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The Five-Percent emblem, also known as the Universal Flag of Islam (I-Self Lord and Master)[1]
Clarence 13X, the founder of the Nation of Gods and Earths

The Five-Percent Nation, sometimes referred to as the Five Percenters or the Nation of Gods and Earths (NGE/NOGE), is a cultural movement founded in 1964 in the Harlem section of the borough of Manhattan, New York City, by Clarence 13X, who was previously known as Clarence Edward Smith.

Members of the group call themselves Allah's Five Percenters, which reflects the concept that ten percent of the people in the world are elites and their agents, who know the truth of existence and opt to keep eighty-five percent of the world in ignorance and under their controlling thumb; the remaining five percent are those who know the truth and are determined to enlighten the eighty-five percent.[2][3]

The Nation of Gods and Earths teaches the belief that Black people are the original people of the planet Earth and are therefore the fathers ("Gods") and mothers ("Earths") of civilization.[2] The Nation teaches that Supreme Mathematics and Supreme Alphabet, a set of principles created by Allah the Father, is the key to understanding humankind's relationship to the universe. The Nation teaches that the black man, insofar as the Nation defines this race, is himself God, with the black race being a race of actual gods.[2]

History

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Founding

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The Nation of Gods and Earths was founded by Clarence 13X after he left the Nation of Islam (NOI)'s Temple No. 7 in Harlem, New York, the same temple where Malcolm X was a minister from 1960 to 1963. Multiple stories exist as to why Clarence and the NOI parted ways: Some state he refused to give up gambling. Others state he questioned the unique divinity of Wallace Fard Muhammad, whom the NOI deified as the true and living God in person, or that he questioned Fard's godhood due to the fact that Fard was born of a white mother.[4][5][6] One story states that he was disciplined by the NOI and excommunicated in 1963, but another version of events says that he left of his own free will.[7]

After leaving the NOI, he renamed himself "Allah the Father". He was joined by Abu Shahid, formerly John 37X, who agreed with Allah's questioning of Wallace Fard Muhammad. Allah the Father and Shahid were nicknamed "High Scientists" due to their intense study of lessons.[5] Allah was joined by Justice, formerly James 109X, and before that, James Howell, who became one of Allah's closest associates until his death.[8][9]

Allah proselytized the streets of Harlem, to teach others his views based on his interpretation of NOI teachings. After failing to reach elder adults whom he saw as already set in their ways, he found success with street youth.[10][11][12][13][14] On October 10, 1964, this young group formed the First Nine Born of what became known as the Five-Percent Nation, or later the Nation of Gods and Earths.[15]

Allah taught his Black male students that they were Gods, just as he was. He taught them that the astral twin of the Black man is the Sun.[16] In Supreme Mathematics, the Black man is symbolized as "Knowledge".[16] The Black women who came into Father Allah's growing movement to study along with the males were taught they were symbolic of the planet Earth, because women produce and sustain human existence as does the Earth.[16]

Female Five Percenters are also referred to as "Wisdom".[16] The Nation of Gods and Earths' Supreme Wisdom states: "Wisdom is the Original Woman because life is continued through her cipher (womb)."[17] The NGE does not consider itself a religion. Its position is that it makes no sense to be religious or to worship or deify anyone or anything outside of oneself because adherents, themselves, are the highest power in the known universe, both collectively and individually.[18]

Allah the Father developed a curriculum of eight lessons that included the Supreme Alphabets and Mathematics, which he devised, as well as lessons developed by the Nation of Islam's Elijah Muhammad and Wallace Fard Muhammad.[19] The eight lessons were taught in this order, which follows below:

  1. Supreme Mathematics (1–10)
  2. Supreme Alphabets (1–26)
  3. Student Enrollment (1–10)
  4. English Lesson C-1 (1–36)
  5. Lost-Found Muslim Lesson No. 1 (1–14)
  6. Lost-Found Muslim Lesson No. 2 (1–40)
  7. Actual Facts (13)
  8. Solar Facts (9)[20]

Each Five Percenter was required to fully "master" each lesson and was expected to be able to "think and reason by forming profound relationships between the lessons and significant experiences within life."[20] Five Percenters were required to share what they had learned with others, and thereby recruit new members.[21]

Social and political influence

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The FBI opened a file on the Five Percenters in 1965, the height of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements in the United States. In "Disturbance by Group Called 'Five Percenters,'" the FBI refers to the organization as a "loosely knit group of Negro youth gangs. ... These particular gangs emanate from New York City Public School Number 120 which is a junior high school."[22] The FBI file stated that the organization's name meant "The five percent of the Muslims who smoke and drink."[22]

1965 New York newspaper articles referred to the Five Percenters as a "gang", "hoodlums", and "terror group".[22] Allah the Father and the Five Percenters "had a reputation for being unreachable, anti-white criminals."[23] With the goal of preventing New York from having a race riot or uprising, New York Mayor John V. Lindsay sent Barry Gottehrer, the head of the mayor's Urban Task Force, to meet with the organization the FBI had called a "gang" and "terror group".[23] Gottehrer stated Allah the Father was non-violent, "but was dedicated to his community's well-being."[23]

Gottehrer and Allah began organizing picnics and airplane rides for the Five Percenters that were funded by New York City through the Urban Task Force.[24][23] Wakeel Allah's book In the Name of Allah includes a photo captioned: "Allah (in background) along with Mayor Lindsay (holding baby) on airplane ride with Five Percenters."[24] In 1967, Father Allah, with Gottehrer's assistance, opened the Urban League Street Academy, which became known as the Allah School in Mecca.[23]

In 1967, shortly after Allah and Justice started holding classes at the Street Academy, Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin and Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke visited Father Allah at the Academy.[25] In an article titled "The Five Percenters", published in The New Amsterdam News, Rustin wrote

We might all applaud the Street Academy as one of the most constructive contributions to the maintenance of stability in the Harlem Community, as well as creating an effective instrument for the rehabilitation of young men who might otherwise have no choice but the streets. ... Besides their academic and social activities, the Five Percenters told me that they pursue a spiritual ideal of "helping others discover a true knowledge of themselves." They said they are "neither anti-white nor pro-black."[26]

Allah the Father stated that he was "neither pro-black nor anti-white".[27] In his "National Statement" given at Brookdale College in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in 1998, Dumar Wa'de Allah, National Spokesman for the NGE,[28] stated "we are not anti-white, nor pro-black. In fact, we have white Five Percenters."[29] NGE websites and articles state, "We as a collective are not anti-white nor pro-black. We are pro-righteous and anti-devilishment."[30][31][32]

There have been from the organization's inception Five Percenters of various ethnicities. The most well-known white Five Percenter is John Michael Kennedy, who met Allah in 1965. Allah proclaimed Kennedy a "righteous man" and renamed him Azreal.[33] Michael M. Knight's The Five Percenters includes a photo of a gathering of Five Percenters that includes Barkim, who Knight describes as "one of the earliest white Five Percenters" and his siblings.[34] Knight's book includes two photos of Allah with Gottehrer, who Allah called "Moses".[35]

In 2018, members of the Five Percent Nation and Harlem community members applied to the Transportation/Historic Preservation & Landmarks Committee of Manhattan Community Board 10, to have the northwest corner of 126th Street & Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd in Harlem, New York, co-named "Allah, Justice & The Five Percenters Square".[36][37] The application and subsequent proposal were approved by Manhattan Community Board 10 and the New York City Council.[37] In March 2019, the intersection of 126th Street & Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd in New York was officially co-named "Allah, Justice & The Five Percenters Square".[37][38]

Conflicts

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After the founding of the Allah School, the Gods and Earths became more influential – upon the April 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., it quelled a potential rebellion inside Harlem.[39][40] Allah was assassinated on the 13 June 1969, in the lobby of 21 West 112th Street in Harlem, within the Martin Luther King Jr. Towers housing projects, the residence of his wife and children.[41][42] There have been rumors and theories about assailants and motives,[43][44] but the murder remains unsolved. The murder was a blow to the movement. According to the direct orders of Allah before his death, some of his earliest disciples, a group of nine men who were called the First Nine Born carried on the teachings, and his friend Justice assumed an acting leadership role.[45]

