Nation of Islam Has Been

Nation of Islam has been one of the most important religions for African-Americans. The Nation of Islam is also a significant political and social movement in the African-American community. Wallace Dodd Fard founded the Nation of Islam in 1930 Detroit. Fard was a "mysterious peddler and purported ex-convict" who "delivered an important message to African-Americans in the midst of the Great Depression," (Curtis 2). That message would become the foundation for the Nation of Islam. W.D. Fard had claimed to be from Mecca, the holy city of Islam (Curtis). However, no evidence exists that suggests where Fard was actually born (Curtis). W.D. Fard changed his name to Farad Muhammad because he identified with the religion of Islam. Farad Muhammad believed that all African-Americans came from an Islamic heritage and should embrace their true identities. Although Farad Muhammad had an incorrect picture of African-American history, he inspired his fellow African-Americans to question the Christian culture that had oppressed them for so long. The Nation of Islam is a spiritual, social, and political movement that empowers African-Americans.

Farad Muhammad disappeared from Detroit soon after he founded what he called the "Lost-Found Nation of Islam in the Wilderness of North America," (Curtis 2). After he left, one of his followers became the new head of the organization. That person was named Elijah Poole. Poole was from Georgia but moved to Detroit in 1923. He was running from the law and was also being watched by the federal government, because Poole was suspected of anti-American activities. He may even have sympathized with the Japanese Empire during World War Two and was convicted for evading the draft (Curtis 2). Therefore, Elijah Poole was attracted to the philosophy of Farad Muhammad and the concept of the Nation of Islam.

When he met Farad Muhammad, Elijah Poole became devoted to his teachings and became Farad Muhammad's chief assistant (Curtis 2). Elijah Poole became known as Elijah Muhammad in 1931. Elijah Muhammad would become the key figure in the Nation of Islam until Louis Farrakhan. Elijah Muhammad believed that Farad Muhammad was a Messenger of God (Gardell 6). Some sources suggest that Elijah Muhammad believed that Farad Muhammad was actually Allah incarnated (Curtis; "Nation of Islam").

Elijah Muhammad built the religion that was started by Farad Muhammad. By 1935, Elijah Muhammad was preaching the message of the Nation of Islam across the United States ("Nation of Islam"). In addition to the religious message of Islam, Elijah Muhammad also preached about racial politics. Farad Muhammad had taught about "the original black Asiatic man" (Gardell 13). Farad Muhammad also taught that people of color should be considered different from whites because they were descendents of the "ancient tribe of Shabazz that had originally settled the holy city of Mecca," ("Nation of Islam"). Islam was therefore the one true religion for anyone of African decent, according to Farad Muhammad. The founder of the Nation of Islam as well as Elijah Muhammad therefore believed that African-American people should embrace as a matter of cultural pride and ethnic identity.

The Nation of Islam has since been as much about culture, ethnicity, and politics as about religion. In some ways, Islam is not as important to the Nation of Islam as Nation is. The concept of nation is "an imagined community of people founded on selected criteria," (Gardell 8). Religion and race are the two criteria that the Nation of Islam uses to define its community. According to Curtis, Elijah Muhammad turned the Nation of Islam into a "black nationalist organization committed to racial separatism and ethnic pride," (2). Another reason why the Nation of Islam appears to be more about black nationalism and ethnic pride than about religion is that members of prominent African-American Christian organizations "work cooperatively with Black Muslims," (DeCaro 4).