Malcolm X Vs. Malcolm X

Since Manning Marable’s book was released, we’ve seen a lot of strong statements about Malcolm and his personal life. I definitely will not judge Marable´s work, he was a great figure among professors, scientists, and historians of Afro-American history. These are a few words of mine, about the relationship we have with brother Malcolm.
Although we’re living the present in the 21st century, every time I read his statements or listen to his speeches, I feel something, great strength, and something very inspirational we’re missing nowadays. The reading of „Life of Reinvention“, I’ve started it just two weeks ago, yet a huge surprise has come in the very beginning. When the book had become an issue, I found later some articles which depicted the anger of Malcolm´s daughters or very critical reviews of Marable´s book which was written by Karl Evanzz. Somehow all of those shots really forced me to „think back“, and „reconstruct“ all my feelings and thoughts towards Malcolm X. My mind was very disturbed for a few days, and I asked myself do I maintain a distance from it? Honestly, in the beginning of hearing those words of fitna/shaytan/evil I found my image of Malcolm somehow unstable and my brain wanted to hear an explanation for it.
 

Even though these statements are very strong, I think some of us may have forgotten that he was a human being and his role was to change the position of his people in America, just like Ossie Davis said „...he didn’t hesitate to die for his people“. This is the essence of Malcolm X, but today we’re not satisfied until we get to his „bed“, maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised, because it’s typical for this era.

On the other hand, I’d like to also stress Islamic law (Ar. Sharia).

A talk about very personal issues such as, a sexual life, is forbidden (Ar. Haram) and it doesn’t matter if it´s true or not. By Islamic law any accusation has to be taken to the court and there has to be a solid testimony of four witnesses (No less) who saw a couple commit adultery. This is practically impossible! 

Anyway, by emphasizing too much Afro-American problems of his time, I somehow forgot the fact that Malcolm X was a muslim as well, and then I recalled an appropriate quotation from former Bosnian president Alija Izetbegovic. The statement’s gonna be islamic and it won’t be a new thought for muslims but it might be a new thought for Americans or Europeans.

„On the contrary, according to religion, there is an inner centre in every man which is essentially different from the rest of the world. It is the bottom of every being – the soul. Intention means an inner step into the depths of one´s inner self, to this bottom. In this way, an action is adopted, verified, or inwardly confirmed. It can then be done or not done. The inner world, it has been done once and forever. Without this „consultation with himself“ a man´s action is a mechanical act, a pure coincidence in an outer and transient world. A man is not what he does but what he wants, what he earnestly desires.„

Alija Izetbegovic „Islam between East and West“ Ch.“Intention and Deed“, p.118

The present we’re living in today is different than the 50´s and the 60´s, at that time one color of skin oppressed the other one(s) „legally“ and it was hardly opposed, but nowadays racial injustice is supposed to be politically incorrect and highly unacceptable, even punished by the law, in the eyes of our modern societies. The fact that some part of the world doesn’t want to bow down to another is somehow aspect of Malcolm´s teaching we can adopt today. Just like he said „No Sell Out, No Compromise“. Malcolm´s strategy of fighting for human rights wasn’t that simple. He would not have been satisfied when a landlord said „sorry“, he wanted more than that to be done for you brother, he genuinely fought to gain your dignity back, so do not forget that!