The FBI's labeling the Five Percenters as a "gang" in 1965 has caused much trouble for Gods and Earths in the United States. The "gang" label has caused individuals with even remote NGE affiliation to be designated as security threats in jails and prisons in Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and South Carolina.[46] NGE literature has been banned from penal institutions in these and other states, and inmates have been denied privileges enjoyed by those of other persuasions. Such rules were relaxed in 2004 in New York to allow registered "sincere adherent(s)" to study teachings personally, but not share with unregistered inmates during their incarceration.[47]

The group's newspaper The Five Percenter, condemns the states who impose restrictions on their practice as those who "attempt to define us in ways that seek to criminalize us."[48] In 2009, in Michigan, the Nation challenged a ban on the group's literature among prison inmates, after an inmate was designated a security threat until he renounced his membership. Judge Steven Whalen found no evidence that the group advocated violence and recommended that it be recognized as a legitimate belief system.[49]

Beliefs

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Basis

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The men of the Five Percent Nation view themselves as Gods, both individually and collectively as the "Original Man".[10] According to the Five Percenter Newspaper, "God first means that it is no longer a judicial argument; centered means everything we do is about God. Culture is the practices and principles of a people at any given time."[50] Gods and Earths sometimes refer to themselves as scientists, implying their search for knowledge and proof.[51][52]

The teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths are passed on through a modern oral tradition. The advancement of a God or Earth is based on his or her memorization, recitation, comprehension, and practical application of the Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet and also the 120 Lessons, sometimes referred to as degrees, a revised version of the Supreme Wisdom lessons of the NOI, originally written by Wallace Fard Muhammad and Elijah Muhammad.[12][53][54]

The anthology Knowledge of Self: A Collection of Wisdom on the Science of Everything in Life by Supreme Understanding details the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths.[55][56] Wakeel Allah has written In the Name of Allah: A History of Clarence 13X and the 5 Percenters and The Naked Truth: From the Goal Mind of Abu Shahid, the Elder of the Nation of Gods and Earths.[57]

"Five Percent"

[edit]

The term "Five Percenter" is taken directly from the "Five Percent" who are described in "Lost-Found Muslim Lesson No. 2" of the Nation of Islam. The lesson groups the people of the world into three categories. Eighty-five percent of the world's population are described as "uncivilized people; poison animal eaters; slaves from mental death and power, people who do not know the Living God or their origin in this world, and they worship that which they do not know. ... [They] are easily led in the wrong direction, but hard to lead into the right direction."[58][18]

Ten percent of the world's population are described as "The rich; the slave-makers of the poor; who teach the poor lies—to believe that the Almighty, True and Living God is a spook and cannot be seen by the physical eye. Otherwise known as: The Blood-Suckers of the Poor."[58][18]

Five Percent of the world's population are described as "the poor, righteous Teachers, who do not believe in the teachings of the 10%, and are all-wise; and know who the Living God is; and Teach that the Living God is the Sun of man, the supreme being, the (Black man) of Asia; and Teach Freedom, Justice and Equality to all the human family of the planet Earth."[58][18]

The Universal Language

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The Supreme Mathematics and Supreme Alphabet are key concepts in the Five Percent Nation. The Supreme mathematics is a system of understanding numerals alongside concepts and qualitative representations that are used along with the Supreme Alphabet.[12][54] The Supreme Mathematics is thought to be the highest system of numerology in the NGE, used to give qualitative value to numbers in addition to quantity. How the values associated with each number were derived is unknown. The numerals are as follows:[59][60][61]

  • 1. Knowledge
  • 2. Wisdom
  • 3. Understanding
  • 4. Culture or Freedom
  • 5. Power or Refinement
  • 6. Equality
  • 7. God
  • 8. Build or Destroy
  • 9. Born (Birth)
  • 0. Cipher

The Supreme Alphabet is a system of interpreting text and finding deeper meaning from the NOI Lessons, by assigning actual meanings to the letters of the Latin script. For example, the first letter, A, stands for Allah; the 12th letter, L, stands for Love, Hell, or Right; and the 13th letter, M, stands for Master. The Supreme Alphabet was developed by Allah the Father and Justice.[62] The method by which letters were associated with certain values is unknown.

Customs

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The Five-Percent Nation holds events known as Universal Parliaments in various cities—usually once a month—to build on their interpretation of the Supreme Mathematics, lessons, and to discuss business concerning the NGE.[63] These meetings usually take place in public areas and can be held anywhere.

Because the NGE defines itself as a way of life and not a religion,[64] the Nation generally does not observe religious holidays, including those associated with Christianity or Islam.[65] Many Five Percenters honor Allah the Father's birthday on February 22, and/or the official founding of the Nation on October 10, with special events and parliaments.[66] The Show and Prove is an annual event that takes place in Harlem every second weekend in June.[67]

Similar to adherents of denominations of traditional Islam, Five Percenters abstain from eating pork or any pork-based by-products.[21] According to Five Percenter Universal Shaamguadd, Allah the Father stated Five Percenters should avoid eating "small scavengers, such as shrimp", and avoid "lobsters, crabs, clams, and oysters".[68] Some Five Percenters take further steps and eschew meat altogether, often opting for "strict" vegetarianism.[69] Allah the Father advocated "eating one meal a day, every other day or every third days, as prescribed in the Nation of Islam."[68] Allah was a proponent of fasting and many new adherents fast as part of "an induction process".[70]

Teachings on race

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The teachings of Five-Percent Nation have been accused of promoting Black supremacy. As in the Nation of Islam, Five Percenters believe that the original inhabitants of the world were Black, which they refer to as the "Asiatic Blackman" and believe had inhabited the earth for "66 trillion years", who ultimately descended from the Tribe of Shabazz, while the white race are evil "devils" who were created 6,000 years ago on what is today the Greek island of Patmos, by a "rogue bigheaded scientist" named Yakub, the Biblical and Qur'anic Jacob, who was of the Meccan branch of the tribe. After the whites attempted to rise up against their creators, they were exiled to the caves of "West Asia" – what would later be known as Europe. The Yakub origin story is the basis for all Five Percenter racial understanding.[71]

Gender perceptions

[edit]

Some Five Percenters have been accused of promoting male chauvinism and misogyny.[72][73][74] According to Prince Allah Cuba, since the death of Allah the Father, some Gods have grown preoccupied with male supremacy, and this preoccupation has resulted in the minimization of all things female: from the crescent moon on the nation's flag being made smaller and eventually placed under the number seven, to the lack of parity in the God-Earth dyad.[75]

According to the Five Percent Nation, each member constitutes a divine being in his or her own right.[69][76] Some males promote the minimization of women, as with Lord Jamar's lyric that woman is "secondary but most necessary".[77] Others describe the Black woman as the Black man's equal: In X Clan's song "Wiz Degrees", Five Percenter Brother J describes his partner as "Wisdom and the Goddess manifest".[78] Ladybug Mecca, a Five Percenter and the female member of the hip hop group Digable Planets, offers her view of gender and divinity:

We need to know that there is a feminine and masculine principal or consciousness that is considered the God or the Creator. It's not a male, like religion will tell you. It's a mother/father principle, a masculine/feminine principle. /. . . ./ The feminine principle is what gives birth to the universe. It's what brings creation forth, so there has to be an acknowledgement and respect for her in order to bring back the balance. In religion, in Christianity and in Islam, in all religions ... it's a perverted piece of the truth, when it doesn't hold the woman on a pedestal.[79]

