Since February is Black History Month, I thought I’d shed some light on one of the most influential African-American people to exist. I don’t celebrate holidays other than what is prescribed by my religion. But I hold nothing against studying the lives of such great people.
Malcolm X is one of the most momentous African-American men to arise in this country. His biography has been read by millions and is full of inspiration. His life should be looked upon as an example of both struggle with society and with his own heart and mind.
His conversion to mainstream Islam is often overlooked amid his story of struggle.
With less than a ninth grade education, he stumbled into a life of crime. After he was arrested and incarcerated, Malcolm X started to read materials that were provided to him in prison. His favorite topics were religion, history and race.
While Malcolm X was in prison his brother began to talk to him about his own faith, The Nation of Islam, in which he became interested.
The Nation of Islam is not within the fold of Islam itself, despite the name. Its teachings go completely against the essence of mainstream Islam; they involve worshipping a man who they claim is Allah reincarnate. It is also more of a political movement than a religion. In their teachings, there is an obvious prejudice against anyone who isn’t colored.
Malcolm X accepted the religion, was shortly released from prison and put the ‘X’ after his name which symbolized he came from an unknown African tribe and also symbolized his first acceptance to “the nation.” Thus, he became one of its most articulate spokespersons and architects.
But, he had issues with some of the teachings of The Nation of Islam. He wanted to change the condition of his people, who were often victimized by social injustices and racism, by bringing attention to the abusers and reminding those in power of their responsibility for those conditions. But he never wanted to perpetrate such conditions based on hate or ignorance.
This led him to leave The Nation of Islam and take his historic journey to Saudi Arabia for hajj, a pilgrimage. Anyone who has taken the pilgrimage knows the implications this journey has on the heart.
When Malcolm X went he saw something he had only dreamed about. He saw worshippers of God all together praying side by side towards the One Creator, regardless of race or social level.
One amazing thing about hajj is the poor can be stand and pray next to kings, and there is no distinction between them. They will all be wearing two simple white cloths, humbling themselves to the one who created them.
Malcolm X once wrote to Alex Haley, “Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and such overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this Ancient Holy Land, the home of Abraham and all the other Prophets of Holy scriptures. For the past week I have been truly speechless and spellbound by the graciousness I see displayed all around me by people of all colors. I have been blessed to visit the Holy City of Mecca … There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all practicing in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and the non-white.
America needs to understand Islam because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, even eaten with people who in America would have been considered ‘white,’ but the ‘white’ attitude had been removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen such sincere and true brotherhood, practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.
I could see from this, that perhaps if white Americans could accept the Oneness of God, then perhaps, too, they could accept in reality the oneness of man – and cease to measure, and hinder, and harm others in terms of their “differences” in color.”
It is important to simply let Malcolm X’s words speak for themselves. At a time when racism is still rampant, at a time when people are being persecuted and abused because of their religious beliefs, it’s important to look back and reflect on history because history repeats itself. Our condition will never change unless we change what is within ourselves, as the Qur’an so beautifully states.
—–Contact Shirien Elmasraya at selmasraya@lsureveille.com