Mark of a Hero Malcolm X

Mark of a Hero: Malcolm X

By Imam Siraj Wahhaj

Introduction: The Value of Learning from Our Recent Heroes

Brothers and sisters, you might ask the question this afternoon, why should I sit in a session to talk about a man named Malcolm X? He's not Sahaba. He doesn't have the impeccable credentials of Khalid ibn Walid or any of Sahaba. He's not Tabi'un of the incredible credentials of Hassan al-Basri. He's neither Sahaba nor Tabi'un. So why should I sit in a session to talk about Malcolm X?

After all, the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad ﷺ said:

(Sahih Bukhari 2652, Sahih Muslim 2533)

"The best of my ummah is my generation, and then the generation that follows it, and then the generation that follows it."

Then why do you want to talk about Malcolm X?

The Purpose of This Session: Understanding Ourselves

This afternoon, I would like to do two things. Number one, talk about Malcolm. And number two, to address a question that was given to me in a session yesterday that we didn't have a chance to answer. A parent wrote this question: Imam Siraj, what do we do when we find that our 15-year-old Muslim smokes weed?

I want you to know what this session is about. In a real sense, it's not about Umar ibn Khattab, Uthman or Ali or Aisha or Khadija or Khalid ibn Walid or Hassan al-Basri. Really, what we talk about here in this session right now is you. Because every one of you, the youth, have something going on with you right now. All of us, we suffer trying to be Muslim in America, having our shortcomings. And then, therefore, what can we take from Sahaba? What can we take from Tabi'in? What can we take from Malcolm X? So that when we go away back home from this conference, we go back home a little bit better than we were when we came.

My Connection with Malcolm X

Malcolm X. I have a lot in common with Malcolm. No, I wasn't born in 1925 like Malcolm, but I have a lot in common. He was Malcolm X. I was Jeffrey 12X. He spent 12 years in the Nation of Islam as a minister. I spent 12 years in the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X had six wonderful daughters. I had seven wonderful daughters. One of them in the back, Huja Wahaj. Very wonderful daughter. I love that girl. Serious. She's so smart, and she has her own radio program. I listen to it, get inspired from it.

So Malcolm was a minister in the Nation of Islam. Imam Siraj was a minister of the Nation of Islam. One of the funniest things happened to me a few years ago. I was in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Brothers picked me up from the airport, and as we were driving to our destination, I noticed that there were a lot of huge posters of

Imam Siraj Wahaj. And I told the brothers, stop the car. I wanted to read what was on the poster. And after I read what was on the poster, I started to laugh. I said, Imam Siraj, why are you laughing? Because when I read the poster, it said, Imam Siraj Wahaj, the best friend of Malcolm X. What? But Malcolm died in 1965. I was 14 years old. So I never got the chance to meet Malcolm.

No, I wasn't his best friend. But I loved Malcolm. Allah blessed me to meet his wife, Dr. Betty Shabazz, and we became friends for years. Met the children of Malcolm.

Malcolm X: His Early Life and Struggles

So why should we talk about Malcolm X in this conference of Muslim youths? Why? What did Malcolm accomplish that we should sit in a session to get from him so that we can be inspired?

A few things about Malcolm that maybe you didn't know. Not only was he born in Omaha, Nebraska, you know about that, in 1925. But maybe you didn't know that when Malcolm was six years old, his father was murdered by the KKK. And maybe you didn't know that when Malcolm was 13 years old, his mother, Louise Little, was committed to an insane asylum.

Most of you know the criminal life of Malcolm. You know that Malcolm spent eight years in prison. And everything that you can imagine Malcolm did. Those of you who are wondering about smoking reefer, should I try a little reefer, smoke a little reefer, a little weed, a little marijuana, I can drink a little wine, a little beer, a little alcohol, I can go to the prom, I can go to the party, I want to go to the club. If you're thinking about that right now, I want you to listen to me carefully because even though Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, he still reaches out of the grave and can still influence Muslim youths today.

