Noble Drew Ali

Many of the younger generations and those new to the Moorish Divine and National Movement are calling themselves Moors, but do not know of the man is who started the movement. There is so much confusion and misinformation out here that many associate being a Moor only with the strawman and know nothing about nationality or the power thereof. The following is a brief history of the man who started the movement, and in whose steps the Moorish Republic is following.

MSTA The Moorish Divine and National Movement started in 1913 when, the Prophet Noble Drew Ali (Sheikh Sharif Abdul Ali) founded the Canaanite Temple, in Newark, New Jersey. It was located in Dixon Barbershop at 7 Rutgers Street. As the temple membership grew, in (May) 1916, the temple was moved to the second floor of a saloon.

The Prophet was teaching Our people that We were not Negros, Blacks and Coloreds. He was also teaching that We are not Christians, but Moslems. He taught a form of Islam called "Islamism", which is supposed to date back to the ancients, prior to Christianity the Arab orthodox religion of Islam. However, the Christian religious indoctrination was so strong in the people, that in 1919, the Prophet was voted out as head of the temple that he began. He lost to Dixon, because he was teaching that We are not Christians.

The Holy Koran of the Moorish Science Temple of America

The Divine Constitution and By-laws

Oral Statements and Prophesies

Moorish Literature

C.M. Bey's Zodiac Constitution

C.M. Bey's Clock of Destiny 1

C.M. Bey's Clock of Destiny 2

By 1925, Noble Drew Ali had relocated to Chicago, Illinois, Noble Drew Ali Office and on October 15th, he organized the Moorish Holy Temple of Science. Temple #1 was located at 329 East 39th Place. On November 29, 1926, the Moorish Temple of Science was organized as a civic organization under the laws of the Illinois state. The next year, the Prophet published the Holy Koran of the Moorish Holy Temple of Science, but did not release it until 1928.

The Holy Koran was never registered or copy written by the Prophet, and has been in the public domain since 1928. Also, in 1928, the Divine Constitution and By-laws of the Moorish Holy Temple of Science was officially adopted. On May 2, 1928, Noble Drew Ali officially changed the name to the Moorish Science Temple of America, and reorganized it into a religious organization.

Why did he turn it into a religious organization? My guess is that he was watching the antics of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI, in dealing with Marcus Garvey. By changing the temple to a religious organization, the perceived focus was on religion, as opposed to nationality or nationalism. Nationality unity, to them, would possibly be worse than Marcus Garvey's Pan-Africanism, because then We would have standing in the Family of Nations and the world, which would have greatly diminished their power and authority over Us.

During his time, Noble Drew Ali opened several temples in several of the colonial United States. He also encouraged and assisted many Moors to be industrious and start successful businesses across North America.

After Noble Drew Ali passed on July 20, 1929, the Moorish Divine and National Movement splintered into many different factions, such as the Reincarnated Prophets, Nation of Islam and others. After several power struggles, C. Kirkman-Bey became head of the temple. By 1934, he had abolished the Divine Constitution and By-laws, and replaced them with "Rules and Regulations of 1934". After J. Blakely-Bey and F. Nelson-Bey, R. Love-El reinstated the Divine Constitution in 1975. Also, in December 1974, R. German-Bey dissolved the Illinois MSTA and reincorporated it as a Maryland corporation known as the Supreme Grand Major Temple of the MSTA Incorporated.

Today there are several branches that have sprung from the seed that Noble Drew Ali planted. However, those groups have not been teaching Our people about Nationality, which is always the order of the day. The Nation of Islam, one of the first groups to come into prominence after Noble Drew Ali passed, and founded by the Honorable Elijah Muhammed, is a group of people who practice a form of the Arab orthodox religion of Islam. Its founder, Elijah Muhammed, formerly known as Elijah Poole Bey, was under the tutelage of Noble Drew Ali. They are teaching Our men to be upright, independent and fearless "Black" men.

The Nation of Islam spawned such great men as Malcolm X (El Hajj Malik Shabazz) and Khalid Muhammed. Over the decades, they have helped many of Our men and women to elevate themselves out of the muck and mire of the harsh parts of life in to peace. The Nation of Gods and Earths or the 5% Nation is a civic organization founded by the Honorable Clarence 13X or Allah the Father, is also an off-shoot of the Nation of Islam. They teach that the "Black" man is God, Supreme Mathematics, and the Supreme Alphabet. But, just as the Nation of Islam, the Nation of Gods and Earths teach that We are "black". Both of these nations have a positive effect on Our people spiritually, but neither is of any value Internationally.

Let us make this very clear. WE ARE, IN NO WAY, SPEAKING DEROGATORILY TOWARDS ANY GROUP. ALL OF THEM HAVE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE UPLIFTMENT OF OUR PEOPLE, AND WE COMMEND THEM ON THEIR EFFORTS. I AM MERELY STATING FACTS AS WE HAVE STUDIED THEM. IF WHAT WE HAVE SAID IS NOT A FACT, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT THE MOORISH REPUBLIC SO THAT WE MAY MAKE THE PROPER AND NECESSARY CORRECTIONS.