01-18-2005, 04:57 PM
Islamic connection with the Native Americans goes beyond the ‘Accident discovery’ of Americana by Christopher Columbus in early sixteenth century.
In order to understand the present-day ‘Crucification’ of Islam here in America, you have to look at the history of slavery. Islam came here on the slave ships. Even though the practice of Islam was banned amongst the slaves of the antebellum south, elements of it remained as a part of our oral tradition.
Out of these roots, early movements developed such as the Moorish Science Temple in the 1920s, founded by Drew Ali. His message of dignity and economic independence had strong appeal to depression-era Afro-Americans. These teachings, along with those of Black-nationalist Marcus Garvey, were strong influences on the next generation of Afro-American Muslims.
Imam Al-Amin’s involvement with Islam, like many African American Muslims of his generation, started in the Nation of Islam under its charismatic founder, Elijah Muhammad. The doctrine of the Nation was well known for its racial component. Whites were regarded as genetic mutants not only devoid of color, but also of morals.
It was this "White Devil" doctrine that shocked and terrified America, despite the fact that there were many other positive elements to their movement. This reverse psychology was a means to shake Afro-Americans out of their own internalized oppression. Imam Al-Amin explains, "Whites had put themselves up on a pedestal, practically attributing themselves a divine status and a lot of us had bought into that, consciously and subconsciously. We had to hear a wake up call out of that nightmare."
By the time of Elijah Muhammad’s death in 1975, the Nation of Islam had established over 76 temples nationwide with an estimated 100,000 members. Leadership of the Nation was ceremoniously passed on to Elijah’s son, Warith Deen Mohammed, by election. Almost immediately W.D. Mohammed began to dismantle the Nation as he started to lead the members into the practice of Sunni Islam paving the way for other top followers like Malcolm X, and Muhammad Ali.
Today, Afro-Americans comprise over 40 percent of the estimated 8-10 million Muslims in America today (the largest minority). This move towards true Islamic teachings, however, was not entirely accepted by all members. By the early 1980’s, the then disgruntled and now controversial Louis Farrakhan reorganized the Nation of Islam and brought this contingent back to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad. The two camps held a long-standing animosity for each other, but, as leaders of both factions will point out, not a drop of blood was spilled between them in the years of this separation. Disagreement was kept on the rhetorical and theological level and both were still focused on the common goal of strengthening the Afro-American community.