Five Percenter "Just I C Equality Allah", asserts that gender equality is an inherent aspect of ALLAH: "How can woman not be God as well as man? First of all, we are the Arm Leg Leg Arm Head (Allah). There is no gender type, we all have the components that make the physical. Allah is the all in all. How can we be the all in all if "all" isn't included?"[80] When Allah the Father was alive, some female Five Percenters referred to themselves as Goddesses.[81] A Five Percent female named Tawanna referred to herself as God. When challenged by some male Five Percenters, Tawanna defended her position and was declared by Justice to be "more God than some of the men!"[81]

Hip hop

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The majority of allusions to Islam in American hip-hop, either conscious or otherwise, spawn from adherents of the Five Percenters.[82] In its article on Five Percenter Jay Electronica, Vice Magazine stated in regard to the Five Percent Nation: "It's a movement that's been affiliated with hip-hop from the very beginning, coining terms like 'ciphers' and 'dropping science' and influencing everyone, World's Famous Supreme Team, Big Daddy Kane, Busta Rhymes, J. Cole, Jay-Z, Rakim, Wu-Tang Clan, Brand Nubian, Nas, Common, Poor Righteous Teachers, Erykah Badu, and AZ. With these artists, and any others associated with the Five Percenters, music was more than just a message."[83]

The Nation of Gods and Earths has propagated its teachings throughout the United States and abroad. In the early 1980s, this spread was in part due to early adherents teaching when away at college or in the military and, more famously, because of the rise of hip hop music. The main theme of the NGE doctrine spoken on hip hop records were the teachings that black people were the original or first human life to walk the planet, that the Blackman is God, the Blackwoman is Earth, and through the inner esoteric powers of the Gods and Earths, the youth can transform and possess its true potential, which aspires to overthrow the overbearing oligarchy by becoming just rulers of themselves. This especially meshed well with conscious themes found in other golden-age hip hop recordings.

Early hip-hop acts affiliated with the Five Percenters, and who spread its teachings through hip hop, include two MCs of the late 1980s–early 1990s conscious-rap era—Rakim of Eric B. & Rakim[84] and Big Daddy Kane. These two acts, as well as some of their other contemporaries, infused Five-Percent teachings and symbolism throughout their music and videos. This reputation brought fans of Rakim in particular to refer to him as the God MC.[85][86][87][88]

After Rakim and Kane's heyday, rose acts that were even more explicit with allegiance to the NGE, most notably Brand Nubian, Poor Righteous Teachers, Wu-Tang Clan, Killarmy, Sunz of Man, Gravediggaz and Busta Rhymes.[85][89][90][91] The popularity of these acts sparked a boom of new NGE students. The hip hop group 3rd Bass, whose MC's Prime Minister Pete Nice and MC Serch were white and Jewish, respectively, cited NGE lessons in the song "Triple Stage Darkness" and other songs.[92]

Five Percenters were the innovators behind early hip-hop slang, including "word is bond", "break it down", "peace", "droppin' science", and "represent".[3][93] Many MCs employ the technique and terminology of the Supreme Alphabet to create acrostics, acronyms and backronyms in their rhymes. For example, in the song "Wildflower", Ghostface Killah rhymes, "I'm God Cipher Divine", spelling G-O-D in the Supreme Alphabet.[94][95] RZA directly rhymes the Twelve Jewels of life's objectives on his later work with Gravediggaz, rhyming in succession: knowledge, wisdom, understanding, freedom, justice, equality, food, clothing, shelter, love, peace, happiness.[96] He regularly wears an eight-pointed star pendant, with a number seven and a crescent, which can be seen on the cover of his album The World According to RZA.

Five Percenters in New York City were a visible presence at parties during hip hop's formative years of the 1970s. Scene pioneer DJ Kool Herc recalled that while there was a heavy gang presence in attendance, the Five Percenters were there as a de facto peace-keeping element.[97]

Other examples of hip hop and R&B acts who are, or have been, associated with Five Percent teachings include Killah Priest, Digable Planets, J-Live, Nas, Erykah Badu, Queen Latifah, Planet Asia, and Guru.[98]

References

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Sources

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Five-Percent Nation

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The Five-Percent Nation, also known as the Nation of Gods and Earths, is a black nationalist religious and cultural movement founded in 1964 by (born Clarence Edward Smith) in , New York, as an offshoot of the Nation of Islam after his expulsion for rejecting Elijah Muhammad's leadership. , who adopted the title "Allah the Father," taught that black men embody divinity as "Gods" and black women represent fertility as "Earths," positioning as the original people and rightful rulers of the Earth. Core doctrines revolve around "Supreme Mathematics" and the "Supreme Alphabet," numerological and linguistic systems designed to foster self-knowledge, discipline, and critical thinking among members, whom drew primarily from disadvantaged black youth in urban areas. The movement divides humanity into three groups: 85 percent who are ignorant and manipulated, 10 percent who are deceptive elites exploiting the masses, and the 5 percent—self-identified as the ""—who possess truth and seek to civilize others without or dogma. These teachings retain elements of cosmology, such as the origin myth of , but emphasize personal enlightenment over hierarchical authority. The group gained notoriety for its influence on hip-hop culture, with artists like those in Wu-Tang Clan incorporating Five-Percenter terminology, symbolism, and philosophy into lyrics and aesthetics, amplifying its reach beyond Harlem. Clarence 13X's assassination in 1969, officially unsolved but linked to disputes with authorities and internal conflicts, marked a turning point, yet the movement persisted through decentralized "cipher" gatherings and community programs aimed at youth empowerment. Controversies include federal surveillance by the FBI, which viewed it as a potential security threat due to its separatist rhetoric and rejection of mainstream institutions, as well as criticisms from outsiders labeling its gender roles and racial exclusivity as supremacist, though adherents frame them as corrective responses to historical oppression.

Origins and History

Founding and Clarence 13X

Clarence Edward Smith, born on February 22, 1928, in , moved to as a teenager and later served as a decorated combat veteran in the . In 1960, he joined the Nation of Islam's Temple No. 7 in under Malcolm X's leadership, adopting the name to signify his status as the 13th child in his family and the "X" representing the unknown African surname replaced by slaves. Within the NOI, he advanced to become a respected member of the , the organization's paramilitary wing. By September 1963, departed from NOI doctrine, proclaiming himself and rejecting Muhammad's authority as the sole messenger, asserting instead that men inherently embodied . This split stemmed from theological disputes over the of God, with viewing the NOI's deification of as insufficient and emphasizing direct empowerment of youth as "." He began teaching independently in , drawing followers from disaffected NOI youth and local street youth, focusing on self-knowledge, discipline, and rejecting what he saw as the NOI's rigid hierarchy. In October 1964, formally established the Five Percent Nation, also known as the Nation of Gods and Earths, naming it after the NOI's teaching that only five percent of people possess true knowledge of self and the world. The group positioned itself as the vanguard of this enlightened minority, with —revered as the Father—leading efforts to educate Harlem's poor black youth through street academies and cipher circles, promoting concepts like Supreme Mathematics and the rejection of slave names. Early activities centered on upliftment amid urban , though the movement faced from authorities who viewed it as a potentially subversive offshoot of the NOI. 's leadership continued until his assassination on June 13, 1969, in , amid ongoing tensions.

Split from the Nation of Islam

Clarence 13X served as a student minister and security officer at the Nation of Islam's Temple No. 7 in Harlem under Malcolm X, where he engaged deeply with the organization's lessons. However, he increasingly diverged from NOI doctrine by interpreting its teachings literally to conclude that the original black man, rather than Wallace Fard Muhammad, represented Allah in person. This theological conflict culminated in a confrontation during a 1963 student ministers' class, where emphasized human agency and divinity in response to a lesson on causation, leading to irreconcilable tensions with NOI , including Captain Joseph. In September 1963, he announced his identity as and departed from the NOI's framework, rejecting its hierarchical view of divine authority centered on Muhammad and . Accounts of the separation differ: NOI sources often describe it as an expulsion for disciplinary issues, including in violation of the group's strict moral code, while Five-Percent perspectives portray it as a principled exit driven by doctrinal truth over institutional dogma, with no formal or suspension recorded. Regardless, the split marked Clarence 13X's rejection of the NOI's deification of its founders, asserting instead that black men collectively embody God without need for intermediaries. Immediately following the departure, , adopting the title Allah the Father, began instructing youth on these principles starting October 7, 1963, focusing on self-knowledge and empowerment outside organized religious structures. This initiative, initially involving a small group of followers, evolved into the foundational cadre of the Five-Percent Nation by 1964.

Expansion in the 1960s–1970s

Following its establishment in , the Five-Percent Nation rapidly expanded its influence among urban youth during the mid-1960s. By spring 1965, members had begun disseminating teachings beyond into , , and , attracting teenagers through street academies focused on and cultural awareness. In April 1967, the group held its first monthly parliament at Mount Morris Park in Central , fostering communal discussions and solidification of doctrines. That June, under 's leadership, they secured a on a building at 2122 Seventh Avenue, establishing a dedicated space for activities. The movement's community engagement grew amid the era's racial tensions. In spring 1967, alliances formed with New York City Mayor John V. Lindsay and figures like , aiding in youth programs. Following 's assassination on April 4, 1968, Five Percenters marched with Lindsay through to help prevent riots, demonstrating their role in stabilizing neighborhoods. This period marked increased visibility, as the group's emphasis on self-knowledge and black empowerment resonated in revolutionary contexts. Clarence 13X's assassination on June 13, 1969, at 21 West 112th Street tested the organization's resilience, yet its decentralized structure enabled continuation without a singular leader. Into the , the Nation of Gods and Earths sustained growth across New York boroughs, intersecting with the Bronx's nascent hip-hop scene, where members influenced early and cultural expressions like "word is bond" and "droppin' science." This organic spread through youth networks and artistic innovation laid groundwork for broader cultural permeation, despite lacking formal hierarchies.

Internal Conflicts and Evolution Post-1969

Following the assassination of on June 12, 1969, the Five Percent Nation entered a phase of instability characterized by the absence of a designated successor and subsequent infighting among members. This contributed to a decline in membership, exacerbated by associations with street gangs and localized disputes, particularly in where some adherents aligned with criminal elements during the early . The decentralized structure, rooted in the belief that divine knowledge resides inherently in Black men as "Gods," precluded the emergence of a singular , allowing regional teachers to propagate teachings variably but also fostering fragmentation. By 1971, the group began reconstituting through renewed communal activities, including annual commemorations of Clarence 13X's death held during the second weekend of June in Harlem, which served to unify disparate factions under shared rituals like educational "Show and Prove" gatherings. Figures such as Prince Allah in Queens and Born Allah in the Bronx played key roles in this revival, resuming monthly "Parliament" sessions focused on imparting supreme mathematics and youth education, which helped stabilize attendance and outreach. Despite persistent challenges from external perceptions—such as prison classifications of the group as a security threat due to gang overlaps—the Nation flourished in carceral environments, where teachings provided structure amid incarceration, contributing to its endurance without formal hierarchy. The post-1969 evolution emphasized cultural dissemination over institutional consolidation, with the Nation influencing hip-hop's emergence in during the early 1970s through lyrical references to its cosmology, later amplifying visibility via groups like the in the 1990s. This period saw adaptations to urban crises, including the crack epidemic of the 1980s, where subgroups like the Supreme Team engaged in narcotics distribution, highlighting tensions between doctrinal self-reliance and survival imperatives. Over time, the lack of central authority evolved into a strength, enabling localized "" discussions and digital propagation in the , while maintaining core rejection of orthodox religious labels in favor of a knowledge-based "." By 2019, civic recognitions such as the naming of Allah and Justice Squares in New York underscored institutional maturation amid ongoing interpretive variances among "Gods" and "Earths."

Core Beliefs and Teachings

Theological Foundations and Rejections of Orthodox

The Five-Percent Nation's theology centers on the assertion that men embody divinity as , representing the original human form and collective , rather than an abstract or supernatural entity separate from humanity. This view holds that each enlightened man realizes his inherent godhood through self-knowledge and the application of supreme wisdom, contrasting with orthodox 's , or absolute oneness of a non-corporeal Creator. Such equates with the physical structure of the male body—interpreted as "Arm-Leg-Leg-Arm-Head"—and redefines as "I-Self-Lord-And-Master," emphasizing personal sovereignty over submission to divine will. This framework explicitly rejects orthodox Islam's monotheistic prohibitions against deifying humans, which adherents of Sunni and Shia traditions regard as shirk, or associating partners with . Five-Percenters dismiss the notion of a "spook god" or external requiring worship, insisting instead that true manifests in enlightened action within the material world, without reliance on faith in the unseen. They forgo traditional prophetic lineage, declining to recognize as the final messenger or any chain of prophets as intermediaries, and instead elevate historical figures like founder —known as Father —as exemplars of realized godhood, though not infallible authorities. Sacred texts and practices further diverge: the Quran holds no authoritative status as divine revelation, supplanted by proprietary teachings such as the Lost-Found Muslim Lessons, Supreme Mathematics, and Supreme Alphabet, which reinterpret NOI-derived materials through and esoteric decoding rather than literal . Ritual observance is absent, with no obligatory prayers toward , mosque attendance, fasting during , or pilgrimage, as these are seen as slavish rituals perpetuating ignorance; enlightenment demands direct, hierarchical-free pursuit of truth in daily conduct. The group repudiates altogether, framing its system as a non-dogmatic culture and for civilizing the self and community, unburdened by clerical intermediaries or eschatological promises of afterlife reward. This stance positions Five-Percent theology as a radical internalization of NOI ideas, stripped of submission to any external , including Elijah Muhammad's prophetic claims.

The 85-10-5 Paradigm

The 85-10-5 paradigm, a foundational teaching of the Five-Percent Nation also known as the Nation of Gods and Earths, categorizes humanity into three groups comprising 100 percent of the world's population, differentiated by their awareness of truth, knowledge of self, and moral orientation. Originating from Clarence 13X's adaptation of Muhammad's doctrines within the during the early , the paradigm posits a hierarchical structure of enlightenment and exploitation, emphasizing that only a minority possesses the capacity and will to achieve as divine beings. The 85 percent represents the vast majority of people, described as the "deaf, dumb, and blind" masses who remain ignorant of their true nature and , susceptible to manipulation through religious dogma and false narratives about a "mystery God" or spook deity. This group is portrayed as oppressed and mentally enslaved, lacking the tools for self-knowledge and thus perpetuating cycles of poverty and subjugation without resistance. In contrast, the 10 percent consists of the "bloodsuckers of the poor," an elite class—including religious leaders, politicians, and capitalists—who possess partial knowledge of the truth but deliberately withhold it to exploit the 85 percent for personal gain. Referred to as the "rich slave-makers" or "cowardly builders," they propagate lies and divisions to maintain control, deriving wealth and power from the labor and of while avoiding genuine . The 5 percent embodies the "poor righteous teachers," a select group of Black men (Gods) and women (Earths) who have attained supreme knowledge, recognizing the Black man as incarnate and the original Asiatic Black nation as the true creators of civilization. Tasked with uplifting the 85 percent through teachings of freedom, justice, and equality via tools like Supreme Mathematics and the 120 Lessons, this minority rejects as a tool of the 10 percent and commits to civilizing the uncivilized without seeking domination. This paradigm underpins the Five-Percent Nation's mission of self-emancipation, framing social ills as products of unequal knowledge distribution rather than inherent equality among all people, and urging adherents to embody the 5 percent's role in Harlem's streets and beyond starting from 1964. While critics from mainstream Islamic perspectives dismiss it as heretical deviation, adherents view it as empirical revelation derived from historical and astronomical study, not blind faith.

