Noble Drew Ali
Noble Drew Ali, possibly born as Timothy Drew or Thomas Drew, (January 8, 1886 – July 20, 1929), was an American religious leader who, in the early 20th century, founded a series of organizations that he ultimately placed under the umbrella title, the Moorish Science Temple of America; including the Canaanite Temple (1913–1916), the Moorish Divine and National Movement (1916–1925), the Moorish Temple of Science (1925–1928), and the Moorish Science Temple of America (1928 onwards). [2][3] Considered a prophet by his followers,[2] he founded the Canaanite Temple in 1913 while living in Newark, New Jersey. From there, he made his way westward and eventually settled in Chicago between 1922 and 1925. Upon reaching Chicago, his movement would gain thousands of converts under his instruction.[3] Upon the murder of a rival Moorish Science Temple leader, Drew Ali was arrested (but never charged) and sent to jail; he died on July 20th, 1929, shortly after being released.
Drew Ali
Pearl Drew Ali & Mary Drew Ali
It is traditionally held that Drew Ali founded the first officially state-registered Islamic organization in U.S. history, and was the first American-born Islamic religious leader.[4] Although the Moorish Science Temple of America has largely declined, Drew Ali's legacy is significant because of its influence on the founding and ideology of the Nation of Islam. From a Sunni Islamic perspective, Drew Ali's Islamic teaching inroads are generally held as no more than a romanticized history. This is because there is no evidence that he taught the Sunni-fiqh 'tarbiyah' (aka Islamic-pedagogical) prerequisite, salat (prayer), sawm (fasting), or even directly quoted the Quran of Muhammad, in any of his literature. In fact there was a negative ruling in Sunni Islamic law given by a recognized authority (fatwa) against assertions that Drew Ali taught Islam by Sunni-tarbiyah standards.[5]
Early life[edit]
Several details of Drew Ali's early life are uncertain, as true information became mixed with that of legend by his devout followers.[6] He is believed to have been born Timothy Drew, on January 8, 1886, in North Carolina.[3][7][8][4] Sources differ as to his background and upbringing: one reports he was the orphaned son of two former slaves born in a Cherokee tribe,[4][9] while another describes him as the son of John A. Drew-Quitman, military and political leader of the Cherokee (Coharie) Nation and Eliza Turner-Quitman full blooded Washitaw-Tunica mother.[8][10]
One version of his life, common among members of the Moorish Science Temple, holds that Drew was raised by an abusive aunt, who once threw him into a furnace.[6] This version holds that he left home at 16 and joined a band of Romani people who took him overseas to Egypt, and the Middle East.[6][8] Drew Ali also reportedly worked as a circus magician, or a merchant seaman, before purportedly traveling to Egypt.[4] He never received a formal education, but at some point came into contact with Eastern philosophy.[4]
In 2014, a completely different understanding of Drew Ali's early life was presented with the publication of an article in the online Journal of Race Ethnicity and Religion.[11] The article presented newly compiled evidence, including census records, newspaper ads, newspaper articles, a World War I draft card, and street directory records, to link Noble Drew Ali to one "Thomas Drew," who was born on the same date as "Timothy Drew" but originated from Virginia instead.[11]
Death[edit]
Shortly after his release by the police, Drew Ali died at age 43 at his home in Chicago on July 20, 1929.[27] Although the exact circumstances of his death are unknown, the Certificate of Death stated that Noble Drew Ali died from "tuberculosis broncho-pneumonia".[1] Despite the official report, many of his followers speculated that his death was caused by injuries from the police or from other members of the faith.[28]
Others thought it was due to pneumonia. One Moor told The Chicago Defender that "The Prophet was not ill; his work was done and he laid his head upon the lap of one of his followers and passed out."[29][30] His funeral took place on July 25, 1929, with hundreds attending. The services were held at the Pythian Temple in Chicago, followed by the burial at Burr Oak Cemetery in nearby Alsip.[31]
The death of Drew Ali brought out a number of candidates who vied to succeed him. Edward Mealy El stated that he had been declared Drew Ali's successor by Drew Ali himself, while John Givens-El, Drew Ali's chauffeur, declared that he was Drew Ali reincarnated.[32] However, the governors of the Moorish Science Temple of America declared Charles Kirkman-Bey to be the successor to Drew Ali and named him Grand Advisor.[33][4]
Legacy[edit]
Wallace Fard Muhammad, the founder of Nation of Islam, may have been a prominent member of the Moorish Science Temple of America, where he was known as David Ford-El,[34] however, due to his obfuscated and poorly-documented history, this is disputed by scholars.[35] After Drew Ali's death, he claimed to be the Prophet reincarnated.[36]
When his leadership was largely rejected, he broke away from the Moorish Science Temple, moved to Detroit, and founded the Nation of Islam.[37] Nation of Islam leaders denied any historical connection to the Moorish Science Temple of America, until February 26, 2014, when Louis Farrakhan acknowledged Noble Drew Ali's contribution to the Nation of Islam.[38]
In 1986, the Moroccan Ambassador to the United States officially recognized the Moorish Science Temple's Islamic linkage to Morocco through Drew Ali.[4]