Malcolm's Criminal Past and Transformation

Malcolm X. Malcolm lived a world of crime and everything you can think of as selling drugs and alcohol and being a pimp and all those kind of things Malcolm did and he's not afraid to admit it. To me the best book to read about Malcolm, and if I were you, when I leave the conference today, I would go out and buy this book called The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I know there's a lot of controversy now about a new book written by a man named Manning Marable, 600 pages, and I got it, I read it, I read a lot of it, bringing about more information about Malcolm X. But in my opinion, still the definitive book about Malcolm, if you want to know about Malcolm, you should read The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

And let's see what the Times Magazine said. In 1998, Time Magazine named The Autobiography of Malcolm X as one of the 10 most influential nonfiction books of the 20th century. I am a teacher, and if I would give you an assignment, my assignment would be to go out and buy The Autobiography of Malcolm X. How many of you have a copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X? Raise your hand. Good. How many of you who do not have a copy make a commitment that somewhere when the conference is over, you're going to pick up a copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X? Raise your hand. Okay, good.

Malcolm's Role in the Nation of Islam

Malcolm X. Malcolm got out of prison in 1952 and became a minister of the Nation of Islam. How many of you heard about the newspaper of the Nation of Islam called Muhammad Speaks? Raise your hand. Muhammad Speaks was a newspaper that was put together by Malcolm X. Malcolm X was a man who went around America and caused a great growth of the Nation of Islam. When he joined the ranks in 1952, maybe they had about 400 followers throughout the whole country. Malcolm went all around the country opening up temples in the Nation of Islam. Malcolm became very famous in the Nation of Islam.

Now you brothers and sisters, if you want to study some of the history of Islam in America, you ought to read about something in the Nation of Islam. Muhammad Ali came from the Nation of Islam. Imam Siraj Wahaj came from the Nation of Islam. Many people were influenced by the Nation of Islam. I know many Muslims around America today who were influenced by The Autobiography of Malcolm X and it was the inspirational teachings of Malcolm or his great charisma that caused a lot of people to come toward Islam. So Malcolm X was bold and bodacious and he helped to establish the Nation of Islam.

Now the Nation of Islam didn't have the right aqeedah. They didn't believe in Allah as we believe in Allah. They didn't believe in Prophet Muhammad the way we believe in Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him. They didn't fast in the month of Ramadan like we fast in the month of Ramadan. And really when you look at Malcolm, how great he was compared to our distinguished speakers that come to the conferences, compared to your mother and father, even compared to your old brothers and sisters and compared to many of you. When you look at the knowledge that Malcolm had Islamically, couldn't compare to these great giants that we have today.

The Turning Point: Breaking from the Nation of Islam

Malcolm X in 1963 as a minister in the Nation of Islam in New York City at the Manhattan Center gave a speech. President John F. Kennedy was just assassinated and Elijah Muhammad told his ministers to say nothing negative about John F. Kennedy because he was loved by the Nation. Malcolm gave a speech at Manhattan Center and he didn't mention John F. Kennedy. But in the question and answer period, someone from the Times newspaper asked Malcolm a question about John F. Kennedy and he said the death of John F. Kennedy is like chickens coming home to roost. And being an old farm boy, I never became sad when chickens came home to roost.

The Times magazine or newspaper put out that Malcolm said some negative things about John F. Kennedy. So Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam, suspended Malcolm for 90 days. But it became clear to Malcolm that he would never go back to the Nation of Islam. So in March 1964, Malcolm X made his declaration of independence from the Nation of Islam.

Malcolm's Journey to True Islam

And in that year, a few months later, he was in Mecca performing pilgrimage. And when he went to Mecca performing pilgrimage, he saw Muslims that were white and he began to learn more about Islam. So when he came back to America, he became a Sunni Muslim. And a lot of you brothers and sisters who've heard speeches of Malcolm X, I would tell you as one who teaches about Malcolm, that you must always ask the question when you hear Malcolm's speech, which Malcolm? Is it the Malcolm before 1964 or is it the Malcolm after 1964?

