The Moorish Science Temple of America:

The Organization, The Nation, and its Sphere Sovereignty

By Bro. A. Hopkins-Bey Sheik, D.M.

DEDICATION
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE SINCERE SEEKER AFTER TRUTH WHO LOVE THE WORDS THAT PROPHET NOBLE DREW ALI SPOKE. THIS BOOK IS USED TO AID AND ASSIST IN THE STUDY OF PROPHET NOBLE DREW ALIS TEACHINGS, AND NOT TO COME IN CONFLICT WITH PROPHET NOBLE DREW ALIS TEACHINGS. NOR IS THIS A SUBSTITUTION FOR PROPHET NOBLE DREW ALIS TEACHINGS. ANY MISTAKES IN THIS BOOK ARE ON ME, AND I MUST ANSWER FOR THEM, FOR I KNOW, THE ONLY PERFECT BOOKS, ARE THE BOOKS OF ALLAH, DIVINELY INSPIRED, DIVINELY PREPARED. MAY ALLAH ASSIST IN OPENING UP THE WINDOWS OF YOUR HEART, THEREBY BRINGING A BOUNDLESS JOY.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I
I GIVE PRAISE TO ALLAH, THE FATHER OF THE UNIVERSE, THE ONE WHO IS SUPREME MOST WISE AND BENEFICENT. THE MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL. TO HIM ALONE BELONG WORSHIP, ADORATION, THANKSGIVING, AND PRAISE. I EXTEND HIGH HONOR TO THE FORUNNER OF THE PROPHET, MARCUS MOSIAH GARVEY, WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR THE COMING OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS PROPHET. I EXTEND HIGH HONOR TO PROPHET NOBLE DREW ALI, ALLAHS THOUGHT MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH; THE SAVIOR OF HUMANITY.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT II
I EXTEND HONOR TO MY FATHER AND MOTHER, RONALD AND SUEANN HOPKINS-BEY (*Divine Ministers), WHO RAISED ME AS A FREE NATIONAL BEING, AND TAUGHT ME THE PROPHETS LESSONS AT A TIME WHEN MY SOUL WAS EXTREMELY IMPRESSIONABLE. I THANK THEM WITH THE SINCERITY OF A CHILDS HEART FOR CARRYING OUT THEIR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES PALPABLY OUTLINED IN THE DOCTRINES OF THE MOORISH SCIENCE TEMPLE OF AMERICA. THEY TRULY HAVE SET MY SOUL ON FIRE WITH LOVE AND HOLY ZEAL. I EXTEND HONOR TO MY WIFE ELISA HOPKINS-BEY, WHOM I CHERISH AS A BLESSING FROM ALLAH; SHE IS A BONA FIDE MOSLEM. I EXTEND HONOR TO MY DAUGHTER SUHAYLAH LOVE HOPKINS-BEY FOR BEING SUCH AN ANGELIC SOUL. YOUR SMILE IS LIKE SUNSHINE BABY, I LOVE YOU. I EXTEND HONORS TO ALL MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS, NEICES AND NEPHEWS (including great nieces and nephews). I EXTEND HONORS TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF TEMPLE #11 FOR YOU INSPIRE ME TO CONTINUE TO DARE AND DO WONDEROUS THINGS. I EXTEND HONORS TO THE LEADERSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP OF THE MOORISH SCIENCE TEMPLE OF AMERICA NATIONALLY. I EXTEND HONORS TO ALL THE MOORS IN THE INSTITUTIONAL BRANCH MOORISH SCIENCE TEMPLES FOR KEEPING ME ON MY TOES WITH YOUR INTRIGUING AND THOUGHT STIMULATING QUESTIONS. I EXTEND HONOR TO MAN, BECAUSE WHEN MAN HONORS MAN HE HONORS HIS FATHER GOD-ALLAH.

TABLE OF CONTENT
DEDICATION..page 2 ACKNOWLDGEMENT I..page 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENT II.page 4 Prologue ..page 6 Section I- The History of the Moorish Science Temple of America...............page 8 Section II- The Moorish Science Temple of America: Body Politic and Corporate,
A Nation within a Nationpage

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Section III- The language of Nationhood spoken by

Prophet Noble Drew Ali.page

Section IV- Recognition as a Moor comes only through the connection of the Moorish Divine National Movement, which is incorporated in this government......................page 15 Conclusion.page 21

Prologue
What the Holy Prophet Noble Drew Ali did for the Moors in America July 20th 1928, is not readily understood even though today we are living in what is referred to as the information-age. The Holy and Divine Prophet Noble Drew Ali established the faith of Mohammad in America, and placed the Moorish Science Temple of America under the safeguard of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the U.S.A. The sovereignty of the Moorish Science Temple of America was established July 20th 1928. Under the Herds Revised Statutes the Holy Prophet established the Moorish Science Temple of America as a religious society; a body politic and corporate (1). For the sake of clarity, the term Church whenever used in this dissertation does not refer to Christianity in any way or form. Legally the term Church and society are used to express the same thing, namely a religious body organized to sustain public worship (1a). Therefore the Moorish Science Temple of America would be considered a Church under its definition according to legalese. Churches which are First Amendment entities, are considered sovereign spheres, i.e. non-state institutions whose authority is ultimately coequal to that of the state. Non-state religious societies enjoy substantial legal autonomy to carry out their sovereign purposes. The state is limited in its authority to intervene in these spheres (2). The First Amendment acknowledges the existence of an arena of discourse, activity, commitment, and organization for the ordering of life over which the state has no authority (3). _______________________________________________________
(1) Herds Revised Statutes, chapter 32. (1a) Blacks Law Dictionary, Third Edition, 1933. (2) Churches as First Amendment Institutions: Of Sovereignty and Spheres, Paul Horwitz. (3) Max L. Stackhouse, Religion, Rights, and the Constitution, in an Unsettled Arena, 1990

Sphere sovereignty is the view that human life is differentiated into distinct spheres, each featuring institutions with authority structures specific to those spheres (4). Under this theory religious societies are literally sovereign within their own spheres. The Moorish Science Temple of America, being a religious society has its own divinely inspired authority. Religious societies are treated as legally autonomous institutions that enjoy a First Amendment right to operate on a largely self-regulating basis and outside the supervision of external legal regimes (5). Courts rely heavily on the propensity of the religious society to apply selfdiscipline, driven by their own institutional norms and their own internal enforcement mechanisms (6). Religious societies enjoy a right which is described as church autonomy. Some hints as to what the aforementioned doctrine entails, are found in one of the earliest discussions of this doctrine. In the landmark case Watson v. Jones, the Supreme Court examined a property dispute between competing factions of the Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, in the wake of the Civil War (7). In resolving the dispute, the Court provided a number of fundamental principles that have guided questions of church autonomy ever since. Disputes within hierarchical religious societies with established ecclesiastical tribunal procedures- such as the Roman Catholic Church- would be resolved by accepting the decisions of the highest of these church judicatories as final (8). The court has held that under Religion Clauses, the civil courts have no role in determining ecclesiastical questions in the process of property disputes, and may not resolve underlying controversies over religious doctrine (9). It has also suggested that courts may not make a detailed assessment of relevant church rules and adjudicate between disputed understandings, even if the underlying question is whether the ecclesiastical tribunal has acted consistently with its own law (10). State courts mostly continue to follow the polity-centered rules the court laid down in Watson v. Jones. In First Amendment institutionalist terms, these cases involve issues that are fundamental to the functioning of religious societies, and should be resolved by the norms of selfgovernance that apply within a particular religious institution, rather than by judicial resolution (11).

__________________________________________________________________________________ (4) Churches as First Amendment Institutions: Of Sovereignty and Spheres, Paul Horwitz. (5) Churches as First Amendment Institutions: Of Sovereignty and Spheres, Paul Horwitz. (6) Universites as First Amendment Institutions, Horwitz. (7) Watson v. Jones, 1871. (8) Churches as First Amendment Institutions: Of Sovereignty and Spheres, Paul Horwitz. (9) Presbyterian Church in the United States v. Mary Elizabeth Blue Hull Meml Presbyterian Church, 1969. (10) Serbian E. Orthodox Diocese v. Milivojevich, 1976. (11) Churches as First Amendment Institutions: Of Sovereignty and Spheres, Paul Horwitz.

Section I The History of the Moorish Science Temple of America

The Moorish Science Temple of America in itself is the first Islamic organization in America, being founded in 1913 A.D. (1). It has been reported that the Moorish Science Temple of America functioned in what was known as the Canaanite Temple building then. Prophet Noble Drew Ali has informed us that we, the Moorish Science Temple of America, organized as the Moorish Temple of Science in the year of 1925 (2). The Moorish Temple of Science was incorporated November 29th 1926 as a civic organization (3). In the year of 1927 we, the Moorish Science Temple of America, were unofficially known as the Moorish Holy Temple of Science (unofficially because that name never appeared on any corporate documents), although this appellation appeared on Moorish flyers in the year of 1927 (4). The name Moorish Science Temple of America was formally adopted May 2nd 1928 (5). Due to the fact that the work of the Moorish Science Temple of America being largely religious, the organization was changed from a civic to a religious organization July 20th 1928 officially making it the first Islamic organization in America (6). The Moorish Science Temple of America is Religious Corporation. A corporation is a legal entity; an artificial person (distinct from a natural person) that often times has similar rights in law to those of a natural person. Civil law systems may refer to corporations as moral persons (7). The word corporation derives from the Latin corpus (body), representing a body of people; that is, a group of people authorized to act as an individual (8). However, in colloquial usage corporation usually refers to a commercial entity set in accordance with governmental framework (9). Not only is the Moorish Science Temple of America a corporation, it is also a Movement, a national and divine movement. Proof of this fact can be read in Prophet Noble Drew Alis editorials entitled The Voice of the Prophet & A Divine Warning By The Prophet For The Nations. Prophet Noble Drew Ali states in these speeches, If you have race pride and love your race, join the Moorish Science Temple of America and become a part of this Divine MovementThe Negro problem is being solved only as it can, and that is by the Moorish National Divine Movement; There is but one issue for them (unconscious Asiatics of America) to be recognized by this government and of the earth and it comes only through the connection of the Moorish Divine National Movement, which is incorporated in this

government and recognized by all other nations of the world (10). There is no such corporation (founded by Prophet Noble Drew Ali) by the name of Moorish Divine National Movement; the corporation that exists is the Moorish Science Temple of America. The Moorish Science Temple of America should not be looked at from a myopic point of view. The Moorish Science Temple of America is a place where one can proclaim their nationality. The Moorish Science Temple of America is where one can learn about the religion of Islamism. The Moorish Science Temple of America is the spiritual base where one can come and gain knowledge of self, and knowledge their Father God-Allah. The Moorish Science Temple of America is all those things mentioned and more. In this work we will discover that the Moorish Science Temple of America is a sovereign religious society, which functions as the sole legitimate representative of the Moorish-American people; the true government of the Moorish nation.

(1) Koran Questions For Moorish Americans, Prophet Noble Drew Ali. (2) Moorish Guide newspaper, National Edition, Prophet Noble Drew Ali: owner and publisher, editorial: Moorish Leaders Historical Message to America, August 24th 1928. (3) Moorish Guide newspaper, National Edition, Prophet Noble Drew Ali: owner and publisher, editorial: Moorish Leaders Historical Message to America, August 24th 1928. (4) [Flyer] Great Moorish Drama, May 16th 1927. (5) Moorish Guide newspaper, National Edition, Prophet Noble Drew Ali: owner and publisher, editorial: Moorish Leaders Historical Message to America, August 24th 1928. (6) Moorish Guide newspaper, National Edition Vol.1 no.1, Prophet Noble Drew Ali: owner and publisher, editorial: Moorish Leaders Historical Message to America, August 24th 1928. (7) Blacks Law Dictionary, Third Edition, 1933. (8) Blacks Law Dictionary, Third Edition, 1933. (9) Blacks Law Dictionary, Third Edition, 1933. (10) Moorish Literature [pamphlet], editorial entitled: A Divine Warning by the Prophet for the Nations, written by Prophet Noble Drew Ali.

