Malcolm X Pilgrimage Analysis

He says he, too, was astounded. "My whole life had been a chronology of—changes,"(X). He tells everyone that he has changed his mind about race relations, and he now knows that it is possible for all races to worship Allah and that Islam is the way to end racism. Malcolm also describes the generosity and high status of his hosts in Jedda. He received honors "that in America would be bestowed upon a King—not a Negro."

The first thing that enthralls Malcolm X, is the unity he sees in all the Muslims that are gathered at the airport. Everyone, from a king to a peasant, is dressed in the same clothes. There

Malcolm X was one of the primary religious leaders and reformers of the 1960, where he fought for and ultimately gave his life for racial equality in the United States. His father was a reverend who believed in self-determination and worked for the unity of black people. Throughout Malcolm’s life he was treated horribly by white people, hence shaping his misconceptions of all white people and developing his strong belief in black separatism. It wasn’t until years later where he embraced his black identity and discovered all races could live and work together for a common goal, brotherhood.

Malcolm X, an African American leader and prominent figure in the Nation of Islam, was a significant individual in the African American fight for justice and equality. In contrast to the mainstream Civil Rights Movement with its nonviolent pursuit of integration, Malcolm X voiced concepts of race pride and Black Nationalism during the 1950s and '60s. Although many argue that Malcolm X did not actually “do” anything for the black community, his nontraditional programs brought a new perspective to the Civil Rights Movement, and this perspective is of relevance today in the black community.

Malcolm and his family corresponded often, and he began to gain knowledge of Elijah Muhammad’s religion of Islam. He assessed himself and soon realized the quilt and sin of his previous life had prepared him to accept the truth, as taught by the leader of the Black Muslims. From the murder of his father, his own experiences of racial injustice, the knowledge his white grandfather had raped his grandmother, he knew beyond a doubt; there was nothing good about the white race. This information was a blinding light that took weeks for him to deal with directly. Muhammad’s religion taught that white men were evil and referred to them as the devil, believing their destruction by Allah was inevitable. The black race had been lied to and stripped of its identity; therefore, the best answer was to separate from white civilization and find its self-respect. With encouragement from family, Malcolm began writing to Elijah Muhammad. Based on his background, it was not a far stretch to believe Muhammad’s teachings, and soon Malcolm was on his knees in prayer.

Malcolm X’s views about the potential for real change in America after visiting Mecca changed a lot. Initially, he was radical about black separatism but after visiting Mecca, this call was gone for good. In his journey to Mecca through Cairo, Jeddah, and Saudi city, Malcolm claims that he witnessed what he had never seen in the United States. According to him, he witnessed men of all color, nationalities were treating each other with love, and equality, in contrast to what was happening in America. The Muslims had an admirable unity that changed Malcolm’s view of the world, and what should be done to change America. He says, “Throngs of people, obviously Muslims from everywhere, bound for the pilgrimage, were hugging and embracing.” This was like dream to Malcolm because, this could have never happened in the United States whereby there was racial segregation and inequality in everything. The Muslims who had gathered for the pilgrimage were of all complexions, and there was no color problem in Islam, like it was for the people in the United States. Malcolm states that, Islam reflects the

Malcolm X was a man who supported violence in getting equal rights for black citizens. To do this, he assisted the national Muslim leader, Elijah Muhammad by sharing the Black Muslim beliefs throughout the United States. Malcolm X started many Muslim groups and worked hard to develop racial pride in his black listeners by recognizing the suffering whites caused by blacks. With the Black Muslims, Malcolm X practiced a vigorous self-defense against white violence. He also urged blacks to live separately from whites and prevented them from attaining their freedom. He affected his followers so much that when his followers would see white people they would often harass or hurt the white people. Through his travels in the Middle East and Africa, he began to realize and change his views regarding potential brotherhood between black and white Americans and rejected the view that all whites were devils. (Harris 99) He thought that one day his religion could unite people of all races. To do this he formed his own group, The Organization of Afro-American Unity. Many people, both black and whites admired his tireless efforts to build pride in blacks and whoever shared his dreams that someday everyone would be joined in brotherhood. Malcolm X was admired by many people because of his drive to unite the blacks and whites as one, but many people also condemned his as a hypocrite and traitor because of his change in views. Malcolm X

