This paper provides a background to Islam, the name given to the religion preached by the Prophet Muhammad in the 600's AD.
It describes the practices and beliefs including the five basic beliefs or pillars of the Islamic faith. It looks at the differences between the Islam
practiced in Iraq where about ninety-five percent of the population are Muslims and that practiced by Muslims in the United States who are part of the Nation of Islam which preaches Black
nationalism. It also examines how Malcolm X quickly became the Nation of Islam's most effective minister and national spokesman for the Nation of Islam. Outline Islam Religion in the Arab World Description of the Islamic Religion Three Muslim Divisions Black Muslims in the United States Influence of Louis Farrakhan Influence of Malcom X Conclusion