“Acquire knowledge . . . it is an ornament among our friends and an armor against our enemies.”
Elijah Muhammad
(1897-1975) — Religious leader led the Nation of Islam
By Bob Hilson
He spoke softly, often in broken grammar, but with the eloquence and conviction of a preacher. As the leader of the Nation of Islam for more than 40 years, the words of Elijah Muhammad mesmerized thousands of African Americans.
His message was basic: Blacks must have self-reliance, lead clean lives and strive for a future free of oppression.
“Knowledge of one’s identity, one’s self, community, nation, religion, and God, is the true meaning of resurrection,” Muhammad once said during a rally, “while ignorance of it signifies hell.”
Muhammad’s ability to give hope to seemingly downtrodden blacks amazed all segments of society, especially by how his followers displayed extreme discipline, respect and orderliness.
But his ability to gain believers was not limited to one segment. Over time, college-educated professionals – including businessmen, police officers and doctors – joined his ranks. At one point, the Nation of Islam numbered more than 250,000 members.
Muhammad’s message
Muhammad served as a mentor to many modern-day leaders, including Malcolm X, boxing legend Muhammad Ali and current Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Muhammad’s message resonated so much among blacks that the Readers Digest described him as the most powerful black man in America.
Elijah Robert Poole was born in 1897, the seventh of 13 children to parents who were sharecroppers in Sandersville, Georgia. He married Clara Evans in 1919 and moved to Detroit in 1923.
In 1931, Muhammad met Wallace D. Fard after hearing him speak on Islam and black empowerment. He quickly identified with Fard’s message of self-independence and joined Fard’s disciples. He later took the Muslim surname Muhammad.
Muhammad assumed leadership of the Nation of Islam’s Temple No. 2 in Chicago, and in 1934, Muhammad took over Temple No. 1 in Detroit.
His reign as leader was interrupted from 1942 to 1946, when he was jailed for evading the draft. He adamantly defended his actions for resisting the draft.
“I refused (NOT EVADED) on the grounds that, first, I was a Muslim and would not take part in war and especially not on the side with infidels,” he said. “Second, I was 45 years of age and was NOT, according to law, required to register.”
Muhammad died of congestive heart failure in Chicago in 1975 at age 77. He was survived by his wife and eight children.
