This year, just prior to the Hajj season, we are celebrating what would have been the 100th birthday of the man who has loomed large on the American and world stage – Al Malik Shabbaz also known as Malcolm X.

We mention Hajj, as this was a transformative moment for Malcolm, as he himself mentions:

“Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this ancient Holy Land, the home of Abraham, Muhammad and all the other Prophets of the Holy Scriptures.

…there were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white.” Quoted by Shaikh Ahmad Kutty in his powerful essay on Malcolm X and the Transformative Power of Hajj.

Join us on Monday, May 26 for a celebration of the life and legacy of Malcolm X with Br. Hassam Munir and our scholars.