Book Review

The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As told to Alex Haley

By: Beenish Khurshid Montreal, Quebec

Rags to riches usually brings to mind stories of people who rise from the poverty of the ghetto and rises to affluence and great wealth through sheer perseverance and grit. Well the Autobiography of Malcolm X as dictated to Alex Haley provides a rags to riches story of another kind -of a man who rises from the depths of depravity from the deepest guts of the ghetto to a great moral force that brought hundreds of thousands towards the discipline and purity of the religion of Islam in a land that has not yet heard of even the existence of such a religion -through introspection, perseverance, and sheer grit.

Malcolm X was an American Civil Rights Revolutionary leader in the 1950 and 1960s. While most Black rights advocates such as Martin Luther King Jr. took the stance of non-violence, Malcolm advocated for a more assertive and revolutionary way of thinking -advocating for the average black man to recognize his history, and to stand up and demand his rights. He was assassination on February 21, 1965, in New York City, New York, U.S. The rise of Islam in America's African population can in large part be attributed to Malcolm and his preaching. May God rest his soul in peace.

“They put your mind right in a bag, and take it wherever they want.” —Malcolm X

“We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on us.”

“Concerning nonviolence, it is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks.” —Malcolm X

Malcolm X’s story has been a truly inspirational read, for many reasons. For one, it provides honest insight into the nature of the basic human being. For another it provides perspective into the nature of “the white man” as he calls it: the nature of political dynamic, and systems of power, control, and oppression. Most consciously, his writing reflects the nature of destiny, and his biography is written as his own story is unfolding.

I will not be remiss if I call Malcolm X's biography the single most inspiring and mind-altering book I have read of the modern age. It has shifted my perspective on how I see people of African descent. I see now a new light to media, political discourse, and propaganda. And I see poverty, drug-addiction, and homelessness in a completely new, refreshing, honest and fact based light.

But most importantly, Malcolm X's biography has taught me the power of courage. To speak truth to power. And what a true Muslim man's character should embody. Not much has changed in the modus operandi of the powers that be since the time of Malcolm. What has changed is that those with courage have been put out (assassinated). This book, while not written to do so, inspires all to the way of truth seeking (knowledge through reading books), then apply that truth to deconstruct the narratives we are being taught, and then preach this deconstruction to all that will listen.

Malcolm X should be a mandatory read for all Muslim, and African-American, youth. Age appropriate for the teenage years, Malcolm will do wonders showing your men the paths of life and the courage to be a man.

Photo by Mike Tinnion on Unsplash