Elijah Muhammad Quotes

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.

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.

Knowledge of one's identity, one's self, community, nation, religion, and God, is the true meaning of resurrection, while ignorance of it signifies hell.

Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave

Whoever knows himself knows God.

Accept your own and be yourself!

Discard your former slave-master's names and be willing and ready to accept one of Allah's Pure and Righteous Names that He Alone will give our people from His Own Mouth! A good name is, indeed, better than gold.

Four characteristics constitute anyone who possesses them a sheer hypocrite, and anyone who possesses one of them possesses a characteristic of hypocrisy till he abandons it: when he is trusted he betrays his trust, when he talks he lies, when he makes a covenant he acts treacherously and when he quarrels he abuses.

No nation respects a beggar.

If anyone removes (one of the) anxieties of this world from a believer, God will remove (one of the) anxieties from him on the Day of Resurrection; if one smoothes the way for one who is destitute, God will smooth the way for him in this world and the next; and if anyone conceals the faults of a Muslim, God will conceal his faults in this world and the next. God helps a man as long as he helps his brother. If anyone pursues a path in search of knowledge God will thereby make easy for him a path to paradise.

Asking good questions is half of learning.

The search of knowledge is an obligation laid on every Muslim.

Who are the learned? Those who practice what they know.

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.

A Muslim has five duties towards another Muslim; to return a salutation, visit the sick, follow funerals, accept an invitation and say 'God have mercy on you' when one sneezes.

On a certain day shall every soul come to plead for itself, and every soul shall be repaid according to its deeds; and they shall not be wronged.

And they will ask thee of the spirit. Say: The spirit proceedeth at my Lord's command; but of knowledge, only a little is given to you.

They know the outward shows of this life present but of the next life are they careless. Have they not consider the heavens and the earth and all that is between them but for a serious end, and for a fixed term? But truly most men believe not that they shall meet their Lord.

Whatever good works ye send on before [death]... ye shall find with God.

... and we will test you with evil and with good; and unto us shall ye be brought back.

One hour of contemplation surpasses sixty years of worship.

Reviling a Muslim is disobedience to God, and fighting with him is infidelity.

Whoever is humble to men for God's sake, may God exalt his eminence.

Your Lord is bountiful to mankind: yet most of them do not give thanks.

He who believes in God and the Last Day should honour his guest; he who believes in God and the Last Day should not annoy his neighbours; and he who believes in God and the Last Day should say what is good or keep silent.

By God ye shall be called to account for your doings!