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Section II The Moorish Science Temple of America: Body Politic and Corporate A Nation within a Nation
The Moorish Science Temple of America is analogous to the Holy See (see originates from the Latin term sedes meaning seat) (1). The Holy See is to the Roman Catholic Church, what the Grand Major Temple is to the Moorish Science Temple of America. The Holy See is the manifest potential of what the Moorish Science Temple of America can progress towards. The Holy See is the central government of the Roman Catholic Church (2). The Holy See refers to the composite authority, jurisdiction, and sovereign authority of the Pope and his advisors to direct the worldwide Roman Catholic Church; the Vatican City State is the territorial unit where the Holy See is placed. Although the Catholic Church is a religious organization, it also is a fully functioning nation, which is recognized by the U.N. The Holy See is located within the land of Rome: Italy, and even though it is within the bounds of Italys land, in spite of this they are still recognized as a sovereign nation with the Pope as its head (3). The Holy See is a nation within a nation. The Holy See (central government of the Roman Catholic Church) maintains diplomatic relations with over 170 different sovereign nations, including the U.S.A. and the E.U. When one observes the pattern of the Holy See, one would fully comprehend the prospective scope of the Moorish Science Temple of America. The Holy Prophet Noble Drew Ali set up the Moorish Science Temple of America under the divine guidance of Allah, and the final step in forming the Moorish Science Temple of America, the Holy Prophet properly filed an affidavit in the Cook County Recorders Office of Illinois (4).
__________________________________________________________________________________ (1) The Holy See is the Episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Church, forming the central government of the church. (2) www.state.gov. (3) The Holy See's sovereignty has been recognized explicitly in many international agreements and is particularly emphasized in article 2 of the Lateran Treaty of 11 February 1929, in which "Italy recognizes the sovereignty of the Holy See in the international field as an inherent attribute of its nature, in conformity with its tradition, and the requirements of its mission in the world." (4) Moorish Guide newspaper, National Edition Vol.1 no.1, Prophet Noble Drew Ali: owner and publisher, editorial: Moorish Leaders Historical Message to America, August 24th 1928.

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A copy of this affidavit can be found on the back cover of the pamphlet entitled, Koran Questions For Moorish Americans. On the bottom of the page one will notice the phrase, See Hurds Rev. Stat., Chap. 32, 36 Upon investigation of Herds chapter 32, one will see the exact blue print of the copy of the affidavit found on the back cover of the pamphlet entitled, Koran Questions For Moorish Americans. Chapter 32 is relevant to religious corporations, and paragraph 165 of the chapter reveals that religious corporations formed under this act has the potential to be recognized as a nation or state. Herds chapter 32 paragraph 165 reads as follows: any church, congregation, or society formed for the purpose of religious worship, may become incorporated in the manner following, to wit: By electing or appointing, according to its usages or customs, at any meeting held for that purpose, two or more of its members as trustees, wardens and vestryman, (or such other officers whose powers and duties are similar to those of trustees, as shall be agreeable to the usages and customs, rules or regulations of such congregation, church, or society), and may adopt a corporate name; and upon the filing of the affidavit, as hereinafter provided, it shall be and remain a body politic and corporate, by the name so adopted (5). We shall repeat the language of this law during the course of this dissertation as a means or method of employing the hammer, which is a tool that we use in the workshop of the mind where things are made of thought; it is our intention to pound home the truth until it becomes a part of every part. At any rate, the Moorish Science Temple of America is and remains a Body Politic. According to Blacks Laws Dictionary (Third Edition), the legal term Body Politic is exactly defined as: The collective body of a nation or state as politically organized or as exercising political functions. People v. Snyder, 117 N. E. 119, 122, 279 Ill. 435 (6). In other words, the Moorish Science Temple of America is the collective body of the Moorish Nation in America. The Moorish Science Temple of America is the sole legitimate representative of the Moorish-American people; the true government of the Moorish nation. One may logically ask the question, how can an organization by analogous to a nation? Organizations simply cannot be nations! Well, this simply is not true. The example we offer is the P.L.O. The P.L.O. is the Palestinian Liberation Organization. The P.L.O. whilst an organization is also a nation recognized by the U.N. as of January 12th 1976 (7). As of 1974 the

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Palestinian Liberation Organization has been considered the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and the representative of the Palestinians in the United Nations (8). The Chairman of the Organization who was Yasser Arafat (currently Mahmoud Abbas) would represent the Palestinian people internationally. The Palestinian Organization was formed to preserve the nationality of the Palestinian people who had been displaced by way of a coup d'tat, and also as a way to regain there lands. The Moorish Science Temple of America likewise preserves the nationality of the Asiatics of America who were of Moorish descent.

