Why A White Man Speaks Highly of the Nation of Islam

To anyone who may wonder why a white man (such as I) would have anything nice to say about the Nation of Islam, I offer the following explanation:

Forty long years ago, in the summer of 1976, I had a brief but very pleasant relationship with the Nation of Islam (NOI). At that time it was under the leadership of Supreme Minister Wallace D. Muhammad (later known as Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, of blessed memory). His International Representative was a dynamic young preacher named Abdul Haleem Farrakhan (better-known as the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, the current leader of the NOI). One day I happened to meet a member of the NOI, who in turn put me in touch with the local minister. I met with him and found him to be a very friendly and welcoming man. He invited me to attend a meeting at the mosque, which I did shortly thereafter.

That Sunday afternoon at Muhammad's Mosque in my hometown of Waco, Texas, I enjoyed a degree of warmth, kindness, and acceptance I've rarely experienced - before or since. It was a beautiful scene: the men in suits and bow ties; the women in long, flowing white dresses with matching head coverings. I was invited to accompany two of the men as they went "fishing" prior to the 2:00pm meeting (NOI members will know what I mean). Following the meeting, the members of the mosque accepted me as a potential convert, and enthusiastically chose a Muslim name for me. The name they selected, after a good deal of deliberation, was Mubashir Id-Deen, the approximate meaning of which is, 'One who brings good news about the way to live'. Being 17 years old, and therefore still a minor, I was forbidden by my family from having any further contact with the NOI. I was even put out of the house for a period of time, until I finally agreed to their terms. I never did reconnect with the NOI, but in the four decades that have passed I've never forgotten that short but wonderful moment in an otherwise troubled teenage life, where such feelings of acceptance were few and far between.

Over the past couple of years I've had the pleasure of meeting a few members of the Nation of Islam, and I found them to be very kind and courteous. Not only were they respectFUL, they were also respectABLE. The NOI is well-known for taking what some people would call the worst in society - the criminals, the outcasts - and turning them into clean-cut, clean-living, model citizens. Without fear of contradiction, I believe that the Nation of Islam does more to lower the crime rate and to create productive citizens than does any other organization, religious or otherwise. Where other groups talk and fund-raise, the Nation of Islam produces results. 

"Islamic terrorism" is a term we're all familiar with today. Hardly a week goes by that we don't hear of some horrendous act committed in the name of Islam. What about the NOI? Members of the Nation of Islam are not even allowed to own firearms, much less explosives. So you'll never hear of NOI members blowing up themselves or anybody else. In fact, if all Muslims were like the NOI, the TSA would go out of business, and flying would go back to being fun again.

Many highly-educated and accomplished people belong to the Nation of Islam. Graduate and post-graduate degrees can be found among its membership. Their youth stand out for their mature, responsible behavior. These young people are courteous and extremely articulate. They love education as much as their parents love it for them.

Members of the Nation of Islam live by the strictest code of moral and ethical conduct. Their high standards of behavior would put most of us to shame.

Last, but certainly not least, my appreciation for the Nation of Islam is closely linked to my concern for two of my family members, both of whom are black. They are related to me by blood, not by marriage. They are my flesh and share my DNA. Naturally, I want the best for them, so I'm grateful that the NOI exists and continues to work tirelessly on their behalf. Neither of them are Muslims, but that doesn't matter to the NOI. The Nation strives to improve the condition of all People of Color in general, and black people in particular, regardless of religious belief, or the lack thereof. 

I admired the NOI forty years ago, and I still admire the NOI today. That's why I speak so highly of the Nation of Islam, and that's why I intend to continue doing so.

I close with the traditional Islamic greeting of peace, which I extend to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, to the members of the Nation of Islam, and to all peace-loving people: As-salaam-alaikum (Peace be upon you).

APDTA.