Afrocentricity: Malcolm X and Al-Islam [Paperback]

Mustafa El-Amin (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mustafa El-Amin holds a B.A. Degree in Community Development and a masters Degree in Public Administration form Rutgers University. He also holds a certification in Special Education from Jersey City State College.

Product Details

• Paperback: 164 pages
• Publisher: El-Amin Productions (May 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963859714
• ISBN-13: 978-0963859716
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,922,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting in places but shoddy overall, January 2, 2002

By 

"fisherman454564879" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Afrocentricity: Malcolm X and Al-Islam (Paperback)

This book is alright I suppose as a work that tries to spread the positive aspects of the Black Muslim/Al-Islam message. I cannot really say whether this book is compelling as a pro-Muslim work. And I am not going to even mention the political controversies surrounding many of the events and people that El-Amin writes about. However, I can say that the book is rather flawed from more than one aspect.
First, the overall writing quality is poor, to say the least. It seems like the book is totally unedited. Now, I have nothing against a "basement production" kind of book, but El-Amin sinks to such a poor level of writing that his points become obscured.
Organization also appears to be nonexistant - or if it exists, it is in a way I do not really understand. The book basically goes through the topics of Islam that the author finds interesting on a point-by-point basis. It is hard to find any central ideas, other than the pro Al-Islam message. Often El-Amin states his opinion regarding something without providing the background information so that someone not intimately familiar with the Al-Islam movement would even know what the issue is. This really undermines the usefulness of the book.
Finally, the book has a rather ...-like tone. This shows when El-Amin presents information as if it is an undisputed factual event, and does not discuss or describe the event in any sort of meaningful detail. Ultimately, many of the events that he mentions - but NOT discusses - are not at all at the level of "accepted facts." An example of this would be El-Amin's breif treatment of what happened to the Nation of Islam after Elijah Mohammad's death in 1975. El-Amin is quick to say that basically all of the members of the Black Muslim movement consolidated under Wallace Deen, Elijah Mohammad's son. However this is far from fact - and it would have been much more interesting to hear a less simplistic account of the post-1975 Nation of Islam than El-Amin seemed ready to provide.
Overall, this book is not really useful as either a scholarly work or as a popular introduction to Al-Islam.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Malcolm X & The revival of Islam, August 9, 2000

By 

Darryl Boyd (USA San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Afrocentricity: Malcolm X and Al-Islam (Paperback)

Afrocentricity: Malcolm X and Al-Islam by Mustafa Al-Amin, focus on Malcolm's journey to the Islamic tradition. Malcolm's journey to Al-Islam began when he was recruited into the Nation of Islam, under the leadership of Elijiah Muhammed. Malcolm was in prision when he learned about the religion of Islam. His brother lectured him about the religion, and Elijiah Muhammed.

It didnot take Malcolm long to gain the trust of his teacher. Mr Muhammed gave Malcolm the okay to open new Temples all over the country. Elijiah Muhammed promoted Malcolm to a Minister position in New York, in addition to be named the first National Represenative of Elijiah Muhammed and the NOI.

A scandle, a jealous intercircle and the insecurities of Mr. Muhammed forced Malcolm X out of the Nation. Although he (Mr. Muhammed) claimed that he was going to suspend Malcolm X because of what he said regarding the death of John F. Kennedy; it was just the thing he needed to rid himself of his greatest student. Elijiah Muhammed was told by his intercircle of advisiors that Malcolm was trying to takeover the Nation. When Malcolm interviewed some of the women whith whom had romances with is leader Malcolm discovered that Elijiah was jealous of him. "He loves you brother Malcolm" one of the women told him. Then sshe said that he (Elijiah Muhammed) thought that he would betray him. When Malcolm's suspention passed the ninety day period, it accurred to him that he was forced out.

When Malcolm X was dismissed from the NOI he launged his own organizations. The programs he designed were the Muslim Mosque INC. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Some of the members of the Nation of Islam parted with Malcolm, and left a bitter, angry, hostile, and deadly atmosphere that lead to Malcolm's death on Febuary 21, 1965.

Although his life was short lived Malcolm X did discover the real beauty of Al-Islam. Short after breaking from Mr. Muhammed Malcolm went to Mecca. Malcolm's was amazed by the spirt of universal Islamic brother that he felt in the holy city. In a letter to his wife and followers Malcolm said " I have eaten from the same plate, and dranked from the same cut from men who's eye's where blue as the sky, and we are all the same. He felt that Islamic teachings can destroy the cancer of White superiority, and Black inferiority from all people.

Malcolm was and still is a grat Afro-American Icon. His love for his Family, his faih, and Black people have lead us to insire to be just like him. Some said that he was a head of his time but perhaps we were the ones who were late.

Malcolm's committment to Al-Islam lead him to greater spirtual hights.