In the interest of fairness, cultural diversity, and moral ambiguity, The Last Crusade takes pleasure in publishing a rebuttal to our article “Meet America’s First Muslim”.
From: <info@umsta1928.com>
To: <thelastcrusade@Gmail.Com>
Date: Tue,09Jun.2009
Subject: The Truth about The Moorish Science Temple of America
Supreme Minister Chief Minister Dr. Ra Saadi El
Islam & Greetings,
Would like the opportunity to defend the integrity of our religious organization and to give light as to what is The Moorish Science Temple of America and what we actually stand for.
Presently, Islam is seen as being the most rapidly growing religion within the United States and more so within the Federal and State prisons. In addition to this known fact, there is no Chaplin’s who are qualified and endowed with the true knowledge of the teachings of Islam from a Moorish prospective and able to extend it to those who are followers of Prophet Drew Ali via the Moorish Science Temple of America.
The Moorish Science Temple of America 1928 portion is accredited for its intense Islamic teachings that is structured around the philosophies and opinions Divinely inspired by that of its founder Prophet Drew Ali. The Moorish Movement in North America stands as the foundation of Islam and Islamic nationalism in America, via its founder, Prophet Noble Drew Ali, who started his work in 1913 in Newark NJ. The movement reached its peak in 1928, with an estimated 70% of the African American population being involved in one way or another nationwide. From the years 1929-1936, the movement began to fragment, giving birth to other popular organizations and movements, such as the Nation of Islam, the Black Hebrews, and many others. Since the year 2000 America has seen a great interest and resurgence of the movement, but in its 70+-year dormancy there is much confusion as the exact direction of the organization and the original intent of its founder up until 1996; were Chief Minister Dr. Ra Saadi El has contributed the return of the original teachings and practices of Prophet Drew Ali.
The Moorish Science Temple of America 1928 portion as been noted in having the only true teachings of its founder with clear, precise and verifiable information along with original documents as earlier as 1913, we presently have the only Moorish Islamic University of The Moorish Science Temple of America. The teachings and practices cannot found within any mainstream schools of higher learning; The University is currently being run as an on-line school via the Internet and telephone conferencing, as well as a complete correspondence course for those who do not have access to the internet or presently incarcerated. We at present have established relations with varies State and Federal prisons as being the only and continuous source of supplying Moorish Islamic Religious educational materials to the greatly growing inmate population who are making great demands in ascertaining the much needed Moorish Islamic reading materials.
One of our main missions is to give support to the spiritual growth and development of our followers within their Moorish Islamic faith, and to provide them a solidified understanding to the teachings and practices of their savior Prophet Drew Ali. This can only be done with the guidance of those who are qualified in holding the degrees in the field of Moorish Islamic studies and the faith of Islam from a Moorish Perspective. The faith of Islam practiced by those, who are members of the Moorish Science Temple of America is liken to that of a Sufi degree of Islam. It is important that an accurate understanding be given of the Moorish Science Temple of America Holy Scriptures contents and the meaning of these conceptions, ideas, philosophies are essential.
Our Moorish Islamic Ministers have been certificated in meeting all requirements as prescribed by The Grand Body and National Leadership of The Moorish Science Temple of America (1928 portion). We do not represent the R. Jones Bey of The Moorish Science Temple Inc. headquartered in Washington D.C. nor do they represent the entire Moorish Science Temple of America religious community or organizations; there at presently five legitimate active Moorish Science Temple of America grand bodies (organizations) they are able to trace themselves as being in connection with Prophet Drew Ali. We solely represent the true foundation of the Original Moorish Science Temple of America which is that of its founder Prophet Drew Ali. Our Grand Body is the only CCR federal registered contractors for the Federal Prison were our outreach ministry program has received many citations for its outstanding works across the country.
We would be glad to speak to you as will has show you proof as to The Moorish Science Temple of America.
