Know Thyself

It is knowledge of self that the so-called Negroes lack that which keeps them from enjoying Freedom, Justice and Equality, and this belongs to them divinely as much as it does to other nations of the earth.

It is Allah's (God) will and purpose that we shall know ourselves; therefore he came himself to teach us the knowledge of self. Who is better knowing of whom we are than God himself? He has declared that we are descendants of the Asian black nation and of the tribe of Shabazz.

You might ask, who is this tribe of Shabazz? Originally, they were the tribe that came with the earth (or this part), sixty trillion years ago when a great explosion on our planet divided it into two parts. One we call earth and the other moon.

This was done by one of our scientists, God, who wanted the people to speak one language, one dialect for all, but was unable to do so. He decided to kill us by destroying our planet, but still he failed. We were lucky to be on this part, earth, which didn't lose its water in the mighty blasting away of the part called moon.

We, the tribe of Shabazz, says Allah (God), were the first to discover the best part of our planet to live on. The rich Nile Valley of Egypt and the present seat of the Holy City, Mecca, Arabia.

The origin of our kinky hair, says Allah; came from one of our dissatisfied scientists, fifty thousand years ago, who wanted to make all of us tough and hard in order to endure the life of the jungles of East Asia (Africa) and to overcome the beasts there. But he failed to get the others to agree with him. He took his family and moved into the jungle to prove to us that we could live there and conquer the wild beasts and we have.

So, being the first and the smartest scientist on the deportation of our moon and the one who suffered most of all, Allah (God), has decided to place us on the top, with a thorough knowledge of self and his guidance.

We are the mighty, the wise, the best, but don't know it. And being without that knowledge we disgrace ourselves, subjecting ourselves to suffering and shame. We could not get the knowledge of self until the coming of Allah. To know thyself is to know all men, who, from us came all, and to us all return.

I must keep warning you that you should give up the white race' names and religion in order to gain success. Their days of success: are over; their rule will last only as long as you remain asleep to the knowledge of self.

Awake and know that Allah has revealed the TRUTH. Stop believing in something coming to you after you are physically dead. That is untrue and no one can show any proof of such belief.

Again, know that Jesus was only a prophet and cannot hear you pray any more than Moses or any other dead prophet. Know too, that this white race was created to be the enemy of black mankind for six thousand years, which makes their number to be six. That is not yours or my number; we don't have a number because we have no birth record. Don't let anyone fool you. This is the separation and the War of Armageddon. KNOW THYSELF.

Write and join up with your own kind and religion before it is too late. Muhammad's Temple No. 2, Inc., 5335 Greenwood Ave., Chicago 15, Ill.

Reprinted from the Pittsburgh Courier. November 24, 1956

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad