Nation of Islam and anti-Semitism

Charges of antisemitism

General claims

The Anti-Defamation League , ^[3] the American Jewish Committee , ^[4] [5] the American Jewish Congress , ^[6] The Public Eye , ^{[7] [ not in quoted given ]} and the Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and Racism ^[8] condemned the Nation of Islam as antisemitic.

A Catholic magazine, This Rock , has described the Nation of Islam as both antisemitic and anti-Catholic. ^[9]

Some articles by scholars of comparative religion have argued that the Nation of Islam is antisemitic and advocates Holocaust denial . For instance, in the Global Journal of Classical Theology , Professor Richard V. Pierard writes:

Holocaust denial is a stock in trade of Ku Klux Klan, Neo-Nazi, Skinhead … and also finds it in Black hate groups like Louis Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam, some Afrocentrist writers, and in Arab anti-Israel rhetoric. The common thread running through all these manifestations is anti-Semitism; that is, hatred or dislike of Jews. ^[10]

A number of prominent humanists have written that NOI is antisemitic. Hating in the Name of God , by Benjamin Radford (Council for Secular Humanism website), and Madeline Weld’s address to the 1995 annual meeting of the Humanist Association of Canada are examples of such criticism.

A report by the Stephen Roth Institute for Studying Anti-Semitism and Racism states the following:

Louis Farrakhan, and the Nation of Islam (NOI), which have a long, well-documented record of hate-filled and anti-Semitic rhetoric. Over the years, NOI ministers have expressed anti-Semitic, anti-white, anti-homosexual and anti-Catholic sentiments in their speeches. Furthermore, The Final Call, the NOI’s official organ, reflects the anti-Semitism of Farrakhan and his organization. ^[8]

British Home Secretary Jack Straw and lawyers for the Home Office have also described Farrakhan’s views as “anti-semitic and racially divisive”, and as a result of the United Kingdom since 1986. ^{[11] [12] [13]}

Claims

Jews “control the economy”

For many years, some NICs have been preaching that “the Jews” control the American economy and the world economy. Statements to this effect can be found in their newspaper The Final Call and in speeches in their temples and on campus campuses.

For example, the Dallas Observer recorded this dialogue between Nation-of-Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and an audience to which he was speaking:

Farrakhan: “Is the Federal Reserve Owned by the Government?”
Audience: “No.”
Farrakhan: “Who owns the federal reserve?”
Audience: “Jews.”
Farrakhan: “The same year they set up the IRS, they set up the FBI and the same year they set up the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith … It could be coincidence … [I want] to see Black intellectuals free … I want to see them not controlled by members of the Jewish community. ” ^[14]

Jews played a major role in slave trade

The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews is a book published in 1991 by the Nation of Islam. The book alleges that Jews dominated the Atlantic slave trade. Its role played in the role of Atlantic slave trade. ^[15] The book has-been Labeled year antisemitic canard by historians Including Saul S. Friedman, Who contended That Jews Had a minimal role in New World slave trade. ^[16] Henry Gates , Head of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Harvard University, called the book “The Bible of New Anti-Semitism” and added, “The book massively misinterprets the historical record, largely through a process of cunningly selective quotations of often reputable sources. ” ^[17]

Criticisms of perceived Jewish “control”

Elijah Muhammad , Louis Farrakhan, Khalid Abdul Muhammad , and other NOI ministers are frequently critical of what they perceive as the control over African American society, their beliefs frequently approaching conspiracy theory. For example:

We are not giving them [Jews] power by getting into the debate, they already have power. They control Black intellectuals, they control Black politicians, Black preachers, Black artists-they control Black life. I’m not against Jews, I’m against Jews, I’m not a black person . ^[18]

Farrakhan gave a speech attacking Then National Security Advisor Sandy Berger , Secretary of State Madeleine Albright , Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin , and presidential advisor Rahm Emanuel . In regards to Their names, he Stated That “Every Jewish person That Is around the president is a dual citizen of Israel and the United States of America … and sometimes, we-have to raise the question, Are you more loyal to the state of Israel to the best interests of the United States of America? ” ^[19]

References to Jews as “bloodsuckers”

Some NOI ministers have called Jews bloodsuckers. For example, in his Saviors’ Day speech in Chicago, Illinois , February 25, 1996, Louis Farrakhan stated:

And you are with me, remember that you will be punished. You are wicked deceivers of the American people. You have sucked their blood. You are not real Jews, those of you are not real Jews. You are the synagogue of Satan, and you have wrapped up your tentacles around the US government, and you are deceiving and sending this nation to hell. But I warn you in the name of Allah, you would be wise to leave me alone. But if you choose to crucify me, know that Allah will crucify you.

