"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."
"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."
Source: Elijah Muhammad (2008). “The Divine Sayings of Elijah Muhammad Volumes 1, 2 and 3”, p.17, Elijah Muhammad Books
About the author
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.
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More quotes by Elijah Muhammad
"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."
"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."
"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."
"Love of self comes first. The one who loves everybody is the one who does not love anyone."
"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."