Supreme Mathematics and Supreme Alphabet

The Supreme Mathematics is a foundational numerological system developed within the Five-Percent Nation, also known as the Nation of Gods and Earths, to assign qualitative meanings to the digits 0 through 9, enabling members to derive insights into universal principles, resolve questions, and interpret events beyond mere quantitative arithmetic. This system, attributed to teachings originating from (born Clarence Smith) in the , emphasizes building constructive understanding while destroying falsehoods, often applied in daily lessons or "degrees" such as 1+2 equaling 3 to signify how knowledge plus wisdom yields understanding. It rejects superstitious in favor of a structured framework for self-knowledge and civilizational analysis, with adherents using it to cipher hidden truths in language, history, and behavior. The core degrees of Supreme Mathematics are as follows:
  • 0 (Cipher/Zig Zag Zig): Represents the circle of completeness, cause and effect, or the absolute absence of ignorance when enlightened.
  • 1 (): The foundation of all things in existence, equated with and the original man as the source of truth.
  • 2 (): The manifestation of knowledge through wise application, likened to the reflection or feminine that applies truth effectively.
  • 3 (Understanding): Knowledge plus wisdom, enabling clear comprehension and the ability to "see" underlying realities.
  • 4 (): The ways and actions of a people, encompassing traditions, arts, and lifestyle that preserve .
  • 5 (Power/Refinement): Truth refined into actionable force, the square of righteousness that empowers equality and .
  • 6 (Equality): Balance and fairness, the even application of power to achieve without excess or deficit.
  • 7 (God): The supreme being, the Asiatic Black man as of the , embodying control over self and destiny.
  • 8 (Build or Destroy): The principle of construction through positive action or deconstruction of negativity to manifest higher states.
  • 9 (Born): The completion of the cycle, representing new beginnings, 's renewal, and the 's rebirth.
These degrees interconnect additively (e.g., 12 as "to manifest mental power through the principle of equality") and are taught daily to foster disciplined reasoning among members. Complementing Supreme Mathematics, the Supreme Alphabet assigns esoteric meanings to letters A through Z, serving as a linguistic cipher to decode words, names, and phrases for deeper revelation of divine truths and self-identity. Introduced alongside the numerical system in the group's early Harlem teachings, it views language as a tool of the oppressor unless reclaimed, with each letter symbolizing attributes of the "God" (Black man) or "Earth" (Black woman) in building righteous culture. Adherents apply it to break down terms like "civilization" (C-I-V-I-L-I-Z-A-T-I-O-N) into sequential insights, promoting analytical decoding over literal interpretation. Key assignments in the Supreme Alphabet include:
  • A: Allah – The supreme being, all in all, the Black man from as of the .
  • B: Be or Born – Existence in physical form or the state of coming into being.
  • C: See (Cee) – To perceive or understand clearly through the third eye of .
  • D: Divine – Godly attributes or refined understanding beyond the profane.
  • E: Equality – Balance and justice in application.
  • F: Father – The progenitor or guiding .
  • G: God – The supreme controller, the original man.
  • H: He or Her – Unity of and female principles.
  • I: I or – Self-sovereignty or submission to divine truth.
  • J: Justice – Equilibrium through righteous judgment.
  • K: King or Kingdom – Dominion or realm of self-mastery.
  • L: Love, Hell, or Right – Constructive affection, destruction of error, or correct path.
  • M: Master – One who has achieved full command over knowledge.
  • N: Now or End – The present moment or conclusion of cycles.
  • O: Cipher – Circle of zero or infinite potential.
  • P: Peace – Tranquility through harmony.
  • Q: Queen – The wise feminine counterpart.
  • R: Rule or Rulette – Governance or cyclical influence.
  • S: Sun, , , Saviour – Celestial bodies or redemptive forces.
  • T: Truth or Square – Unadulterated or upright .
  • U: Universe – All-encompassing totality.
  • V: Victory – Triumph over adversity.
  • W: Wisdom – Applied knowledge.
  • X: Unknown or the Cross – Mystery to be unveiled or .
  • Y: Why – Inquisitive pursuit of cause.
  • Z: Zig, Zag, Zig – The cipher's dynamic motion or completion.
Together, these systems form the "universal language" of the group, integrated into lessons, rap lyrics, and community parliaments to encode ideology and resist mainstream narratives, with historical use traced to 1960s New York street teachings.

Racial Origins and the Yakub Narrative

The Five-Percent Nation's doctrine posits that , referred to as the "original Asiatic Man," are the aboriginal inhabitants of and inherently divine, with all other races deriving from them through subsequent developments. This racial cosmology incorporates the narrative, a foundational borrowed directly from the Nation of Islam's teachings under , which serves as the basis for Five-Percenters' understanding of human origins and . In this account, —a born in around 6,600 years ago—initiated a eugenics-like program of to produce a lighter-skinned race, motivated by dissatisfaction among a faction of the original population. The narrative details Yakub's exile to the island of , where, over 600 years, he systematically bred humans by eliminating darker "brown germ" offspring and favoring lighter traits, culminating in the creation of a blue-eyed, blonde-haired "white devil" race engineered for treachery and domination. This race, deemed inherently wicked and lacking divine essence, was prophesied to rule the world for 6,000 years through deception and violence before black divinity would reassert itself. Five-Percenters interpret whites as the literal product of Yakub's genetic "," inherently predisposed to , contrasting with blacks as self-created gods capable of without external invention. While the story functions as esoteric in Five-Percenter lessons to explain historical and instill racial pride, it lacks empirical support from or , aligning instead with mythological causal explanations emphasizing inherent racial essences over environmental or migratory factors. Adherents teach it as revealed truth from and NOI sources, rejecting mainstream on from African origins without engineered racial divergences. The doctrine reinforces the group's 85-10-5 paradigm by framing whites as the primary agents of global discord engineered by Yakub's .

Gender Doctrine: Gods and Earths

The gender doctrine of the Five Percent Nation designates black males as "Gods," embodying Allah in the flesh and the original man responsible for teaching supreme knowledge, while black females are termed "Earths," representing the mothers of civilization who provide wisdom and support the Gods. This framework originates from Clarence 13X's adaptation of the Nation of Islam's Supreme Wisdom Lessons, emphasizing that every black man possesses inherent divinity to awaken the righteous. Women, in turn, are viewed as manifestations of wisdom derived from knowledge, essential for sustaining life and civilization but positioned in a complementary role to the male Gods. Symbolism reinforces this hierarchy, with Gods equated to the Sun—source of light and life—and Earths to the planet or , which reflects and orbits the Sun without independent luminescence. Teachings explicitly state that "just as Earth revolves around the sun, woman is subordinate to man," underscoring a patriarchal structure where Earths must align with and build upon the guidance of Gods. This celestial analogy frames male leadership as foundational, with females deriving purpose through devotion, procreation, and intellectual ciphering—interpreted as giving birth to ideas or children under male direction. In practice, Gods are tasked with mastering the 120 Lessons, Supreme Mathematics, and Alphabet to civilize others, while Earths focus on embodying wisdom through moral conduct, family nurturing, and reinforcing the teachings within communities. The doctrine promotes respect for Earths as "Queens" yet maintains their necessity as secondary to male divinity, with some adherents advocating minimization of female autonomy to preserve order. Intergender relations emphasize building righteous families, where Earths submit to Gods' authority to manifest the Nation's vision of black self-determination, though internal variations exist without centralized enforcement. This gendered cosmology integrates into broader teachings, portraying black unity as achieved through defined roles rather than egalitarian interchange.

