Moorish Science Temple of America facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moorish Science Temple of America |
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| Type | Organization |
| Classification | Islam |
| Orientation | Esoteric |
| Scripture | Circle Seven Koran |
| Distinct fellowships | Washitaw Nation |
| Founder | Noble Drew Ali |
| Origin | 1925 |
| Separations | Nation of Islam Moorish Orthodox Church of America |
| Official website | MoorishScienceTempleofAmerica.org |
The Moorish Science Temple of America is an American organization started by Noble Drew Ali in the early 1900s. Ali taught that African Americans were descended from the Moabites, an ancient people, and were therefore "Moorish" by nationality and Islamic by faith.
Ali created a message of self-improvement through learning about history and spiritual growth. His teachings were meant to give African Americans a strong sense of identity and encourage them to be active in their communities.
A core belief of the Temple is that African Americans are of "Moorish" descent, from what Ali called the "Moroccan Empire." To join, people had to declare their "Moorish nationality" and received special "nationality cards." In their religious book, members call themselves "Asiatics," because the Middle East is part of Western Asia.
The Moorish Science Temple of America was officially created in Illinois. Noble Drew Ali, who was born Timothy Drew, first started the Temple in 1913 in Newark, New Jersey. After facing some challenges, Ali moved to Chicago and set up a main center there, along with temples in other big cities. The group grew very quickly in the late 1920s. This was during the Great Migration, when many Black Americans moved to northern cities and were searching for a new sense of identity.
After Ali's death, different groups formed within the movement. The creation of the Nation of Islam by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930 also led to competition for members. In the 1930s, the Temple had about 30,000 members. It continued to grow after World War II, but more slowly.
Contents
Who Was Noble Drew Ali?
Noble Drew Ali, born Timothy Drew, is believed to have been born on January 8, 1886, in North Carolina. Historians are not sure about his exact background. Some stories say his parents were former slaves and he was adopted by a Cherokee tribe. Other accounts say his father was from Morocco and his mother was Cherokee.
During his travels, Drew Ali said he met a high priest of Egyptian magic. According to one story, this priest saw Ali as a reincarnation (a person in whom a spirit is reborn) of important religious prophets like Jesus, Muhammad, and the Buddha. The priest taught Ali about mysticism and gave him a "lost section" of the Quran.
This text became known as the Holy Koran of the Moorish Science Temple of America, or the "Circle Seven Koran." Its cover has a red number "7" inside a blue circle. Much of the book comes from other spiritual writings from that time, like The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ and a Rosicrucian work called Unto Thee I Grant. Drew Ali wrote the final chapters himself, teaching that people should learn to love instead of hate.
Beliefs and Practices of the Temple
Ali taught that all African Americans were Moors who came from the ancient Moabites. He said their true history and nature had been hidden from them. He believed that Islam and its teachings were important for their spiritual well-being.
Members of the Temple have unique customs. Men often wear a red fez, and women wear a turban. To show their new identity, members add "Bey" or "El" to their last names. This was a way to connect with their "Moorish heritage" and replace the names their families were given during slavery.
Ali encouraged his followers to be good citizens. He told them to stop using negative labels for themselves. He wanted them to focus on love instead of hate and hoped Chicago could become a second Mecca, a holy city for Muslims.
History of the Movement
Early Growth
In 1913, Drew Ali started the Canaanite Temple in Newark, New Jersey. He and his followers later moved, starting new groups in cities like Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Detroit. In 1925, Ali settled in Chicago, saying the Midwest was "closer to Islam."
Ali told his followers to build up their community to earn respect. By the late 1920s, the Moorish Science Temple had around 35,000 members in 17 temples. The group also started businesses, similar to other Black empowerment movements of the time. They gained respect in Chicago and worked with local African American politicians.
A Time of Change
In early 1929, a disagreement over money led to a split in the Chicago temple. The business manager, Claude Green-Bey, left to start his own group. Soon after, a conflict at the Temple's Unity Hall resulted in Green-Bey's death.
Drew Ali was out of town at the time. When he returned, the police questioned him about the incident but did not charge him.
The Death of Drew Ali
Shortly after being released by the police, Noble Drew Ali passed away at his home in Chicago on July 20, 1929. He was 43 years old. His death certificate said he died of tuberculosis. However, many of his followers had other ideas about why he died. Some believed he was injured by the police, while others thought he simply passed away because his life's work was complete.
New Leaders and New Groups
After Ali's death, several people wanted to become the new leader. Edward Mealy El said Ali had chosen him. Another member, John Givens El, claimed he was the reincarnation of Drew Ali. At a large meeting, the Temple governors chose Charles Kirkman Bey as the new leader.
This led to a schism, or split, in the organization. Mealy El and Givens El both started their own independent Moorish Science Temple groups. All three of these main factions are still active today.
Another man, Wallace Fard Muhammad, also claimed to be the reincarnation of Drew Ali. When he was not accepted as leader, he left and moved to Detroit. There, he started a new group that became the Nation of Islam.
The Temple in Later Years
Even with the splits, the movement grew in the 1930s, reaching about 30,000 members. During the 1940s, the FBI watched the group because they were worried about its activities, but they never found any evidence of wrongdoing.
Over the years, the Moorish Science Temple has become smaller. In the early 2000s, major temples in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit had about 200 members each, many of whom were older. In 1984, the Chicago group bought a building in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood, which is still used as Temple No. 9.
Moorish Sovereign Citizens
In the 1990s, a new movement called the Moorish sovereign citizens emerged. This group is separate from the official Moorish Science Temple of America. They believe that the U.S. government is not legitimate.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has described this group's ideas as anti-government. The official Moorish Science Temple has stated that it has no connection to these groups, calling them "radical and subversive fringe groups." Leaders of the Temple are working to help people tell the difference between their official members and members of the separate sovereign citizen movement.
See also
- Black Hebrew Israelites
- Five-Percent Nation
- Hoteps
- Moorish Orthodox Church of America, a splinter group
- New religious movement
