Encyclopedia of Islam

Faraizi movement

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tions. Greatly influenced by the founder, Elijah 

Muhammad’s, teachings, Farrakhan put his musi-

cal interests aside and became an active member 

of the nation, changing his name to Louis X, 

which later became Louis Haleem Abdul Far-

rakhan. Following Elijah Muhammad’s death in 

1975, his son, Wallace Deen Muhammad, began 

leading the nation and shifted away from Elijah’s 

teachings, declaring his father’s extreme views rac-

ist. Wishing to return to Elijah’s original message, 

Farrakhan formed a competing organization in 

1977, which is among several other groups that 

claim the name n

ation

 

oF

 i

slam

.

Farrakhan has caught public attention since 

the mid-1980s for allegedly making anti-Semitic 

remarks, accusations that Farrakhan denies, 

claiming that the media is biased. Such allega-

tions aside, Farrakhan’s leadership of the nation 

has led to many positive reforms. Farrakhan has 

diminished the number of drug dealers in public 

housing projects, has permitted 

Women

 to become 

public leaders in the nation, and has played a key 

role in the development of Islam in America. He 

has also built 

mosqUe

s in several U.S. cities. Far-

rakhan has traveled to various parts of the Middle 

East and North Africa, allegedly attacking the U.S. 

government and Jewish groups during his trips 

abroad. In 1999, claiming to have a near-death 

experience with prostate cancer, Farrakhan began 

preaching racial and religious unity. Farrakhan 

appears widely on television and speaks on radio. 

He and his wife, Khadijah (Betsy), have 11 chil-

dren, several of whom are actively involved in the 

nation.

See also a

Frican

 a

mericans

, i

slam

 

among

.

Mehnaz Sahibzada