One form NOI minister Khalid Abdul Muhammed referred to Jews as bloodsuckers.

I called them Jews bloodsuckers. I’m not going to change that. Our lessons talk about the bloodsuckers of the poor in the Supreme Wisdom of the Nation of Islam. It’s that old no-good Jew, that old imposter Jew, that old hooked-nose, bagel-eating, lox-eating, Johnny-come-lately-perpetrating a fraud, just crawled out of the cellars and hills of Europe, so-called Damn Jew. . . and I feel everything I’m saying up here is kosher.

-  Speech in Baltimore, MD, February 19, 1994

Quotes from Khalid Abdul Muhammad , the spokesperson until 1993:

Who are the slumlords in the Black community? The so-called Jews … Who is it? A white imposter Jew. ^[20]

Response to charges of anti-Semitism

The Nation of Islam has repeatedly denied charges of anti-Semitism , ^[21] and NOI leader Louis Farrakhan has stated, “The ADL .. uses the term ‘anti-Semitism’ to stifle all criticism of Zionism and the Zionist policies of the State of Israel and also to the criticism of the wandering behavior of some Jewish people towards the non-Jewish population. ” ^[22]

In a letter Responding to ADL Director Abraham Foxman ‘s insistence that black leaders Distance Themselves from the Nation of Islam, hip hop mogul Russell Simmons wrote, “Simply put, you are misguided, arrogant, and very disrespectful of African Americans and MOST importantly your statements will be unintentionally or intentionally lead to a negative impression of Jews in the minds of millions of African Americans, “he continued,” For over 50 years, Farrakhan Minister has labored to resurrect the downtrodden masses of African Americans up out of poverty and self- Farrakhan asserts, ‘A Muslim can not [ sic ]hate a Jew. We are all members of the family of Abraham and we should maintain dialogue and mutual respect. ‘” ^[23]

Endorsement by Neturei Karta

The Nation of Islam has had friendly relations with the Neturei Karta , an Orthodox Jewish group that is well known for its high association and support for anti-Zionists . Neturei Karta stressed that NOI leader, “Minister Louis Farrakhan is an extraordinary force for good in the Black community.His followers are responsible, industrious, modest, and moral.And for this and they have our respect.” ^[24]

In 2005, members of the Neturei Karta Farrakhan of anti-Semitism. ^[25]

Jews, Nazis, and the Holocaust

Farrakhan has stated that the Jews financed the Holocaust .

Hitler and poor Jews, Jews, Jews, Jews, Jews, Jews, Jews, Jews, Jews, Jews, Jews, Jews, Jews. Little Jews [were] being turned into soap while big Jews washed themselves with it. Jews [were] playing violin, Jews [were] playing music, while other Jews were marching into the gas chambers …. ^[26]

Khalid Abdul Muhammad has stated that the Jews are being exterminated by the Nazis. Echoing white supremacy propaganda, he holds that Jewish people undermined by German society, and thus deserved to be targeted by the Nazis.

You see, everybody always talk about Hitler exterminating 6 million Jews … but do not nobody ever asked what did they do to Hitler? What did they do to the folks? They went in there, in Germany, the way they were everywhere they went, and they supplanted, they used to, they turned around, and a German, in his own country, would have to go to a Jew to get money. They had undermined the fabric of the society. ^[27]

Cooperation with antisemitic groups

Holocaust deniers

The Nation of Islam’s official position does not deny the Jewish holocaust. Tim Russert , during a 1997 Meet the Press interview with the Nation of Islam Leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan posed the question, “Do you believe there was a Holocaust in which 6 million Jews perished?”

Of course I believe that Jews perished in Germany, and (these) same Jews perished in Germany while the Pope Pius XII looked the other way and the government of America looked the other way. Now there is reconciliation between Jews and Catholics and the Government of the United States. What is wrong with reconciliation when they look at my fathers as they have been brought to justice? I think, reconciliation, and responsibility should be the watchword for this time, and I am willing to sit down with any one who wishes to discuss, reconciliation, and responsibility. ^[28]

Endorsement of White supremacists

In 1961 and 1962, George Lincoln Rockwell , the leader of the American Nazi Party , was invited to speak by Elijah Muhammad at a Nation of Islam rally. ^[29]

See also

• African American-Jewish relations
• Conspiracy theory
• Islam and anti-Semitism
• Islam and Judaism

Notes