From April 13, 1964 until his return on May 21, 1964, in Mecca, Malcolm X accomplished the Hajj. A mandatory religious Islamic pilgrimage to their most holy city that must be carried out at least once a lifetime. He went on this annual trip seeking a personal and spiritual enlightenment through the Middle East and West Africa. While on his way he stopped to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Morocco sharing his beliefs and thoughts. He also was learning the meaning of universal brotherhood and self respect as well as respect for other races. He was slowly beginning to see that you didn’t have to be black to be a muslim but he said he had been with “ blonde-haired, blued-eyed men I could call my brothers.” -( Malcolm X )

Early on in his famous letter, Martin Luther King Jr. writes: “I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership conference” (King 2). In a similar fashion, Malcolm X states in the third paragraph of his speech: “Although I am still a Muslim, I’m not here to discuss my religion” (X 24). Both making their religions clear, but the way they approach religion in the two texts are starkly different from one another.

Although Malcolm words often stung with the injustices against blacks in America, the equally racist views of the Nation of Islam kept him from accepting any whites as sincere or capable of helping the situation. For twelve years he preached that the white man was the devil and the "Honourable Elijah Muhammad" was God's messenger. Unfortunately, most images of Malcolm today focus on this period of his life, although the transformation he was about to undergo would give him a completely different, and more important, message for the American people. The Change to True Islam

He developed a hate that tore him apart due to the racism and prejudice him and his family suffered at the hands of white Americans. After all the mess he got himself into, he hit a low point and ended up in jail. That is when he discovered the Nation of Islam. This religion made him pick up all the pieces and start a new life. However, over the years, Muslims began to get a bad name. Just as Islam’s image is misconstrued by the media as well as ignorance in the present time, for Malcolm X and the Muslims in his time, it was no different. In today’s media, Islam is always being accused of being a violent religion and for encouraging hate. Anything and everything related to terrorism is automatically linked to Islam. Many Americans, who do not have knowledge about Islam, see Muslims as violent, unpatriotic, and terrorists. Little do people realize that history is repeating itself. The media exploited Muslims intentions back then as well by calling them “hate-messengers” and “violent-seekers” (Malcolm X, 152). They also painted the same picture of Muslims being “fascist” and “anti-Christ” (Malcolm X, 152). They would display “Mr. Muhammad, me, and others speaking . . . strong-looking, set-faced black men, our Fruit of Islam ... white-scarved, white-gowned Muslim sisters of all ages... Muslims in our restaurants, and other businesses... Muslims and other black people entering and leaving our mosques...” in a television show titled

The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley is an account of Malcolm X’s evolving perspective on racial justice. Malcolm X was a prominent figure in the Nation of Islam who advocated for black nationalism and separatism. The man who became one of America’s most powerful voices for African Americans was deeply affected by the terrors of racism, which shaped his view of social justice and the condemnation of the white man. The way Malcolm X narrates his experiences changes as his views on race change. At first, he wants readers to feel the destructiveness of racism, so he conveys his experiences through provocative language. When he aims to promote universal peace, he takes on a more optimistic tone. As a

that Mary told Bernadette to find a spring. She did and in 1862 it was

In various stages of a Christian’s life, different levels of transformation occur. From physical changes, to emotional growth, and perhaps the most important, is towards a greater spiritual awareness. Though the difficulty of enlightenment is a challenging matter in today’s society due to a self-centric perspective and priority towards social association. People are more occupied with the materialistic world rather than divinity. Thus, the importance of a pilgrimage as a journey beyond the secular and temporal issues to help Christians find God and rebuild their relationship is necessary. Similar to the mentioning of Paul in the bible, “look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (qtd. In Piper, 11). Nowadays, people who pronounced themselves as Christians do not practice their faith in reality. Sacred pilgrimage allows people to reach a renewed Christian identity in three different lenses: through the literal participation in rituals, anthropologically through different social aspects, and as a spiritual conquest of the divine.

The pilgrimage is indeed an amazing phenomenon, which brings people together at a common goal, which is believed to be the essence or starting point of life and the ‘door’ to the afterlife. As we will discover, pilgrimages require great sacrifice, both financially and physically. Pilgrimages may give the impression of an act that is traditional and not ‘fit’ for our modern world. However, one who has not walked the pilgrimage may never see the insight that the pilgrims themselves see. One fact is certain and striking. The numbers of pilgrims at the world’s major shrines are still increasing.