Practices and Community Structure

Lessons, Parliaments, and the Universal Language

The lessons of the Five-Percent Nation constitute a structured derived from Elijah Muhammad's Supreme Wisdom Lessons of the Nation of Islam, comprising 120 degrees organized into categories such as the Lost-Found Muslim Lesson No. 1 and English Lesson No. 1, which detail assertions about human origins, divine attributes, and ethical conduct through question-and-answer format. These lessons, often memorized verbatim by initiates, emphasize and esoteric knowledge, with members progressing through recitation and application in group settings known as "building," where oral exchanges refine interpretation. Supplementary teachings include the 12 Jewels, outlining virtues like and , which reinforce the lessons' practical implementation in daily life. Parliaments function as recurring assemblies for doctrinal instruction, dispute resolution, and communal reinforcement within the Nation of Gods and Earths, held locally and at the Universal level to maintain ideological cohesion without formal hierarchy. The inaugural Universal Parliament occurred on April 30, 1967, in Harlem—termed Mecca by adherents—marking a post-incarceration consolidation of teachings under Clarence 13X following his 1967 release. Monthly Universal Parliaments in New York City convene Gods (black males), Earths (black females), and youth to conduct Nation affairs, deliver lessons, and host rallies, while regional parliaments adapt these practices to local contexts, promoting decentralized yet synchronized activity. The Universal Language encompasses the Supreme Mathematics and Supreme Alphabet, proprietary symbolic frameworks devised by to encode cosmological and ethical principles, enabling adherents to decode reality through and letter symbolism. Supreme Mathematics attributes meanings to digits 0 through 9—such as 1 as (manifestation of mental as well as physical fact), 5 as Culture (one's way of living), and 7 as God (cornerstone of civilization)—applied daily via problems that correlate numbers to personal and societal analysis. The Supreme Alphabet similarly maps the 26 letters to concepts, with A denoting (Arm Legg Leg Arm Head, representing the black man as divine) and Z signifying Zig Zag Ziggurat (representing the rising and falling of civilization), facilitating ciphering sessions where language transmutes into layered wisdom. These systems, taught alongside the 120 Lessons, underpin the Nation's claim to a transcendent communicative mode, distinct from conventional , for achieving self-mastery and collective enlightenment.

Moral and Dietary Codes

Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths follow moral codes rooted in self-discipline and righteousness, prohibiting alcohol consumption, use, and to promote personal elevation and . These guidelines emphasize avoiding intoxicants and illicit behaviors, with explicit rules against selling drugs near educational gatherings or "schools." Adherents, particularly women designated as "Earths," are expected to embody moral uprightness, demureness, and supportive roles in and civilization-building, reflecting gendered doctrines where men as "Gods" lead in teaching and protection. The moral framework operates with greater flexibility than in the parent , allowing decentralized interpretation while prioritizing knowledge dissemination, , and rejection of dependency on external authorities. Violations such as involvement or moral lapses are viewed as deviations from the path of the "," potentially undermining the 5 percent's mission to enlighten the masses. Dietary codes prohibit pork and pork-derived products, aligning with hygiene and symbolic purity principles inherited from teachings, as pork is deemed unclean and associated with degradation. Additional restrictions target like , classified as "small scavengers" unfit for consumption, per directives attributed to founder . Many adherents extend these to favor natural, unprocessed foods, with some embracing to enhance vitality and longevity, echoing Elijah Muhammad's How to Eat to Live on avoiding slave-era diets and toxins. Compliance is framed as personal responsibility, where the "civilized" teach the "uncivilized" to adhere for collective health.

Decentralized Organization and Lack of Central Authority

The Nation of Gods and Earths, commonly known as the Five-Percent Nation, maintains a decentralized structure characterized by the absence of any formal central authority or hierarchical leadership. This organizational model emerged prominently after the death of founder (born Clarence Smith) on June 13, 1969, when the movement did not appoint a singular successor but instead splintered into independent local collectives. Unlike the Nation of Islam from which it derived, which enforces top-down directives from national leaders, the Five-Percenters reject imposed governance, viewing it as incompatible with their doctrine of individual divine . Local units, often called "parliaments," "universes," or "tribes," operate autonomously in urban settings, convening for study sessions on core lessons like Supreme Mathematics without submitting to a national council or dues-paying membership system. Each male adherent, termed a "," and female counterpart, an "," is expected to embody sovereign wisdom derived from personal mastery of teachings, rendering external oversight unnecessary and antithetical to enlightenment. This lack of centralization fosters adaptability, as groups tailor practices to local contexts—such as prison-based cells or street-oriented outreach—but can result in doctrinal inconsistencies across regions. The model's resilience is evident in its survival amid 1970s crackdowns by New York authorities, who viewed loosely affiliated Five-Percenter youth as a public safety threat, yet no unified response or disbandment occurred due to the fragmented nature. By the 1980s and 1990s, this structure enabled organic spread through hip-hop networks without coordinated expansion efforts, though it has drawn criticism for enabling unchecked associations with criminal elements in some locales. Proponents argue the approach democratizes authority, aligning with the belief that the "poor righteous teachers" (the Five Percent) civilize themselves collectively yet independently.

Cultural and Social Impact

Influence on Hip-Hop and Urban Culture

The Five Percent Nation, originating in in 1964, profoundly shaped hip-hop's development during the genre's in the and early 1990s, as many New York-based artists adopted its teachings on self-knowledge, black empowerment, and numerological systems to infuse with esoteric depth and cultural critique. The group's emphasis on rejecting mainstream religious dogma resonated with urban youth grappling with systemic marginalization, leading to the integration of concepts like the 85-10-5 paradigm—positing 85% of people as ignorant, 10% as enlightened manipulators, and 5% as divine truth-bearers—into rap narratives that prioritized intellectual elevation over commercial excess. This influence peaked as hip-hop transitioned from block parties to global phenomenon, with Five Percenters forming a nexus between street philosophy and artistic expression in and scenes. Prominent artists and groups explicitly drew from Five Percent doctrine, often identifying as "Gods" or "Earths" and embedding Supreme Mathematics and Alphabet—cipher-based codes assigning letters and numbers to philosophical ideas—into their work. Rakim, of Eric B. & Rakim, exemplified this by displaying the Universal Flag (a Five Percenter emblem) on the cover of his 1988 album Follow the Leader and querying divine identity in tracks like "Who Is God?" from his solo catalog. The Wu-Tang Clan, formed in 1992, channeled these teachings across their 1993 debut Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), with RZA and GZA linking scientific inquiry to spiritual awakening in lyrics and RZA's later book The Wu-Tang Manual, while wearing the Universal Flag necklace as a signature accessory. Groups like Brand Nubian (formed 1989) promoted Supreme Mathematics in their 1991 single "All for One," and Poor Righteous Teachers infused their 1990 album Holy Intellect with anti-gangsterism aligned to Five Percenter moral codes, steering hip-hop toward didacticism. Five Percenter vernacular permeated hip-hop lexicon, originating from group "parliaments" ( circles for discourse) and becoming staples of urban dialogue: terms like "" (a denoting enlightened ), "word is bond" (affirming truth without oaths), "" (a freestyling or knowledge-sharing circle), "droppin' science" (imparting ), and "build/destroy" (constructing while dismantling ). "G" as shorthand for "" or the "G-stance" (a hand ) further embedded these into performances, while wordplay derived from the Supreme Alphabet—such as decoding "" as "hell-lie-copped-her"—elevated lyricism's complexity. In broader , this influence fostered a of personal accountability and community study groups, disseminating symbols like the crescent moon and star via jewelry and , though overt references waned post-1990s amid hip-hop's . Artists like sporadically revived icons, wearing the Universal Flag in 2013-2014, underscoring enduring undercurrents in street fashion and empowerment rhetoric despite the group's decentralized structure limiting institutional spread. The teachings' propagation via mixtapes and live ciphers reinforced hip-hop's role as a for philosophical dissemination in disenfranchised neighborhoods, blending with realism to counter prevailing narratives of despair.

