Elijah Muhammad

Religious Leader

Elijah Muhammad was a prominent African American leader and the founder of the Nation of Islam, known for his teachings on self-empowerment and racial pride.

Born
October 7, 1897
Died
February 25, 1975
Quotes
30
Rank
#2421

About Elijah Muhammad

Elijah Muhammad — Life and Legacy

Elijah Muhammad, a key figure in the African American civil rights movement, is best known for founding the Nation of Islam and promoting a philosophy centered on self-empowerment and racial pride. His teachings challenged the systemic oppression faced by Black Americans, advocating for economic independence and social justice. Muhammad's assertion that 'the future belongs to those who prepare for it today' reflects his belief in proactive self-determination, urging individuals to take charge of their destinies. Central to his philosophy was the idea that education should serve to uplift the Black community. He famously stated, 'You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.' This underscores his view that true peace is unattainable without freedom, a concept he tirelessly promoted throughout his life. By emphasizing unity and collective action, he sought to empower African Americans to resist oppression and build a better future. Elijah Muhammad's impact is still felt today, as his teachings continue to inspire movements for racial justice and empowerment. His quotes resonate with those seeking to understand the complexities of identity, freedom, and resilience in the face of adversity.

Quote collection

Elijah Muhammad quotes (page 1 of 2)

30 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.

Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"Acquire knowledge. It enables its possessor to distinguish right from wrong; it lights the way to Heaven; it is our friend in the desert, our society in solitude, our companion when friendless; it guides us to happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is an ornament among our friends and an armor against enemies."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"First, my people must be taught the knowledge of self. Then and only then will they be able to under-stand others and that which surrounds them. Anyone who does not have a knowledge of self is considered a victim of either amnesia or unconsciousness and is not very competent. The lack of knowledge of self is a prevailing condition among my people here in America. Gaining the knowledge of self makes us unite into a great unity. Knowledge of self makes you take on the great virtue of learning."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"The Negro wants to be everything but himself... He wants to integrate with the white man, but he cannot integrate with himself or with his own kind. The Negro wants to lose his identity because he does not know his own identity."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"There are three signs of a hypocrite: when he speaks he speaks lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he is trusted he betrays his trust."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"Love of self comes first. The one who loves everybody is the one who does not love anyone."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"Accept your place in the sun as it was originally before the creation of this world... The black man is the first and last, maker and owner of the universe."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"Knowledge of one's identity, one's self, community, nation, religion, and God, is the true meaning of resurrection, while ignorance of it signifies hell."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave"

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"Discard your former slave-master's names and be willing and ready to accept one of Allah's Pure and Righteous Names that He Alone will give our people from His Own Mouth! A good name is, indeed, better than gold."

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"Four characteristics constitute anyone who possesses them a sheer hypocrite, and anyone who possesses one of them possesses a characteristic of hypocrisy till he abandons it: when he is trusted he betrays his trust, when he talks he lies, when he makes a covenant he acts treacherously and when he quarrels he abuses."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"If anyone removes (one of the) anxieties of this world from a believer, God will remove (one of the) anxieties from him on the Day of Resurrection; if one smoothes the way for one who is destitute, God will smooth the way for him in this world and the next; and if anyone conceals the faults of a Muslim, God will conceal his faults in this world and the next. God helps a man as long as he helps his brother. If anyone pursues a path in search of knowledge God will thereby make easy for him a path to paradise."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"Who are the learned? Those who practice what they know."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"A Muslim has five duties towards another Muslim; to return a salutation, visit the sick, follow funerals, accept an invitation and say 'God have mercy on you' when one sneezes."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"When the first man created Himself, He was the light of the circle. Then He willed the sun into being It was 6 trillion years between the making of the sun and the creation of man."

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Elijah Muhammad Religious Leader
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"On a certain day shall every soul come to plead for itself, and every soul shall be repaid according to its deeds; and they shall not be wronged."

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