The Moorish Science Temple of America National Leadership of the Original 1928 Grand Body
Supreme Grand Sheik Waleed Naeem Abdul Bey
Supreme Minister Chief Minister Dr. Ra Saadi El
The Moorish Science Temple of America – National Home Office
P.O. Box 161968 Atlanta Georgia 30321
Toll Free (888) 361-2499 Fax (404) 286-4809
Email: info@msta1928.com
Isn’t this special. A dialogue is ensuing. My question is this: I thought muzzies weren’t suppose to dance and listen to music, and yet this muslim organization has a whole events planning business equipped with dancing and music, and not just any music; we’re talking Motown, one of my all time favs! I’m confused. Do these people actually follow true Islam, or are they creating a whole new islam?
Is it bad that I am hysterical laughing?
Yes…..those who laff at the tru faight will be judged by heshe that rule paradise.
That’s cool, ’cause I’m down with “tru faight”, whatever that be.
AHAHAHAHA
Is this some sort of “Outreach” programme??
da to the wa!
The Moorish Science Temple of America is an Afro-american religious sect founded in 1913 by Noble Drew Ali, is a religion influenced by Islam, Gnosticism and Taoism. Its main tenet was that African Americans were descended from the Moors and thus were originally Islamic. Drew changed his name to Noble Drew Ali, the Prophet and founded the organization in 1913 in Newark, New Jersey.
The Holy Koran of the Moorish Science Temple of America is held to be a collection of knowledge kept secret by the Moslems of the East, now brought back to light by the Prophet. As such, Noble Drew Ali did not claim to be the author of the work, per se, although the final section of the Koran, Chapters 45-48, are in his proverbial hand. The Koran is in three major sections. Chapters 2-19 contain the lost history of Jesus as a child and young man, His travels and teachings in Palestine, Egypt, Europe, and India. The ministry of John the Baptist also figures heavily in this section. The most probable source for this material is the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ, although the man credited with this work, Levi H. Dowling, as in the case of Noble Drew Ali, did not claim authorship, but rather suggests that it is a revealed, pre-existing text. The second major section of the Koran, Chapters 20-44, seems to be derived from the Ancient Egyptian text used by the Rosicrucians called Unto Thee I Grant, and consists largely of discussions of various aspects of the human condition. The third and final section, apparently penned by Noble Drew Ali, himself, contains a collection of histories of Asiatic peoples and the founding of Christianity, as well as an overview of the mission and intent of the Science Temple. In addition to these three sections, Chapter 1 serves as a sort of Creation story, a discussion of the fundamental nature of humans, how they came into being, and what their relationship to God is. This chapter is a slightly revised section from the introduction to Levi H. Dowling’s text rather than from the “Aquarian Gospel.” There is also a quick epilogue between Chapters 19 and 20, summing up the events portrayed in the first section as the story of the lives of Jesus and John the Baptist.
A major theme of the Moorish Science Temple is teaching or returning nationality to members of the Asiatic Nation of North America. The Science Temple was an early proponent of the Black Power movement in America, although Marcus Garvey is celebrated by the Moorish Science Temple as the Forerunner of the Prophet. The temple’s doctrine was that of racial tolerance and equality, and the structure of the religion theoretically embraced all races. Drew Ali taught that Moors were “Asiatic”, that there are only two races on the planet, Europeans and Asiatics. The peoples of Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, as well as Latin Americans, and indigenous peoples of the Americas are all considered Asiatic, as well as Moslems in Moorish Science Temple teachings. Drew taught that Europeans represent the “Lower Self” (Satan), and were driven out of Mecca by the Asiatic Moslems. Drew said that the empowerment of the Moorish people could only be found through an acceptance of Islam, although the Moorish Science Temple’s definition of Islam was very different from the conventional one, and was more of a theosophistic combination of many religions, including Buddhism and indigenous religions. The theology of the church was lenient and inconsistent, if not non-existent, although there were consistent themes of universal love and pride.
Doctrine of the temple was unconventional, including stories about Christ and Apollo battling, and the Greek Gods watching over his tomb before his resurrection, as well as the descendants of Sub-Saharan Africans should be referred to as “Moors” or “Moorish Americans” instead of Negroes, Blacks, or today, African-Americans.
