Editing Nation of Islam

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em; width:320px;"
! colspan="2" | Nation of Islam
|-
! Family
| New religious movement / African American Islam-influenced movement
|-
! Origin region
| United States
|-
! Founding period
| 1930 CE
|-
! Estimated adherents
| Unknown; membership estimates vary widely.
|}

'''Nation of Islam''' is an African American religious and political movement founded in Detroit in 1930, combining Islamic vocabulary, Black nationalist teachings, discipline, and social reform.

== Overview ==
The Nation of Islam was founded in 1930 and became one of the most influential African American religious movements of the 20th century. Britannica describes it as combining elements of traditional Islam with Black nationalist ideas and emphasizing racial unity, self-help, and strict discipline.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nation of Islam |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nation-of-Islam |work=Encyclopaedia Britannica |access-date=2026-05-22}}</ref>

== Key beliefs ==

* Black self-knowledge, unity, and discipline are central themes
* Teachings use Islamic vocabulary but differ sharply from mainstream Sunni and Shia Islam
* Elijah Muhammad's teachings remain central in many branches
* Some teachings include distinctive cosmology, including the Mother Plane or Wheel in later Nation of Islam discourse
* The movement has been both influential and controversial because of racial and political teachings

== Practices ==

* Mosque or temple meetings
* Study of Elijah Muhammad's writings
* Dietary and moral discipline
* Community businesses and schools
* Public lectures and organizing

== Places of worship ==

* Mosques or temples
* Community centers
* Homes

== Sacred texts ==

* Message to the Blackman in America
* How to Eat to Live
* The Holy Quran in some use
* Nation of Islam newspapers and speeches

== Holidays and observances ==

* Saviours' Day
* Holy Day of Atonement in some contexts
* Movement-specific commemorations

== Branches and related traditions ==

* [[Islam]] - The Nation of Islam uses Islamic vocabulary but is doctrinally distinct from mainstream Islam.
* [[Moorish Science Temple of America]] - An earlier African American Islam-influenced movement.
* [[New Religious Movements]] - The Nation of Islam is commonly studied as a modern religious movement.

== See also ==

* [[Religion]]
* [[Theology]]
* [[Philosophy of religion]]
* [[New Religious Movements]]

== References ==

<references />

[[Category:Religions]]
[[Category:New Religious Movements]]
[[Category:Abrahamic religions]]