The Nation of Islam is a religious and political organization founded in the United States by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930. It is a black nationalist organization that focuses on the African diaspora, especially on African Americans. The Nation of Islam identifies itself as practicing a form of Islam, although this differs considerably from mainstream Islamic traditions. Scholars of religion characterize it as a new religious movement. The Nation of Islam operates as a centralized and hierarchical organization, with membership open only to people of color. The organization has established a presence abroad. In 2007, it was estimated to have 50,000 members. The Nation of Islam has been particularly successful at converting prisoners.

The Nation of Islam has been characterized by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League as a black supremacist hate group that promotes racial prejudice towards white people, anti-semitism, and anti-LGBT rhetoric. Muslim critics accuse it of promoting teachings that are not authentically Islamic. The Nation of Islam has maintained a consistent record of antisemitism and bigotry since its founding in the 1930s. The NOI’s beliefs and religious practices diverge significantly from traditional Islamic theology. Its belief in racial superiority clashes with the mainstream Islamic principle that all are equal under God.

The Nation of Islam has represented two distinct organizations. The Nation denigrates Christianity, regarding it as a tool of oppression. The organization has used its programs, institutions, and media to disseminate its message of hate. The Nation of Islam promotes various conspiratorial beliefs, which frequently overlap with their other forms of bigotry. The organization operates under a hierarchical structure, with its headquarters located at Mosque Maryam in Chicago, IL. The NOI advertises at least 130 local chapters in the United States, which are identified as numbered “Muhammad Mosques” or “Study Groups”.

Although the Nation of Islam employs the same name as traditional Islam, it is not considered a mainstream Muslim religious group, and many Muslim leaders have distanced themselves from the NOI. The NOI’s unique theology is one of the reasons the group is not accepted into the Ummah, the global community of Muslims.