Role in Prisons and Street Organizations

The Five-Percent Nation, also known as the Nation of Gods and Earths, has exerted influence within the U.S. prison system primarily through inmate-led study groups called parliaments, where members teach the 85-10-5 paradigm, Supreme Mathematics, and self-empowerment doctrines to foster black cultural pride and discipline. These sessions have attracted incarcerated black men seeking alternatives to mainstream rehabilitation programs, with the group's numerological and historical lessons providing a framework for personal transformation amid systemic incarceration disparities. However, prison administrators in states like and have frequently designated Five Percenters as a security threat group (STG), citing patterns of intra- violence, such as stabbings over perceived disrespect to the group's symbols or leaders, as evidenced by a 1995 Prison incident where a member fatally stabbed an inmate for insulting the Nation. Legal challenges by inmates have led to mixed outcomes, with at least 15 state systems recognizing the group as a entitled to First Amendment protections, including access to texts like The 120 Degrees lessons and communal gatherings. A 2017 federal ruling in compelled the Department of Corrections to accommodate Five Percenter practices after determining insufficient evidence of inherent violence, overturning blanket restrictions on materials and meetings. In contrast, earlier cases, such as a 1999 Fourth Circuit decision upholding South Carolina's STG classification, highlighted concerns over the group's anti-white and potential for racial polarization among inmates. This tension reflects broader debates, where proponents argue the teachings reduce by promoting moral codes against drugs and , while critics point to documented assaults and gang recruitment within facilities. In street organizations, Five Percenters have intersected with urban gangs, particularly in during the 1980s, where adherents were reportedly involved in drug distribution networks that adopted the group's , such as the crescent moon and star or numerical ciphers, for branding and internal codes. The Supreme Team, a Queens-based trafficking crew active from the late 1970s to early 1990s, included members influenced by Five Percenter ideology, blending it with violent enforcement tactics that resulted in multiple homicides and federal indictments by 1989. Such affiliations have persisted in fragmented forms, with some and subsets incorporating Nation teachings to justify territorial control or racial solidarity, though official doctrine prohibits narcotics and promotes community upliftment. This overlap has fueled law enforcement validations of Five Percenter symbols as gang indicators in cities like Newark and , contributing to heightened surveillance despite the decentralized nature of the movement.

Broader Social and Political Engagement

The Five-Percent Nation, emerging amid the urban crises and activism of the , focused its social engagement on efforts to uplift black youth in through , self-discipline, and anti-drug initiatives rather than electoral politics or integrationist reforms. Founder emphasized reforming delinquent and drug-addicted youth by imparting lessons on personal responsibility and black self-worth, drawing crowds for street teachings that targeted dropouts and incorrigibles neglected by mainstream institutions. This approach aligned with black nationalist principles of , rejecting dependency on government aid while promoting community self-policing against narcotics, consistent with teachings viewing intoxicants as tools of mental enslavement. Politically, the group pursued pragmatic local alliances for resources without compromising its separatist ideology. In June 1967, Clarence 13X secured a building at 2122 Seventh Avenue from New York City Mayor John Lindsay for use as a youth outreach center, facilitating programs like street academies aimed at curbing truancy and crime. Following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination on April 4, 1968, members met with Lindsay and aide Barry Gottehrer at their academy to discuss grief and prevention of riots, requesting improved bus routes and educational access for black youth. These interactions reflected tactical engagement with city officials to address immediate community needs, such as youth diversion from streets, amid broader FBI scrutiny of the group as a potential security risk during heightened racial tensions. Over time, the decentralized structure limited unified political campaigns, prioritizing "knowledge of self" over voting or party affiliation, though individual members influenced black nationalist discourse in urban centers. In response to systemic marginalization, some chapters advocated for recognition of their teachings as cultural tools, countering portrayals as mere gangs by highlighting anti-violence stances and stabilization efforts. This engagement underscored a causal emphasis on internal transformation—via supreme and ciphers—as the primary mechanism for social progress, eschewing reliance on external political structures deemed controlled by the "10 percent" elite.

Controversies and Criticisms

Claims of Black Supremacy and Anti-White Teachings

The Nation of Gods and Earths (NGE), also known as the Five Percent Nation, incorporates doctrines inherited from the Nation of Islam asserting that represent the original inhabitants of , with males designated as "Gods" possessing divine attributes and females as "Earths" embodying the nurturing principle. This framework elevates black identity to a metaphysical superiority, positing that 85 percent of the population remains ignorant of their divine origins, 10 percent exploit this knowledge as "bloodsuckers of the poor," and the enlightened 5 percent—primarily —serve as righteous teachers. Such teachings have drawn claims of , as they frame non- peoples, particularly whites, in inherently subordinate or antagonistic roles relative to divinity. Central to these racial doctrines is the narrative of , a black scientist who, approximately 6,600 years ago, genetically engineered the white race through on the island of , resulting in a inherently wicked "devil" civilization programmed for and . NGE lessons explicitly describe as "devils" lacking the original black essence, with their creation attributed to Yakub's rebellion against divine order, leading to a 6,000-year cycle of global domination by this "grafted" race. This Yakub myth, drawn from Muhammad's NOI writings, reinforces anti-white teachings by portraying Caucasian features—such as blue eyes and —as markers of genetic inferiority and moral corruption, with destined for eventual overthrow by the "original people." Critics, including and religious analysts, classify these elements as black supremacist ideology due to their inversion of historical power dynamics, promoting black exceptionalism while demonizing as a collective enemy race unfit for equality or redemption without submission to Five Percenter enlightenment. Empirical associations arise from NGE texts and member statements equating white societal structures with "devilish" , as seen in lessons mandating the "killing" of four devils daily—interpreted as metaphorical conquest of mental, moral, and systemic evils but rooted in racial antagonism. While some adherents claim non-literal interpretations to emphasize self-empowerment over , the doctrinal language sustains accusations of fostering anti-white animus, evidenced by historical NOI-Five Percenter during the 1960s civil rights era that vilified as existential threats to black survival. Federal investigations into NGE groups have cited these teachings as contributing to in prisons, where anti-white narratives align with ideologies.

Associations with Violence, Gangs, and Extremism

The Five Percent Nation has been frequently classified by U.S. prison systems and law enforcement as a security threat group (STG) due to documented involvement in violent incidents and gang-like activities among adherents. In South Carolina, a 1996 prison hostage-taking event was attributed to Five Percenters by corrections officials, who cited the group's teachings as promoting defiance of authority and racial antagonism. Similarly, New York State prisons have long designated the group as a violence-prone entity, linking it to assaults and disruptions, though a 2003 federal court ruling mandated recognition of its religious practices while acknowledging these risks. Virginia Department of Corrections tracked Five Percenters for over two decades as of 2017, describing them as a "violent, racially supremacist gang" based on patterns of inmate aggression and supremacist rhetoric. Street-level criminal associations emerged prominently in the and , with Five Percenter ideology intersecting with drug trafficking and in urban areas. The Supreme Team, a Queens-based active from the to early , incorporated Five Percenter members and symbols, engaging in distribution, armed , and at least 10 murders under leader Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, who was convicted in 2007 on federal racketeering charges. New Jersey law enforcement reports from the and identified Five Percenters as involved in drug sales, gun trafficking, robberies, auto theft, and homicides, often operating in decentralized cells mimicking structures without formal hierarchy. A 1995-1996 study in central observed routine gang-like behaviors, including territorial disputes and initiations involving violence, among local Five Percenter groups. The FBI maintained surveillance files on the organization under its gangs and extremist groups category, noting offshoots from the Nation of Islam's militant ethos. Extremist designations stem primarily from the group's teachings portraying whites as "devils" and emphasizing , which authorities have interpreted as inciting racial violence. Early media accounts from described Five Percenters as a "hoodlum gang" promoting anti-white hate, amid complaints of muggings and by youth adherents frustrated with socioeconomic conditions. officials and analysts have argued that these doctrines foster supremacist ideologies akin to those of the or splinters, potentially radicalizing inmates against guards and non-blacks. However, federal courts in (2003) and elsewhere have rejected blanket STG labels, ruling that while criminal subsets exist, the core belief system qualifies as a under the First Amendment, not inherently extremist. No large-scale terrorist plots have been directly tied to the group, distinguishing it from jihadist networks despite occasional overlaps in black nationalist rhetoric. assessments emphasize causal links between the ideology's anti-authority elements and real-world violence in high-crime environments, rather than universal endorsement of extremism by all members.

