Abbas Muntaqim
When reflecting on the life of el Hajj Malik el Shabazz, also known as Malcolm X, we see one of the most beautiful transformations—a journey from being unconscious and incarcerated (physically and mentally) to achieving freedom and living an eternal life. Hajj Malik had many names or nicknames, whether it was Malcolm Little, Detroit Red, satan, or Malcolm X. How often does a man once known as ‘satan’ earn the honorific title of ‘el Hajj’? This transformation captures the beauty of Hajj Malik’s life, filled with struggle and evolution, providing us with many lessons applicable to our own lives and influencing movements for independence for decades to come.
Part of the beauty of Hajj Malik—and arguably his most honorific title—is that of Shaheed, which in Arabic translates to “Witness.” I consider El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz to be the Master of Martyrs of the New Afrikan struggle for independence. I admit, at times, it’s hard to accept this. Sometimes the materialist in me comes out—when I wish I could shake his hand, give him salaams, or when I imagine what the world would look like if Hajj Malik had not been martyred. But when I ground myself in deen, I realize that it is through Hajj Malik’s martyrdom that his eternal strength emerges.
One major lesson we must learn from Hajj Malik is that he accepted martyrdom before becoming a martyr. While Hajj Malik was overseas, he was followed by the three-letter agencies—even noticing an agent he had seen in New York following him around in Afrika. When attempting to travel to France, he was barred entry because France didn’t want him to be assassinated in their country. Furthermore, Dr. Shawarbi, an Egyptian scholar and close associate of Hajj Malik, warned him about returning to amerika due to the escalating threats against his life. Shawarbi was concerned for Hajj Malik’s safety and urged him to remain abroad. Yet Hajj Malik still returned, despite all this knowledge, to continue the work of fighting for the independence of New Afrikan people living in amerika.
Hajj Malik, realizing the weight of his reality, spoke to this when he said:
“I am a marked man. It doesn’t frighten me for myself as long as I felt they could not hurt me because I am spiritually well-protected. I know no one can put a finger on me without the permission of Allah. I feel that death is imminent, but I don’t have any fear. I won’t stop speaking out against those things I know are wrong.”
Furthermore, he said:
“Every morning when I wake up, now, I regard it as having another borrowed day. In any city, wherever I go—making speeches, holding meetings of my organization, or with reporters—everywhere, my life is in danger. I’m not a betting man, but I have no illusions about the odds on my staying alive. I live like a man who is already dead.”
Hajj Malik accepted his martyrdom—and by returning to amerika, he sought it out. By saying, “I live like a man who is already dead,” he accepted the limits of this life and acknowledged that his death was predetermined. By remaining steadfast and never wavering in the face of death, he lived like a martyr before becoming one. What a beautiful expression of tawheed this was, where Hajj Malik was in full submission to the divine will of Allah—and he didn’t let the fear of satanic oppressors detract him from his mission and, most importantly, his duty to Allah (SWT). How beautiful is this transformation, where a man once nicknamed satan, would have no fear confronting the satanic forces of the u.s. government that were seeking to kill him. We must learn from Hajj Malik’s example if we are serious about bringing justice into the world.
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
“Never say that those martyred in the cause of Allah are dead—in fact, they are alive! But you do not perceive it.” (The Cow, 2:154)
It is clear that since Hajj Malik’s martyrdom, he is still alive. It just takes an honest look at history—outside of a solely materialist framework—to see this! And even if you are a materialist, you can’t deny the impact of Hajj Malik’s spirit, which has lived on through decades of movements for independence.
Hajj Malik was martyred on February 21, 1965, and shortly after, on October 16, 1966, the Black Panther Party was co-founded. Without the martyrdom of Hajj Malik, it’s hard to imagine the Panthers emerging as they did, without the spirit and teachings of Hajj Malik paving the way. In the words of Huey Newton:
“Malcolm X was a true revolutionary, and his legacy lives on in the Black Panther Party. His insistence on the right to self-defense, his critique of amerikan racism, and his vision of Black unity and self-reliance are foundational to our movement. We carry forward his teachings in our fight for liberation and justice.”
The ethos and philosophy that Hajj Malik espoused lived on through the creation of the Black Panther Party, which was the strongest and most significant organization to counter the amerikan government.
Furthermore, Huey said:
“The Black Muslims are a very disciplined, proud group, and they inspired many of the programs that we have in the Black Panther Party. They made me see that Black people could organize and discipline themselves. They gave us a lot of inspiration for our self-defense programs.”
When Huey is discussing the Black Muslims, he is pointing to Hajj Malik’s legacy. The Nation of Islam would not have been what it was without Malcolm, as he was instrumental in the growth of the Nation and developed their community programs. When Hajj Malik was released from prison in 1952 and became active in the NOI, the organization had an estimated membership of about 500. By 1963, largely due to Malcolm’s efforts, the NOI’s membership had grown to approximately 30,000 to 40,000!
Similarly, the martyrdom of Hajj Malik would serve as the catalyst for the founding of the Republic of New Afrika. Two of Hajj Malik’s self-proclaimed disciples, the Henry brothers—who were part of the Organization of Afro-American Unity and later known as the Obadele brothers—founded the Malcolm X Society, whose purpose was to bring Hajj Malik’s belief in “land being the basis of independence” into reality by creating an independent nation-state for Black people in amerika.
The Malcolm X Society in Detroit brought over 500 members—many of whom saw themselves as disciples of Hajj Malik—together to form the Republic of New Afrika. It was fitting that the location was Detroit, as it was where Malcolm delivered his famous “Ballot or the Bullet” speech. In many ways, avenging Hajj Malik for them meant the formation of a Black independent nation-state. In doing so, they picked up his torch and carried his legacy forward. They even named the capital of the RNA after Malcolm—calling it “El Malik.”
Even in the early drafts of the New Afrikan Creed, which outlined the ethos of the New Afrikan Independence Movement, it ended by saying:
“Now, freely and of my own will, I pledge this creed, for the sake of freedom for my people and a better world, on pain of disgrace and banishment if I prove false. For I am no longer deaf, dumb, or blind. I am—by grace of Malcolm—a New Afrikan.”
It was later changed to “by the grace of the Creator,” which I’m sure Hajj Malik would have preferred, but this shows how esteemed and highly they held Hajj Malik in respect to their organizing efforts to honor his legacy.
This legacy is all a result of Hajj Malik’s martyrdom. It is through his martyrdom that the Panthers gained inspiration! It is through his martyrdom that the Republic of New Afrika was born. It was through his martyrdom that many Black people found Islam! How dare anyone claim that Hajj Malik is dead? It is clear he is alive!
A society is alive and well when we have martyrs. A society with no martyrs, indeed, is a society with no life. And a society that doesn’t honor its martyrs is often a slave to the material world. And a slave to the material world is a person that will never bring about justice!
If we truly believe we are to honor Hajj Malik’s living spirit, then we must continue his work by fighting for both New Afrikan independence and humanity. We must become our own liberators and build a world where justice is at the foundation.
Free the People!
Free the Land!
Long live the spirit of el Hajj Malik el Shabazz!
Abbas Muntaqim is a community organizer at People’s Programs and is the host of the Hella Black Podcast
