Nation of Islam

The Nation of Islam is a group in the United States.

It was started by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930. Many people in the group are Black. They want to build their own nation.

Elijah Muhammad led the group later. He helped the group grow into a big business. They have many rules for how to live. Members follow strict rules for food and clothes. Some people see them as a new kind of religion. It is a group with many different ideas.

Many people find their history very interesting.

The Nation of Islam is a religious group in the United States.

It was started in 1930 by Wallace Fard Muhammad. The group focuses on Black nationalism. This means they want Black people to have their own nation. They also want Black people to be able to support themselves.

Many people call it a new religious movement. The group uses many Islamic words. However, their beliefs are different from most Muslims. They believe that a series of gods have lived on Earth. They teach that Fard Muhammad was the most recent god.

After Fard Muhammad disappeared in 1934, Elijah Muhammad led the group. He built a large business empire. This included farms, factories, and banks. Later, Louis Farrakhan became a leader in 1977. The group has many rules for its members. They follow strict rules for food and dress. Members often meet in buildings called mosques. Some people have criticized the group's ideas. Other groups have called it a hate group. In 2007, it had about 50,000 members.

The Nation of Islam is a religious organization in the United States.

It is often called a new religious movement by scholars. The group focuses on Black nationalism and the African American community. They believe in the importance of being economically self-sufficient. This means they want Black people to own their own businesses.

The group also seeks to create an independent nation-state. Many people see it as a social movement as well. It provides an alternative identity for its members.

Members follow many specific rules in their daily lives. They are expected to live very disciplined lives. This includes following strict dress codes and dietary requirements.

Men and women have specific roles within the group. Some members belong to groups like the Fruit of Islam. Women may participate in the Muslim Girls Training School. They gather to worship in buildings called temples or mosques.

These buildings serve as centers for their community.

Wallace Fard Muhammad founded the Nation in Detroit in 1930.

He drew ideas from Garveyism and the Moorish Science Temple. He claimed to be on a mission to restore faith. After he disappeared in 1934, Elijah Muhammad took leadership. Elijah Muhammad grew the group into a large business empire. This included farms, factories, and even a small bank.

He taught that Fard Muhammad was the latest Allah. The group gained much attention in the 1950s and 1960s.

Famous people like Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali were members.

Following Elijah Muhammad's death in 1975, his son took over. He moved the group toward Sunni Islam. Later, Louis Farrakhan led a re-established Nation in 1977. He expanded their farms and economic work. By 2007, it was estimated they had 50,000 members. The group has also influenced other groups like the Five-Percent Nation.

The Nation uses many Islamic terms and practices. They use the Arabic language and pray five times a day. However, their beliefs differ from mainstream Islam. Many Muslims believe the Nation's teachings are not authentic. Some critics also call the group a hate group. They point to the group's views on race and other topics. Scholars note that their teachings about spaceships are unique. This connects them to other types of religious movements.

The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a centralized and hierarchical religious organization.

It was founded in the United States in 1930. Scholars of religion often classify the group as a new religious movement. It is also described as an African American or black nationalist religion. The organization focuses heavily on the black African diaspora. It specifically emphasizes the experiences of African Americans. The group seeks to build an independent African American nation-state. It also promotes economic self-sufficiency and separatism.

The group's theology includes a unique succession of mortal gods. These gods are described as black men named Allah. The founder, Wallace Fard Muhammad, is considered the latest of these gods. The Nation teaches that the first Allah created the Original Asiatic Race. These original humans were dark-skinned and possessed inner divinity. According to the teachings, a scientist named Yakub later created the white race. This group was said to lack inner divinity. The Nation claims this led to global dominance through violence. The group also holds a millenarian tradition regarding the future. They believe Fard Muhammad will return on a spaceship. This return is expected to establish a utopia.

Practitioners follow a very disciplined and structured lifestyle. They adhere to strict dress codes and specific dietary requirements.

The organization maintains patriarchal gender roles. Men and women have specific roles and training programs. For example, men may join the Fruit of Islam. Women may participate in the Muslim Girls Training School. Members gather for worship in buildings called temples or mosques.

While some members may break rules privately, the group generally expects high levels of conformity.

Wallace Fard Muhammad established the Nation in Detroit. He drew from several existing influences. These included Garveyism and the Moorish Science Temple of America. Garveyism provided the focus on black nationalism and enterprise. The Moorish Science Temple promoted an idiosyncratic Islamic identity. After Fard Muhammad disappeared in 1934, Elijah Muhammad assumed leadership.

He expanded the teachings and built a large business empire. This empire included apartments, factories, farms, and a small bank.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the group gained significant national attention. High-profile members like Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali helped expand its influence.

The organization has undergone major changes over the decades. After Elijah Muhammad died in 1975, his son Wallace D. Muhammad took over. He moved the group toward Sunni Islam. He also renamed it the World Community of Islam in the West. However, some members wanted to keep Elijah Muhammad's original teachings. They re-established the Nation of Islam in 1977 under Louis Farrakhan.

Farrakhan expanded agricultural and economic operations. He also connected some teachings with Dianetics. By 2007, the group's membership was estimated at 50,000 people.

The Nation of Islam uses many Islamic terms and practices. Members use the Arabic language and pray five times a day. Their flag is based on the flag of Turkey. Despite these similarities, the Nation differs from mainstream Islam. It does not accept the standard belief about the Prophet Muhammad. Many Muslim critics call the teachings heretical or "quasi-Islamic." They argue the group selectively adopts certain ideas. Other critics, like the Southern Poverty Law Center, label it a hate group. They point to the group's rhetoric regarding race and other social issues.

The Nation has also influenced several other religious groups. These include the Five-Percent Nation and the United Nation of Islam. Scholars note that the group shares traits with UFO religions. This is due to the prominence of spaceships in their teachings. The Nation is part of a broader "Black cultic milieu." This milieu includes groups like Rastafari and the Black Hebrew Israelites. It remains a significant example of an ethno-religious movement in America.