Finding W.D. Fard: Unveiling the Identity of the Founder of the Nation of Islam

by John Andrew Morrow

Since his arrival in Detroit on July 4, 1930, W.D. Fard, known also as Wallace Fard Muhammad and over fifty other aliases, has elicited an enormous amount of curiosity. Who was this man who claimed that he was both the Messiah and the Mahdi, and who was identified as God in Person by his disciple, Elijah Muhammad, whom he reportedly appointed as his Final Messenger? The people who actually met him, and the scholars who have studied him, have suggested that he was variously an African American, an Arab from Syria, Lebanon, Algeria, Morocco or Saudi Arabia, a Jamaican, a Turk, an Afghan, an Indo-Pakistani, an Iranian, an Azeri, a white American, a Bosnian, a Mexican, a Greek or even a Jew. In an attempt to determine the origins of W.D. Fard, most scholars have relied on his teachings as passed down, and perhaps modified, by Elijah Muhammad. Some have suggested that he was a member of the Moorish Science Temple of America or the Ahmadiyyah Movement. Others have suggested that he was a Druze or a Shiite. Finding W.D. Unveiling the Identity of the Founder of the Nation of Islam provides an overview of the scholarly literature related to this mysterious subject and the theories concerning his ethnic and racial origins. It provides the most detailed analysis of his teachings to date in order to identify their original and multifarious sources. Finding W.D. Fard considers the conflicting views shared by his early followers to decipher the doctrine he actually taught. Did W.D. Fard really profess to be Allah, or was he deified after his death by Elijah Muhammad? The book features a meticulous study of any and all subjects who fit the profile of W.D. Fard, and provides the most detailed information regarding his life to date. It also offers an overview of turn-of-the-20th-century Islam in the state of Oregon, demonstrating how much W.D. Fard learned about the Muslim faith while residing in the Pacific Northwest. The work finishes with a series of conclusions and suggestions for further scholarship.

Genres: History

499 pages, Hardcover

Published January 15, 2019

Reviews

[Hamed Nasserian · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A discussion on the history of civil rights and race relations in America would be incomplete without an inquiry into the Nation of Islam (NOI). The NOI introduced the world to figures of historic consequence, such as Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Louis Farrakhan, and Warith Deen Muhammad. The literal godhead of this prolific movement is a man rarely spoken about: W.D. Fard. Also known as Master Fard Muhammad, he was the man of many aliases that arrived in Detroit in 1930 and disappeared without a trace in 1934. He would be called a professor, a prophet, the Mahdi, the Messiah, and even Allah in Person. He taught thousands of registered Black Muslims in the early years of the Great Depression.

Supposedly hailing from Mecca, from the lineage of the Prophet Muhammad, it has been difficult for scholars to sift the man from the myth. Besides few surviving public records and a doctored photograph, most of what we know about Fard comes from Elijah Muhammad, the long-time leader of the NOI. Many questions must be asked. As a non-African foreigner – yet the founder of one of the most militant black nationalist organizations in the world – where did Fard really come from, where did he go, what were his motivations, and where did his unique teachings come from?

In his masterpiece Finding W.D. Fard, Dr. John Andrew Morrow demonstrates that he is not just a competent historian, but a thorough investigator. He does not leave a stone unturned, as he examines all the existing research on the identity of the enigmatic Fard. Morrow gets so close to the mystery man, that you can almost touch him. The reader is taken through a whirlwind of facts and theories on Fard’s origins, religious persuasions, business ventures, relationships, and run-ins with the law. After each lead is followed and each theory is unpacked, Morrow includes possible inconsistencies and evidentiary issues. This keeps the reader engaged throughout the nearly 500-page textbook.

Finding W.D. Fard relies partly on the research of Evanzz, Arian, and other authors, but every previous claim is rigorously fact-checked. Unlike the aforementioned writers, Morrow offers a detailed understanding of the subtleties of Shīʿism, which become relevant when pinpointing the origins of Fard’s doctrine. Furthermore, Morrow appears to truly have no “dog in the fight” and offers honest research without an intention to denigrate or exonerate the founder of the NOI. The book offers several new contributions to the field, including possible details on Fard’s relatives, business partners, and life as a street politician and restauranteur. The target audience includes fellow researchers and discerning readers who have an interest and familiarity with the subject at hand.

While Morrow does not definitively locate W.D. Fard, he concludes that Fard was likely a Muslim immigrant from central Asia. Specifically, Morrow postulates that Fard was a “Nusayri, an Isma’ili, an Ithna-‘Ashari … Alevi or a Bektashi” (p. 330) based on the occult doctrines of twelve (or twenty-four) scientists, the theophanic powers of these scientists, and the concepts of cyclical time and mental resurrection. A potential problem with this conclusion is that Fard made no extant mention of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, the central figure of Ghulat trends; nor did he make any explicit reference to the names of the Imams, the tragedy of Karbala’, or Shīʿī books. There is no mention of a “race of devils” (except perhaps Gog and Magog) in Shīʿism, and certainly no mention of Yakub. Fard definitely borrowed doctrines from a range of religious groups, making it difficult for scholars to distinguish the ideas he was raised with from the ideas that he adopted in his time in America.

Finding W.D. Fard is a necessary resource for all those interested in the origins of the NOI. Morrow provides all the possible leads for future scholarship to pursue. Uncovering the identity of W.D. Fard would help us better understand the history of Islam in America. While the search is still on, Morrow’s book is an invaluable tool to that end."
source: https://bliis.org/research/book-revie...

[Abdullah Furqaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in reading an unbiased, historically-rooted, purely objective investigation into the personality, biography, and mission of Master Fard Muhammad, I cannot recommend this book enough!

This work is an absolutely phenomenal piece of scholarship. I've dedicated years to the study of Master Fard and the conclusions drawn by Morrow are entirely compelling. He's done a more thorough job of researching the man than the F.B.I.; while very little can be known definitively about Fard, the evidence that Morrow has systematically compiled paints a very convincing image as to the possible origins and influences of the Master.

[Ismael AbduSalaam]

Dr. Morrow has delivered the most thorough profile of WD Fard's origins. An exhaustive look at Fard's religious, social, economic, and ethnic influences. While the man's disappearance remains a question, much of the mystery surrounding his life has been lifted by this work. Hopefully, this works inspires scholars to build on this foundation for more answers.