Umm 'Uthmaan recounts her first memories of Malcolm X and reflects upon why his words still resonate with intensity more than forty years after his passing.

"Malcolm left a legacy, one that is far too great to be diminished to a "By any means necessary" t-shirt or an 'X' baseball cap."

In the 1990's when I converted to Islam, Spike Lee's film had just been released and 'X' fever had gripped the country. The X pendant was slung around many a neck. Some guys even went for the X shaved into the back of their heads "to show respect fo' ma bruvva Malcolm!" Sadly, many of these people were unfamiliar with his teachings - save for a few militant slogans. For the most part, Malcolm X was largely relegated to being an icon of black activism, akin to Dr. Martin Luther King. Every group wanted to claim him for themselves: the Black Panthers, the civil rights activists and the hip-hop culture. I can still recall a conversation held between an African Christian girl and an Asian Muslim guy at our university.

"Why are you wearing an X pendant?" she demanded, wagging her finger at his neck.

"I'm a Muslim and Malcolm X is my brother!" he proudly proclaimed.

"Get this straight. Malcolm X was a black man first and a Muslim second!"
She turned to leave, but was stunned by the boldness of his next words:

"When Malcolm X was just a 'black man', he was a thief, a pimp and a drug addict. It was only when he converted to Islam that he obtained some honour. We have more right to claim him as our brother than you!"

We have more right to claim him... This was a sentiment I would later appreciate and adopt.

Two years later, I had studied the concepts of Islamic Monotheism, been convinced of its veracity and was about to accept Islam. I had not come to this decision through 'X fever', yet it would linger in the background. Being typically naïve students with a desire to change the world, Bosnia dominated much of our conversations, as did the then recent Hebron Massacre. Malcolm X would once again be remembered for his militant slogans.

"Yeah! Just like Malcolm X said. By any means necessary!"
"The UN turns a blind eye 'coz they're Muslims"
"I need some night vision goggles, man. Gonna help ma bruvvas and sistas in Bosnia!"

 

 

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