Malcolm X Islam And The Civil Rights

Malcolm X, Islam, And The Civil Rights Movement Essay, Research Paper

Malcolm X, Islam, and the Civil Rights Movement When asked to name a black civil rights leader, many people will immediately think of Martin Luther King, Jr., but equally strong and true in the fight for civil rights was Malcolm X. Although they came from very different social and religious backgrounds, each was fighting towards the same goal. This paper will focus on the life and achievements of Malcolm X in his effort to achieve civil rights, and will show how his involvement in Islam was the key factor in his ability to have influential power over so many others. Malcolm Little, later known as Malcolm X, Al Hajj Malik El Shabazz, was born on May 19, 1925 to Reverend Earl, and Louise Little, in Omaha, Nebraska. His father, Rev. Little, was a self-determined man who believed in and worked for the unity and dignity of black people. Raised in this background of ethnic awareness and human dignity, Malcolm was also exposed to the neighborhood of violence of white racists. As a child, his parents, sisters, brothers, and himself were consistently shot at, threatened, harassed, and finally burned out of their home by white terrorists. At the peak of this violence, when Malcolm, was six years old, his father was murdered by these same terrorists. At the age of fifteen, Malcolm dropped out of high school, and adopted the ways of the streets. He spent most of his time with thieves, criminals, and drug pushers. This life finally caught up with him at the age of twenty, when he was convicted of burglary, and sent to prison for seven years. It was during these years in prison that Malcolm realized the need to educate himself, and live a life that would have made his father proud. In addition to his prison education, Malcolm discovered and committed himself to the Nation of Islam, and fully accepted the teachings of Elijah Muhammed. At his prison release in 1952, Malcolm was a very different man. After his release, Malcolm joined the Islamic sect in Detroit. He became extremely dedicated to its cause, and helped promote Islam on a nation-wide level. His involvement made him an internationally recognized figure. He appeared in many magazines, and was also interviewed on major television programs. His words were extremely powerful, and he spoke with eloquence on the injustices done to the blacks of the nation. An interesting twist on the views of Malcolm X stemmed from his involvement in the Nation of Islam. His religion led him to believe that all whites were devils, and the idea that any white man or woman could lend sincere hope to his cause was unacceptable and unbelievable. For twelve consecutive years, this theory on the white man would dominate his speeches and messages, giving the impression that Malcolm himself was very racist, and was really no better than those who were oppressing him. This image of Malcolm X is the one which seems to be the main focus of the public today, however Malcolm did undergo a transformation which completely changed his message to the world. Frustrated with the internal jealousy within the nation of Islam, Malcolm decided to leave and start his own organization. He was thirty-eight years old. At this point, he decided to make his pilgrimage to Mecca. The pilgrimage to Mecca is an integral part of the Muslim religion. Called the Hajj, it must be completed at least once in a lifetime, and it is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female who is mentally, physically, and financially fit. It is the largest annual convention of faith on earth (in 1989: 2.5 million). Peace is the dominant theme of the convention. Peace with Allah, with one s soul, with one another, with all living creatures. To disturb the peace of anyone or any creature in any shape or form is strictly prohibited. Muslims from all walks of life, from every corner of the globe, assemble in Mecca in response to the call of Allah. The focus is to commemorate the Divine rituals observed by Abraham and his son Ishmael, who were the first pilgrims to the house of Allah on earth. Muslims go to Mecca to glorify Allah, not to worship a man. Finally, a visit to the tomb of Prophet Muhammad is highly recommended to make the Hajj valid and complete. (Elmasry 6) This pilgrimage to Mecca had a complete and total transformational effect on the life of Malcolm X. As above stated, he spent twelve years preaching how the white man was evil, the devil, and was not to be trusted. After his pilgrimage, his opinion of the white man was drastically changed, as seen in this quote from an interview with Malcolm during the time of his pilgrimage:”During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drank from the same glass, and slept in the same bed (or on the same rug) while praying to the same God with fellow Muslims whose eyes were the bluest of the blue, whose hair was the blondest of the blond, and whose skin was the whitest of the white. And in the words and deeds and actions of the white Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black Muslims In the past I permitted myself to make sweeping indictments of the entire white race Because of the spiritual enlightenment which I was blessed to receive as a result of my pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca, I no longer subscribe to the sweeping indictments of any one race. I am now striving to live the life of a true Muslim.” (Ohio 1) Before his pilgrimage,