Muhammad University of Islam (MUI) is a Nation of Islam (NOI)-affiliated preschool to 12th Grade school in the South Shore area of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

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, located next to Mosque Maryam. Every major NOI mosque has a MUI. The schools are headed by the Nation of Islam's Ministry of Education, led by Dr. Larry Muhammad. Established in 1930, MUI is the first Islamic Black school system in America.

History

The University of Islam was established by

Elijah Muhammad Elijah Muhammad (born Elijah Robert Poole; October 7, 1897 – February 25, 1975) was an African American religious leader, black separatist, and self-proclaimed Messenger of Allah, who led the Nation of Islam (NOI) from 1934 until his deat ...

. The school was greatly supported by

Clara Muhammad Clara Muhammad (born Clara Evans; also known as Clara Poole; November 2, 1899 – August 12, 1972) was born in Macon, Georgia, the daughter of Mary Lou (Thomas) and Quartus Evans. She was the wife of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad. Th ...

, the wife of Elijah Muhammad and other Mothers of the Nation of Islam, in 1934 in

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and was one of the original institutions of the organization. It was an elementary school which taught "mathematics, astronomy and the general knowledge of civilization." Schools were established in many of the cities where the Nation of Islam had a presence. By 1974 there were 47 University of Islam schools across the country. Some scholars have called the University of Islam schools the nation's first attempts at homeschooling by black families. After his father's death in 1975,

Warith Deen Muhammad Warith Deen Mohammed (born Wallace D. Muhammad; October 30, 1933 – September 9, 2008), also known as W. Deen Mohammed, Imam W. Deen Muhammad and Imam Warith Deen, was an African-American Muslim leader, theologian, philosopher, Muslim revival ...

transformed the Muhammad University of Islam into the Clara Muhammad Schools (or simply ''Muhammad Schools'') replacing the University of Islam founded by his father. The school system is "an association of approximately 75 elementary, secondary, and high schools throughout the United States and the Caribbean Islands." The schools have been described by Zakiyyah Muhammad of the

American Educational Research Association The American Educational Research Association (AERA, pronounced "A-E-R-A") is a professional organization representing education researchers in the United States and around the world. AERA's mission is to advance knowledge about education and p ...

as "models of Islamic education that are achieving commendable results". When Minister

Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan (; born Louis Eugene Walcott, May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader, Black supremacy, black supremacist, Racism, anti-white and Antisemitism, antisemitic Conspiracy theory, conspiracy theorist, and former singer who hea ...

re-established the Nation of Islam, he also re-established the organization's schools University of Islam.History & Philosophy
" ''University of Islam''. Retrieved on February 26, 2009.

References

External links

Muhammad University of Islam

Mohammed Schools of Atlanta

Sister Clara Muhammad School National Alumni Association
{{authority control Private elementary schools in Chicago Private middle schools in Chicago Nation of Islam Educational institutions established in 1934 Private schools in Chicago Private high schools in Chicago 1934 establishments in Illinois Islamic schools in Illinois African Americans and education