRED ITEMS

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”

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMITTANCE

NATION OF ISLAM VS ISLAM

Nation of IslamBelieve 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

IslamThe 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 IslamNewer religion

founded in 1930Believe 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 622God made ALL

peopleExists throughout

the world on every continent; widespread

IN COMPARISON…

"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. "Difference Between Islam and the Nation of Islam." DifferenceBetween.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.

WORKS CITED