And when you think about it, Malcolm left the Nation of Islam in March 1964. Malcolm was assassinated February 21, 1965. So one year, one year Malcolm was a Sunni Muslim.

The Hadith of Little Work, Great Reward

You know what it reminds me of? It reminds me of a man who came to the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him. He said, Ya Rasulullah, this man wasn't a Muslim. He said, O Messenger of Allah, should I fight or should I become a Muslim? Our beloved Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, he said, become a Muslim first and then fight. The man, he became a Muslim. He fought and he was slain. And the Prophet said, he's a man that did a little bit of work and got a big reward. (Sahih Bukhari 2808)

He was a man who never made one prayer, didn't make wudu, he didn't make salah, he never fasted in the month of Ramadan, he didn't give zakat, he didn't go to umrah or hajj like you. But even though that man got the blessing of going to Jannah because he, at the right time, became a Muslim and then he died. That comes down to you, Malcolm X, Al-Hajj Malik Shabazz.

We Are the Lovers of the Prophet

When I think of Malcolm, you know what I think about? I don't think about Sahaba, I don't think about Tabi'un. I think about what the Prophet said about him and what the Prophet said about you. Wait, run that again. I think about what the Prophet said about Malcolm and what the Prophet said about you. Imam, you okay? What you talking about? What the Prophet didn't mention his name, but he said this.

One day, he was writing something in the ground and he said to his companions, oh, what that I can see my lovers. Ya Rasulullah, aren't we your lovers? He says, no, you're my Sahaba. My lovers will come after me. They will believe in me, though they have never seen me. (Musnad Ahmad 12500)

No, Malcolm not Sahaba, but he's a man that believes in the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, though he never saw him. You're not Sahaba, Imam Siraj not Sahaba. I'm not Tabi'un, we're not that. We are those who believe in the Messenger of Allah, even though we have never seen him. Certainly, we can't be like the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. We can't be like the companions. We weren't around him to watch his illustrious character.

Addressing the Question: What About Our Youth Who Struggle?

So what can we learn from Malcolm in my conclusion? She asked the question, and this could be your mother or father, speaking about you and you. What about my son, my daughter, who smoked weed? About a month ago, I got a call from parents of a young Muslim boy, 16 years old, who was smoking marijuana, just like this young man or young woman. And I had a talk with this young man and listened to what I said.

Now what I'm going to tell you now, I never said it before publicly, so you got to leave it here. You're going to leave it here? You're not going to take it out this session? I know what you're saying. Imam, this session is publicized. People can turn on the computer right now to hear it, but you don't tell it.

You know what I told that young man? I said, listen, you're 16 years old. When I was a young teenager, I smoked reefer, too, for a few days. You never heard me say that, did you? Never said it. You never dreamed that Imam Siraj smoked reefer, did you? Imam Siraj, why you tell us this? I said, you know, when I was a young man, I drank a little bit of wine. I wasn't a wino. I wasn't a crackhead. But I drank a little wine. When I was in college, two older women in my building got me to drink some alcohol. I drank a little beer. And I'm telling this to this little 16-year-old Muslim boy who had smoked marijuana.

But then you know what I told him? You know the difference between me and you? The difference between you and me is that I didn't do that when I became a Muslim. Once I became a Muslim, I never went back to that. From 1969 until now, I have never drank in wine. I have never drank in beer, except near beer. I have never done any of that. And that's the difference.

The Reality of Being a Young Muslim in America

You, Muslim youth, are different. How many of you in college, raise your hand. How many of you in high school, raise your hand. How many of you in junior high school, raise your hand. How many of you in elementary school, raise your hand. Look at this. Elementary school, junior high school, high school, college, young Muslim men and women.

And guess what? You're in America, and you can do whatever you want to do. Nobody can stop you. Your parents can't watch you 24 hours a day. You go to school, and you can trick your mother and dad. You can leave the house with a beautiful khimar on. And when you leave the house, and out of the view of your mother, you can take the khimar off. You can act like the most pious in the house or in the masjid. But when you go to Rutgers University, or when you go to New York University, or when you go to any of the universities, then you are your real self.

The question is, who are you really?