Internal and External Critiques of Pseudoscience and Misogyny

External critiques have characterized the Five Percent Nation's core doctrines, including the narrative inherited from the , as pseudoarchaeological, positing a 6,600-year-old genetic process to create without corroboration from genetic, archaeological, or historical records. Similarly, the group's foundational texts describe an esoteric, pseudo-scientific mythological framework reliant on symbol literacy for interpretation, diverging from empirical verification and aligning instead with unfalsifiable assertions about human origins and cosmic order. The Supreme Mathematics and Supreme Alphabet systems further exemplify this, assigning numerological and alphabetic correspondences to abstract qualities—such as equating the number 1 to "" or the letter C to "see"—which lack mathematical rigor or predictive utility, functioning more as mnemonic devices for ideological reinforcement than scientific tools. Critics, including academic analyses of affiliated hip-hop expressions, have identified misogynistic elements in these systems, where numerology subordinates women: males aspire to the perfection of 7 (), while females are capped at 6 ( as supportive), reinforcing a gendered that positions women as "Earths" whose primary roles involve nurturing and ciphering (supporting) male "s" rather than embodying independent . This doctrinal structure, which denies women the title of God and emphasizes procreative and auxiliary functions, has been faulted for perpetuating patriarchal control under the guise of complementary cosmology, limiting agency in leadership and self-conception. Internally, while many adherents defend roles as biologically and cosmically harmonious—drawing on the metaphor of fertilizing seed—phenomenological studies of female members reveal tensions, with some Earths reporting experiences of marginalization and calling for doctrinal reevaluation to mitigate embedded in practices like male-dominated parliaments and interpretive authority. These voices highlight inconsistencies between the Nation's emphasis on self-knowledge and equality rhetoric versus lived gender dynamics, though overt dissent remains muted due to the decentralized structure and cultural emphasis on unity. No widespread internal reform movements have emerged, but individual reflections, such as those in member testimonies, underscore the causal link between rigid teachings and interpersonal inequities, prompting limited self-critique without altering foundational lessons.

Status as Non-Islamic by Orthodox Standards

The Nation of Gods and Earths (NGE), commonly known as the Five-Percent Nation, diverges fundamentally from orthodox Islamic theology by rejecting core doctrines such as (the absolute oneness and transcendence of God). In NGE teachings, "Allah" refers not to an incorporeal divine being but to the black man as the embodiment of God in human form, with (the founder) regarded as an exemplar of this manifestation; this anthropomorphic and polytheistic-leaning conception constitutes shirk (associating partners with God), the gravest sin in and a basis for from the faith by consensus among Sunni and Shia scholars. Orthodox Muslims, including traditionalist bodies like the , view such deification of humans as incompatible with the Quran's explicit prohibitions (e.g., 112:1-4), rendering NGE adherents non-Muslim despite superficial borrowings from Islamic terminology. NGE does not adhere to the Five Pillars of Islam—declaration of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage—which are obligatory for Muslims per collections like Sahih Bukhari (Book 2, Hadith 8). Members typically forgo ritual salat (five daily prayers facing ), fasting, and as institutionalized duties, instead emphasizing self-knowledge through "Supreme Mathematics" and the 120 Degrees lessons derived from (NOI) materials rather than Quranic or prophetic . These lessons incorporate NOI-specific myths, such as the scientist creating via 6,600 years ago, which orthodox dismisses as fabricated and contrary to Quranic accounts of human origins (e.g., 49:13). Furthermore, NGE explicitly distances itself from Islamic identity, with members stating they are "not Muslims" while studying modified NOI lessons; this self-conception aligns with orthodox rejection, as groups altering prophethood (e.g., elevating or above as the final prophet) fall outside the ummah. Sunni fatwas on similar movements, like those from scholars deeming NOI non-Islamic since the 1950s, extend to NGE as its 1964 offshoot, prioritizing empirical adherence to over cultural or nominal affiliations.

Notable Members and Associates

Historical Leaders and Founders

The Five-Percent Nation, also known as the Nation of Gods and Earths, was founded by , born Clarence Edward Smith on February 22, 1928, in . After moving to as a teenager, Smith joined the Nation of Islam (NOI) and rose to become a student minister at Temple No. 7 in under . In 1963, he split from the NOI due to disagreements over the divinity attributed to NOI leader and founder , rejecting the idea that God was limited to specific individuals. Clarence 13X established the Five-Percent Nation shortly thereafter, positioning himself as "Allah the Father" and teaching that black men collectively embodied divinity, while focusing on enlightening youth in through street academies like the Allah School in Mecca. As the group's sole charismatic founder and leader until his death, shaped its core tenets, including of humanity into the 85% (deaf, dumb, and blind masses), 10% (bloodsuckers or devils), and 5% (). He emphasized self-knowledge, ( and ), and black self-empowerment without formal beyond his guidance, attracting thousands of followers among disadvantaged black youth during the turbulent 1960s. was assassinated on June 13, 1969, in under circumstances involving possible disputes with former associates or law enforcement surveillance, though no definitive perpetrators were convicted. Following Clarence 13X's death, the Nation of Gods and Earths eschewed centralized leadership, adhering to his premonition that the movement would mature without a singular , as all enlightened "gods" (black males) and "earths" (black females) were deemed equally capable of upholding the teachings. Early continuity was maintained by a loose of Harlem-based elders and "First Born" members who had studied directly under Clarence, including figures like Abu Shahid and James 109X (known as Old Man Justice), who helped preserve oral traditions and resolve internal disputes through cipher gatherings rather than appointed authority. This decentralized model, rooted in Clarence's vision of supreme equality among the righteous, prevented the emergence of successor leaders and fostered autonomous "tribès" or parliaments across cities.

Contemporary Figures in Music and Activism

Prominent contemporary figures linked to the Five Percent Nation have primarily advanced its teachings through hip-hop music, where lyrical content often serves as a vehicle for cultural education and empowerment akin to . Robert "RZA" Diggs, born July 5, 1969, continues to embody and propagate principles as Wu-Tang Clan's architect, embedding concepts like supreme mathematics—numerical symbolism for self-knowledge—in works from the group's 1993 debut through ongoing projects, including his 2021 reflections on the ideology's role in fostering black self-worth. RZA's influence extends to multimedia, such as directing films and authoring books like (2005), which explicates Five Percenter philosophy for broader audiences. Lord Jamar (Lorenzo DeChalus), a co-founder since 1989, remains active in disseminating the Nation's lessons—daily recitations—via music and media, including albums like Time's Up (2020) and his , where he critiques mainstream culture through lenses of divinity and anti-oppression. Jamar's public stances, such as opposition to perceived dilutions of identity in entertainment, align with the Nation's emphasis on enlightening the "85 percent" ignorant masses. Trevor "Busta Rhymes" Smith Jr., born May 20, 1972, self-identifies as a Five Percenter and integrates the group's black nationalist tenets into his discography, collaborating with figures like in 2020 to promote unity and historical awareness amid social unrest. Sadat X (Derek Murphy), another member, sustains this tradition through solo releases like Experience and Education (2005) and community-oriented tracks emphasizing self-reliance and critique of systemic inequities, positioning hip-hop as a tool for the Nation's civilizational awakening. While formal activism outside music is less documented among these figures, their platforms amplify the Nation's core mandate: civilizing youth via knowledge of self, with events like Wu-Tang's ongoing tours and Busta's endorsements of black empowerment initiatives functioning as outreach.

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