About year 600 a man called Prophet Muhammad was born and began his teachings of Allah. His followers are of the Orthodox Islamic religion. Although to date numerous branches have developed from mere disagreements as minor as who was the rightful successor of The Prophet, they all still share the same main belief. Orthodox Muslims say that Black Muslims are misusing the name of Allah and Islam. They believe it is more of a political movement hoping to find a solution the plight of African-Americans.
Black Muslims believe the Black Man is the original and whites resulted from an evil scientist's experiment; that they were created devils and there is nothing they can do to redeem themselves. They also believe only with complete racial separation will the perfect harmony of the universe be restored. Black Muslims have strict moral codes--their women cannot wear make-up or tight revealing clothes, nor can they be alone with any man other than their husbands.
The Original Nation of Islam was founded in 1930 by Wallace Dodd Fard (Wali Farad0, a silk salesman, in Detroit, Michigan. He formed an organization that accepted only blacks and taught the "true religion" was Islam--religion of a black man; from Asia and Africa; Asiatic is what some of them referred to as their race. He stressed knowledge of self and combined aspects of Islam with teachings of the Bible and Black Nationalism, but he mysteriously disappeared in 1934.
His Chief lieutenant, Elijah Muhammad, formerly known as Elijah Poole took over. He claimed Fard was Allah ion the form of man and he was the chosen Prophet. Elijah's son, Warith never completely became a "blind faith" member and was excommunicated and reinstated frequently for conflicts with his father. While in prison, Malcom X corresponded with Warith and constructed a friendship. Together they determined that Elijah misrepresented Fard's doctrines and Islam itself and that Fard couldn't possibly be Allah.
