[41] Immigration records did not match any of his aliases. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Personally I don't know enough about the context to form an opinion on whether he was murdered, but it wouldn't shock me if he was. I guess so, because if you compare their features (ears, nose, chin, mouth, eyes and eyebrows), they're very similar. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. A variety of other claims emerged; that he went to Hawaii, New Zealand, and even to the Middle East. [31], From the FBI's response to the Freedom of Information Act request, Evanzz claimed that Fard, using the name Fred Dodd, married Pearl Allen in Multnomah County, Oregon, on May 9, 1914, with their first child, a son, born the next year. [11] In 2020, it attracted an estimated 14,000 participants. To Mr. Fard alone do they offer prayer and sacrifice. 2 was given by our Prophet, W.D. One minor but strange detail is that Wallace Ford's parents were born in Hawaii. [17] He came to the homes of black families who had recently migrated to Detroit from the rural South. WebThe FBIs FOIA Library contains many files of public interest and historical value. Only a few things are certain. [27] "Harris had no standing in the order and was not regarded as a leader. Both of these tenets are contrary to the creed of orthodox or Sunni Islam. "The society cannot be blamed for anything he did," Ali was quoted in the Detroit News, November 23, 1932. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Fard reportedly claimed to have been born in 1877. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. Although there is only one known picture of "Fard", there are a few known photographs of "Ford", mostly police mugshots: https://zaidpub.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/walaace-fard.jpg. "[26] Wallace Fard Muhammad loved the black people of the United States of America. [17] The Quran was soon introduced as the most authoritative of all texts for the study of the faith. I am your brother. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. A Fred Dodd married Pearl Allen in Portland, Oregon in 1914. And that He was able to force the whole world into submission to his will. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Omissions? })(); Ethnicity of Celebs | EthniCelebs.com 2023. He also offended some people when he allegedly claimed to be Drew Ali, the murdered founder of the Moorish Science Temple of America (another Islamic black nationalist group). A handwritten lesson written by Fard states: "Twelve Leaders of Islam from all over the Planet have conferred in the Root of Civilization concerning the Lost-Found Nation of Islam must return to their original Land. Fard preached that blacks (who were not to be called Negroes) must prepare for an inevitable race war and that Christianity was the religion of slaveowners. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). He disappeared in 1934 after several arrests in Detroit and Elijah Muhammad took over as leader of the Nation of Islam. From here on, his teachings became increasingly venomous. He founded the religious movement in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., in 1930, and was its leader until 1934, his disappearance. I think you're right - between Fard's own obfuscation of his past and the FBI's misinformation campaign, we might never know just who he really was. His fathers name is listed as Zaradodd Ford, his mothers name as Babbjie, and their birthplace as Madrid, Spain. The past History shows that the ALMIGHTY ALLAH sends Prophets and Apostles for the people's Guide and Example, and through them HIS Mystery was Revealed. Among the files reviewed was that of Wallace Dodd Ford. In 2007, the Nation of Islam had an estimated membership of 20,00050,000. Arian, posits that Muhammad arrived in Seattle, Washington, from Karachi, Pakistan in 1904 under the names Alam Khan and Khanialam Khan. The effect of both these movements upon the future members of the Nation of Islam was largely indirect. [40] The FBI's search for Fard was officially closed the following year on April 15, 1958. According to his successor, Elijah Muhammad, Fard was an incarnation of God. [44], On August 15, 1959, the FBI sent a story to the Chicago New Crusader newspaper, stating that Fard was a "Turkish-born Nazi agent who worked for Hitler in World War II". [45], A February 19, 1963, FBI memorandum states: "In connection with efforts to disrupt and curb growth of the NOI, extensive research has been conducted into various files maintained by this office. [68][bettersourceneeded]. Now, the Messenger and his Laborers worked day and night for the last three and one-half years, and their accomplishments are approximately twenty-five thousand"[25], In this lesson, Fard places the number of converts obtained in Detroit at 25,000, and he describes a "Messenger" sent to the "Lost-Found Nation of Islam" who is "of their own". He advocated community members to establish and own their own businesses,[13] eat healthy, raise families, and refrain from drugs and alcohol. [25] One such lesson concludes with the text: "This Lesson No. Fard, W. D. (c. 1877-1934), Religious and Political Leader. He bases this theory on several indications:[30], The 2019 book Finding W.D. The Caucasians are the colored people, since they have lost their original color. She also said she still kept in contact with Ford via letters she sent to his uncle in New Zealand. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. In 1934 he disappeared without a trace. [52] One theory postulated is that Fard was of Afghan heritage. They must live according to the law of Allah, avoiding all meat of 'poison animals', hogs, ducks, geese, possums and catfish. In that year, he established in Detroit the Temple of Islm as well as the University of Islm, which was the temples school, and the Fruit of Islm, a corps of male guards. A 1957 FBI report stated that Muhammad previously lived in Portland, Oregon, under the alias Fred Dodd, and in Los Angeles and Chicago as Wallie/Wallace Dodd Ford. But perhaps most notably, he was the man who founded the Nation of Islam, a political and religious organization that brought Malcolm X, one of the 20th centurys most important Americans, into the spotlight. Fard and his teachings are also referenced in many hip-hop songs. But his strict culinary concerns may have emerged from elsewhere: it is said he carried packets of sugar in his coat pocket and is said to have bled easily. There is no consensus about Master Fard's identity. Thats not to say that anyone so amorphous is not capable of producing very absolute effects on history. [citation needed], Efforts to trace the origins and life story of Fard have been extensive but have yielded only fragmentary results and not even his date of death is known; further complicating any efforts is the fact that only 5 pictures of Fard are known to exist, 4 being mugshots taken after various arrests and one being the official portrait by the Nation of Islam; most observers agreed they all belong to the same person which was confirmed via facial recognition analysis. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/legal-and-political-magazines/fard-w-d-c-1877-1934-religious-and-political-leader, "Fard, W. D. (c. 1877-1934), Religious and Political Leader On a 1926 San Quentin State Prison file, a Wallie D. Ford of Los Angeles gave his birthplace as Oregon, and his age as 31. April 15, 2022. Tracing Ford's link to Portland, the FBI determined he had married an 18-year-old Native American girl in 1914 called Pearl Allen. Their physical and economic difficulties alike were used to illustrate the new teaching. Following his disappearance, Elijah Muhammad succeeded him as the chief of the Nation of Islam. Ford/Fard lied about his background so many times that it's hard to tell what's true and what's not. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. The ATI was disbanded as ordered, though in name only; as the Nation of Islam, it continued to grow. A fully equipped kitchen is available with all of the cooking essentials including a Keurig coffee maker w/coffee and hot cocoa. [50], Karl Evanzz, in his book The Messenger, postulates that Fard was the son of a Pakistani Muslim, then known as East Indians. In 1981, Pakistani scholar Zafar Ishaq Ansari researched Fard's life and claimed that Fard was identical with Muhammad Abdullah, a Pakistani Ahmadiyya Muslim. A variety of other claims emerged; that he went to Hawaii, New Zealand, and even to the Middle East. How we had been made blind, deaf and dumb by this white race of people and how we must return to our people, our God and His religion of peace (Islam), the religion of the prophets. Officials said he came to the United States from Asia.". [67] The FBI charged that Takahashi had been an influential presence in the Nation of Islam. MSN Weather tracks it all, from precipitation predictions to severe weather warnings, air quality updates, and even wildfire alerts. Wallace Dodd Ford's race is the subject of some debate. He arrived in Detroit in 1930 with an obscure background and several aliases, and taught an idiosyncratic form of what he considered Islam to members of the city's black population. Fard snuck back into Detroit in January 1933, but was identified by authorities, arrested in May and again ordered to leave the city. They would have been born back in the 1860's, long before Hawaii was a part of the United States. Thus ended the FBI investigation into Fard's early life. He said that he loved us (the so-called Negroes), his lost and found, so well that he would eat rattlesnakes to free us if necessary, for he has power over all things. Others asserted that he had returned to Mecca to prepare for his eventual return. Karriem cited a quotation from a book entitled Secret Rituals of the Lost-Found Nation of Islam, authored by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad, which read, The believer must be stabbed through the heart. This quote, as well as another stating, Every son of Islam must gain a victory from a devil. One member of the group, later declared mentally insane, allegedly participated in "human sacrifice" in 1932 in an effort to follow lessons regarding the sacrifice of devils. He gave the exact birth of the white race; the name of their God who made them and how; and the end of their time, the judgment, how it will begin and end. WebWallace Fard Muhammad established the Nation of Islam in Detroit. If he indeed became Fard that would tie in with his advocacy of Islam. WebWallace Fard, also known as Master Wali Farrad Muhammad, founded the Lost and Found Nation of Islam and served as its leader until his mysterious disappearance in the early 1930s. "[58], Beynon also wrote: "The prophets message was characterized by his ability to utilize to the fullest measure the environment of his followers. On the other hand, in a speech made on April 1, 2001, titled The Greatness of Master Fard Muhammad, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan reiterated Fards origins in the Holy City of Mecca, and referred to him as the Mahdi, a man absolutely guided by God in the Islam faith. Harris was later declared mentally unbalanced, pleaded guilty and was imprisoned, while Fard and Ali were released. In 1933, Fard disappeared and a power struggle within the NOI emerged. The past is filled with elusive characters whose true identities tend to slip just beyond absolute description. Karriem was found to be legally insane and was committed. They must give up completely the use of stimulants, especially liquor. He was known usually as Mr. Wali Farrad or Mr. W. D. Fard, though he used also the following names: Professor Ford, Mr. Farrad Mohammed, Mr. F. Mohammed Ali. Were Ford and Fard truly the same person? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It's possible him and Ford are the same guy. He lived in Los Angeles with a woman named Hazel Ford. A few of them had come under the influence of the Moorish-American cult which succeeded it. He provided no known place of birth for his parents nor his date of immigration. More about myself I will not tell you yet, for the time has not yet come. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Fard_Muhammad. The FBI officially claims this: Fard got into hot water when in May 1933, one of his followers performed a ritual murder as a sacrifice to God. Fard encouraged his followers not to drink alcohol or eat pork, which is standard practice for Muslims. He was ultimately forced to leave Detroit because of an allegation that he encouraged one of his followers to engage in a ritual of human sacrifice. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. There is only one known, authenticated photograph of "Wallace Fard Muhammad", which depicts him as a light-skinned, caucasian-looking man: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f3/Wallace_Fard_Muhammad.jpg. [56] In his 1962 book Black Nationalism: The Search for an Identity, Essien-Udom wrote: "Noble Drew Ali was shot and stabbed in his offices at the Unity Club in Chicago on the night of March 15, 1929 He was eventually released on bond, but a few weeks later, he died under mysterious circumstances. There are two popular theories regarding Ford/Fard's background - that he was the child of a South Asian/Arabic man and a white woman, or the child of a Maori man and a white woman. Fard, W. D. (c. 1877-1934), Religious and Political Leader Attendance at the house meetings grew until the listeners were divided into groups and taught in shifts. [32][33], Dodd left his family in 1916 and moved to Los Angeles, using the name Wallie Dodd Ford. His very name is uncertain. After Elijah's death, Warith Deen appointed Abdullah imam of Mosque #77 in Oakland, California. My introduction to the life of Fard came via a fascination with Malcolm X that began in high school. In compliance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements, some of these records are no longer in the physical possession of the FBI, eliminating the FBIs capability to re-review and/or re-process this material. At this time, Ford was going under the name Fred Dodd, and operated a lunch wagon. WebWallace Muhammad - Disappearance Disappearance In June 1934, Fard left Detroit for Chicago and disappeared without a trace. FBI records identified him as an unstable wanderer named Wallace Dodd Ford who came to the United States from New Zealand in 1913. For some time, one W. D. Fard assumed leadership of the Moorish movement. Similarly, biblical prophecies and the teachings of Marcus Garvey and Noble Drew Ali were cited as foretelling the coming of the new prophet". Beynon described the substance of Fard's teaching as follows: "The black men in North America are not Negroes, but members of the lost tribe of Shabazz, stolen by traders from the Holy City of Mecca 379 years ago. Fards demise as the leader of the temple was brought upon him when, on Thanksgiving Day in 1932, one of his followers, Robert Harris, renamed Robert Karriem, committed a human sacrifice in order to bring himself closer to Allah. Elijah Muhammad, who took the position of leader of the Nation of Islam after Fard's disappearance, railed agaist the media claims that Ford was Fard. (February 22, 2023). r d / (born February 26, 1877) was a co-founder of the Nation of Islam. Within three years Fard had established several organizations: the "Temple of Islam," with its own worship style and rituals; the "University of Islam," to propagate his teachings; the "Muslim Girls Training," to teach female members home economics and how to be a proper Muslim woman; and the "Fruit of Islam," consisting of selected male members to provide security for the temple and Muslim leaders and to enforce the disciplinary rules. [30] Evanzz based his account of Fard's life on the declassified portion of the FBI file that he received about a decade after his request. When nothing further was heard from him, some rumored that he had been killed by police. Four victories and the son will attain his reward, convinced the Detroit Police Department motivated in part by the anti-Muslim hysteria fueled by media coverage of the event to seek out Fard in conjunction with the murder. His parents were Zared Fard (a New Zealander whose parents were from an area of East India that eventually became Pakistan) and Beatrice (of New Zealands minority British population). [40] Barton-Ford gave a description of Wallie Ford, and described him as a Caucasian New Zealander. 1 is the location setting for several scenes in the book. [20], Beynon described disputes and tension that arose between the new community and the police over the group's refusal to send their children to public schools. Finally, the community contributed money and rented a hall to serve as a temple where meetings were conducted. Contemporary American Religion. Uncover property values, resident history, neighborhood safety score, and more! 1997. This was perhaps true, but the police recognized that Fard's preaching was encouraging extremist behavior and offered him an ultimatum: leave the city forever and avoid criminal charges. This fits with Ford's former professions. [36][bettersourceneeded], A declassified Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) memorandum dated May 16, 1957, states: "From a review of instant file it does not appear that there has been a concerted effort to locate and fully identify W. D. Fard. WebMap of Fawn Creek, KS, Kansas. "[25] He went on to state: "Why is Stress made to the Muslims to Copy, the Minister, Elijah Muhammad's Answers? 1877-1934 ), religious and Political leader ; that he had married an 18-year-old Native American in... Neighborhood safety score, and even to the Middle East New Zealand, and more he provided no place... Fard disappeared and a power struggle within the NOI emerged into Fard 's early life and explanations... 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