W.D. Fard & the Making of the Nation of Islam | A Conversation with Dr. John Morrow & Bilal Muhammad

In this episode of the Real Talk Podcast 🎙️, we welcome Dr. John Andrew Morrow and Bilal Muhammad — two erudite researchers whose new book, W.D. Fard: The Man, the Myth, and the Mystery Behind the Nation of Islam, dives deep into one of the most enigmatic figures in American religious history.

Often shrouded in myth, W. D. Fard Muhammad has been called the founder of the Nation of Islam and the spiritual catalyst behind Elijah Muhammad’s movement. But who was he really? Where did his ideas come from? And what can his life tell us about race, religion, and spiritual imagination in early 20th-century America?

Together, we explore:
🏛️ Fard’s mysterious background and time at San Quentin Prison.
📜 The influence of Theosophy, esoteric Islam, and apocalyptic thought.
📘 The “Bible of Islamism” and its surprising Watch Tower connection.
🕌 The possible Shi‘i (ghulāt) elements in his teachings.
⚖️ How race, gender, and society shaped his worldview.
🌍 The legacy he left through Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, and beyond

This episode offers a rare look at the intersection of theology, race, and mythology in American Islam and the tireless detective work behind uncovering a story long obscured by mystery.

📚 Guest Book:
🔗 W.D. Fard: The Man, the Myth, and the Mystery Behind the Nation of Islam — https://www.amazon.co.uk/W-D-Fard-Mys...

💬 Join the conversation:
What do you think about the origins of the Nation of Islam and W.D. Fard’s legacy? Drop your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
👍 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more deep-dive interviews with leading scholars in Islamic Studies and Late Antiquity.

🎧 Real Talk Podcast
Hosted by Terron Poole & Roxanna Irani
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