Malcolm X and his First Exposure to the Nation of Islam
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In his autobiography, Malcolm X takes the reader through his time spent in prison in two different facilities: Concord Prison and Prison Colony. He first learns about the Nation of Islam in Concord Prison, through letters from his brothers Philbert and Reginald. However, it is in The Colony that he embarks on his journey of exploration about the Nation of Islam. After receiving a somewhat cryptic letter from Philbert telling Malcolm about discovering a “natural religion for the black man” (p.155), Reginald, in turn, sends him a letter telling his brother to stop smoking cigarettes and eating pork and claiming to know how to get out of prison. He right away adhered to these specific rules. His fast adherence showcases Malcolm’s state of mind during that time in his life. He was quick to let go of his cigarettes (although he did finish the last pack he had opened) and decided to forego pork, even though he was in prison and did not have the luxury of a wide variety of food options. This consequently showed his deep desire for change stemming from frustration from prison and the current state of society. Thus, he was susceptible to change and new perspectives, marking the beginning of his spiritual journey.
Through the retelling of the first exposure of the NOI to Malcolm through his family members, we are able to pinpoint a few of the influences that might have played a part in creating such a movement. Although using some of the same terminology as Islam, one cannot say that the NOI is anything like Islam. They diverge on a fundamental idea: the manifestation of God as a human being (shirk in Arabic). The basis of Islam relies on the belief in a single God and associating any partner with God is the biggest sin in the religion. However, the NOI takes a different approach, claiming that God has taken a human form who chose to reveal Himself to Black Americans. As mentioned above, various terminology and actions can be seen as taken from Islam. As seen in the autobiography, calling God by the name Allah, the action of prayer and restrictions from smoking and pork can be traced back to Islam. However, comparing both Islam and the NOI is inaccurate since they differ fundamentally. The NOI emphasizes racial pride and complete separation from white society. Malcolm had struggled with his own racial struggles, so ideologies such as these affected him and allowed him to view his situation in a larger way, later allowing him to reinterpret his identity using this broader narrative of Black empowerment.