The Warning About Hypocrisy

And this is why Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala mentioned in the Quran, in talking about the munafiq. He talks about those who:

And when they meet those who believe, they say, 'We believe.' But when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, 'Indeed, we are with you; we were only mockers." (Quran 2:14)

And when they meet those who believe, they say, we believe. And when they go to the ICNA conference, with all the Muslims and all the sisters in hijab, they say, we believe. When they go to the masjid, they say, we believe. But when they are alone with the evil ones in the elementary school, in the high school, in the junior high school, in the college, when they meet those who don't believe, they say, we are really with you. We were only mocking. We were kidding. We were tricking our mothers and dad.

My mother and father don't know that I smoke reefer. They think I'm a good Muslim. My mom and dad don't know that I take off my hijab when I go out the house. My mother don't know that I got a boyfriend. My father don't know that I have a girlfriend. They don't know that I go to the club because I cheat and I hide and I pretend to be a good Muslim. In reality, Allah knows what I am.

Your Responsibility as Muslims

But you as Muslims in this century are those who are responsible to help the non-Muslims to become Muslims. How could you help them and you are just like them? You do what they do. They go to the party, you go to the party. They go to the club, you go to the club. You hang out with them. You take off your beautiful robes and your beautiful garments that Allah gives you and then you want to look like them rather than looking like what Allah had intended for us to look like. No.

Malcolm's Example: Complete Transformation

You want to be something? You want to be something? Look at Malcolm. Malcolm was not Sahaba. Malcolm was not Tabi'een. No. But one thing about Malcolm was special. You know what it was? And even though he had a little bit of Islam, one year as a Sunni Muslim, but he took that little bit of Islam and he practiced it. And you never heard about Malcolm once he became a Muslim ever going back to that old stuff and the old habits that he used to have. Never. Never went back to the women. He got married to Dr. Betty Shabazz and he lived an excellent life.

Your Blessing and Your Responsibility

So what about you? I close with this. I honor you. I respect you. You were something. You had what I didn't have. You know what you had? You had parents that were Muslims. You had parents on the month of Ramadan that got you up for Suhoor. You had mothers that read the Quran to you. You had fathers that took you by the hand and took you to the masjid. You had parents that spent money to send you to madrasa to Islamia, to the Muslim school, madrasa to Noor. You had parents like that. I didn't have that. Malcolm didn't have that. But you had it.

And you can brag about, yeah, I'm born a Muslim. You can brag and you would be right. But then again the Prophet said, peace and blessing be upon him: every one of you born a Muslim. They ain't no big deal. You born a Muslim. Great. But it's not how you were born, but how you die. It's not how you begin the race, how you end the race.

The Command to Die as Muslims

And this is why Allah said in the Quran : وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ - "Do not die except as Muslims." (Quran 3:102)

Do not die except as a Muslim. Ain't no big thing being a Muslim. Everybody is born Muslim. But can you live a Muslim? Can you go to college and live a Muslim and be a Muslim? You are the proof that you can go to college and keep your Islam. You are proof that you can go to high school in a non-Muslim school and go to high school, go to public school and still keep your Islam.

Making Your Parents Proud

You want to do your parents proud? You want to make them proud? Then you make them proud by being a Muslim. Not only in the house, not only in the masjid, but be a Muslim in the street. Be a Muslim when you go play basketball into the basketball center. Yeah. Be a Muslim in school.

Final Advice: Your Deeds Are Judged by Your Last Deeds

So the Prophet said, peace and blessing be upon him as I close: إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالْخَوَاتِيمِ - "Your deeds shall be judged by your last deeds." (Sahih Bukhari 6493)

Brothers and sisters, you never know. You never know when our time has come. One thing about Malcolm, you know the beautiful thing about Malcolm? You read about all that he did? The beautiful thing about Malcolm is that when Malcolm changed, he changed toward the good and he stayed there.

Closing Prayer

May Allah bless you to get back. The mistakes that you made, may Allah forgive you. Start again at this conference. Go back home better than you came. May Allah bless you.