Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930 founded Nation of Islam in the United States, a religious and social/political organization with the self-proclaimed target (anything fired at) of resurrecting the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of the black men and women of America and the rest of the world.
One of Nation of Islam's first disciples was Elijah Poole, whose name later changed to Elijah Muhammad (1897-1975), began preaching that W.F. Muhammad was literally God in person. Elijah Muhammad then adopted Nation of Islam.
Black experience of slavery was Bible prophecy
The NOI teaches that black people constitute a nation and that through the institution of the Atlantic slave trade they were systematically denied knowledge of their past history, language, culture, and religion and, in effect, lost control of their lives. Central to this doctrine, NOI theology asserts that Black people’s experience of slavery was the fulfillment of Bible prophecy and therefore, black people are the seed of Abraham referred to in the Bible, in Genesis 15:13–14.
Teachings on race
The Nation of Islam teaches that African (Black) people were the original humans. Louis Farrakhan has stated that "White people are potential humans…they haven’t evolved yet." The Blackman is the original man. From him came all brown, yellow, red, and white people. "You know, it’s not unreal to believe that white people—who genetically cannot produce yellow, brown or black—had a Black origin. The Qur'an says that God created Adam out of black mud and fashioned him into shape. While Malcolm X was a member of the Nation of Islam, he also preached that black people were genetically superior to white people. Thoughtful white people know they are inferior to Black people.
Criticisms
Doctrines of the Nation of Islam are disputed, specifically:
· God's incarnation What's this mean? NOI teaches that "Allah (God) appeared in the Person.
· Relations with whites NOI teaches that the Black man is the original man, and from him came all brown, yellow, red, and white people. in a genetic experiment 6,000 years ago. Islam believes in the total transcendance of almighty God (called in Arabic, Allah), the NOI teaches that black people are angelic gods. Islam maintains universal brotherhood, the NOI says that Islam is for blacks only. Sure, racism is contrary to Islamic principles and Islam rejects it. However, the deviation of Elijah Muhammad and Louis Farrakhan are MUCH more serious than racism.
· Other prophets. What's this mean? The Nation of Islam believes that Elijah Muhammad was a messenger and taught by God Himself (W. Fard. M). Islam teaches that prophethood ended with Muhammad Bin Abdullah, more than 1400 years ago. The NOI teaches that Farrakhan's teacher, Elijah Muhammad, is the last prophet.
The official beliefs of the Nation of Islam have been outlined in books, documents, and articles published by the organization as well as speeches by Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan, and other ministers.
These include inflammatory statements as well as the pejorative use of the term “white devils” to refer to white people. Many of Elijah Muhammad's teachings about Nation of Islam may be found in Message to the Blackman in America and The True History of Jesus as Taught by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. The official platform of beliefs in Nation of Islam as stated by Elijah Muhammad in Message to the Blackman in America published in 1965 are as follows verbatim:
1. We want justice. What's this mean? Equal justice under the law. We want the religion Islam taught without hindrance or suppression. We believe in Allah's Prophets and the Scriptures they brought to the people.
2. We believe the black man should be freed in name as well as in fact. We believe that if we are free indeed, we should go in our own people's names -- the black peoples of the earth.
3. We recognize and respect American citizens as independent peoples, and we respect their laws which govern this nation.
Marking 70 years since the Nation of Islam was founded in America, in 2000 Imam Warith Deen Mohammed (formerly Wallace Muhammad) and Minister Louis Farrakhan publicly embraced and declared unity and reconciliation at the annual Saviors' Day convention.