Members of the Temple wear fezes, and a turban (including Drew, who wore a Cherokee feather in his) and add the suffixes Bey or El to their names to signify their Moorish heritage. The ushers of the Temple wore black fezzes, and the leader of a particular temple was known as a Grand Sheik, or Governor. Drew began to teach the Moorish Americans how to become better citizens, and make more impassioned speeches, urging Moors to reject the Derogatory labels such as Black, colored, and Negro—and for Americans of all races to reject hate and embrace love. He believed that Chicago would become a second Mecca, and the temple began selling remedies (such as Moorish Tea) and issuing members of the church membership cards that authorized them as Moslems and declared that they were citizens of the United States.
The Temple suffered scrutiny and possibly harassment by Chicago police. A member of the Temple, Claude Green Bey, splintered off, declaring himself Grand Sheik, taking a number of members of the original temple, but was later stabbed by unknown parties. Drew was arrested and allegedly beaten by police, and released on bond pending an indictment. He died shortly afterwards, in 1929. It was speculated that his death was due to injuries received at the hands of the police, although the exact circumstances of his death are unknown. He was never brought up on charges for any involvement in the stabbing of Claude Green Bey.
The Moorish Science Temple lived on after Drew Ali’s death, but splits among the Temple adherents widened. Edward Mealy El, chosen by Drew Ali to lead his movement, as the Grand Sheik/Supreme Grand Sheik (the 1st Grand Sheik of the Moorish Science Temple of America by the Prophet and the Grand Body) attempted to keep it alive until other factions eventually formed, all led by close associates of the Prophet. Bro C. Kirkman-Bey [1], the Prophet’s translator, became the head of what would eventually be the largest group, and which currently claims the name “Moorish Science Temple of America, Inc”. This came about over him splitting away from the Grand Body in 1934, in disagreement with the head E Mealy El over the usage of a self-proclaimed title “Supreme Grand Advisor and Moderator” which did not exist within the group. Currently, this faction of the Moorish Science Temple of America has been particularly successful in the prisons.
Another faction developed into the so-called Reincarnated Temples, led by the Prophet’s former chauffeur, Bro. John Givens El, who thereafter called himself “Noble Drew Ali, Reincarnated”. Givens El, and the brothers Richardson Dingle-El and Timothy Dingle El who succeeded him, taught that the Prophethood of Noble Drew Ali remained intact and passed on to them at the death of each before them, similar to the succession of authority from father to son or grandson in Shia Isma’ili Islam. From the work of the Dingle El brothers came the splits of the Temple No. 13, and the creation of a faction headed in Baltimore, MD, called the Noble Order of Moorish Sufis in Baltimore. Founded by the former Grand Mufti Sultan Rafi Sharif Bey on July 7, 1957, this group later lead to the founding of the Moorish Orthodox Church and the Moorish League. The Order of the Resurrection with its Second Heaven Order of four degrees was co-written by Sheik Rafi Sharif Bey and Sheik Timothy Dingle El.
Also claiming Reincarnation, Wallace Fard Muhammad (known in the MST of A as David Ford El) broke away from the Moorish Science Temple of America and formed his group called the Allah Temple of Islam, later becoming the Nation of Islam.
The smallest faction continued their faithfulness to the original teachings of Noble Drew Ali and his successor whom he appointed Bro. E. Mealy El as the Grand Sheik/Supreme Grand Sheik. This faction is still in existence, but with probably the fewest adherents out of the three; this group claims true lineage to the Prophet, and has various followings by a few separate factions formerly held together by Mealy El’s step-grandson D. Bailey El (ex Grand Governor, now expelled for embezzlement), succeeded by Sheiks in Chicago that he appointed prior to his official termination as Grand Governor and Sheik; that particular grand body has a few temples throughout the country and are continuing the works of Noble Drew Ali.
During World War II, the Science Temple (specifically the Kirkman-Bey faction) got the attention of the FBI, who falsely suspected the Moors of collaborating with the Japanese. No doubt doctrines and prophecies that the world order would one day invert and put the Asiatics of the world back in charge, as the Temple taught was the original order of things, sounded woefully suspicious to the anti-Japanese mindset of the times. The FBI created a file on the organization which grew to 3,117 pages, but produced no evidence of any connection or even much sympathy between the Empire of Japan and the temple.