(5) Herds Revised Statute, Chapter 32 paragraph 165. (6) Blacks Law Dictionary, Third Edition, 1933. (7) Helena Cobban,The Palestinian Liberation Organisation(Cambridge University Press, 1984). (8) Helena Cobban, The Palestinian Liberation Organisation: People, Power and Politics.

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Section III The language of Nationhood spoken by Prophet Noble Drew Ali
The words of the Holy and Divine Prophet Noble Drew Ali are the words of the Almighty God-Allah. It has been reported that Prophet Noble Drew Ali said, Every word that I speak is spirit and you Moors had better heed (1). As a matter of fact, there were Moors here in the pre-Columbian Americas, however these Moors were defeated and consequently stripped of their nationality and divine creed. There were Moors few and far between who maintained their identity, culture, customs, and traditions. We failed to function as a nation of people, and those who sought to be recognized, such as the Sundry Free Moors, surrendered authority to foreign powers, via stating that they were, subjects of the Emperor of Moroccosubjects to a Prince in alliance with the United States of America (2). It wasnt until the coming of the Holy Prophet Noble Drew Ali, that the transfer of authority would take place by way of the founding of the Moorish Science Temple of America. No longer would we have to seek asylum by proclaiming to be subjects to foreign authority; recognition now came from being connected to the Moorish Science Temple of America. The Holy Prophet Noble Drew Ali said, There is but one issue for them (unconscious Asiatics of America) to be recognized by this government and of the earth and it comes only through the connection of the Moorish Divine National Movement, which is incorporated in this government and recognized by all other nations of the world (3). There is no such corporation (founded by Prophet Noble Drew Ali) by the name of Moorish Divine National Movement; the corporation that exists is the Moorish Science Temple of America.

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(1) Oral Statements and Prophesies of Noble Drew Ali. (2) Journals of the House of Representatives, 1789-1790, South Carolina Department of Archives and History. (3) Moorish Literature [pamphlet], editorial entitled: A Divine Warning by the Prophet for the Nations, written by Prophet Noble Drew Ali.

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The Moorish Science Temple of America being a Body Politic, which is The collective body of a nation or state, would then be the sole legitimate representative of the Moorish-American people; the true government of the Moorish nation by which recognition would exclusively come through. Whenever the Holy Prophet spoke of the nation, he spoke of the Moorish Science Temple of America in the same breath. For instance, in the Additional Laws (Act 2) the Prophet says, if he has money in the bank he must subscribe for as much as he is able, to the Moorish Uplifting Fund, because it takes finance to uplift a Nation. The Moorish Uplifting Fund is not collected outside of the Moorish Science Temple of America, it is in fact collected within the Moorish Science Temple of America, as a result when one makes a donation to the Moorish Uplifting Fund (in the Moorish Science Temple of America) they are in fact assisting in uplifting the Moorish Nation. In Act 3 of the Additional Laws, the Holy Prophet states, It is lawful and divine duty of every good member if he is able in finance, to aid me in saving the nationI will have to enforce the law in order to save the nation. Logic imposes itself upon the mind of any examiner of the law; whenever the Prophet is speaking about the nation, he is making reference to the Moorish Science Temple of America. The Prophet informs us in Act 5 of the Additional Laws, out from your Sunday School comes the guiders of the Nation.

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Section IV Recognition as a Moor comes only through the connection of the Moorish Divine National Movement, which is incorporated in this government
There is a criterion one must meet in order to be legally recognized as a Moor. Although one may proclaim their nationality in a lawfully chartered and incorporated Moorish Science Temple, one may forfeit their nationality through forfeiture of membership (i.e. citizenship) with the Moorish Science Temple of America. Membership may be a confusing expression for those who think in terms of nationalism; one may be prompted to say that organizations have membership, however nations do not. Well, this simply is not true. Citizenship refers to a person's membership in a political community. A citizen is a member of a political community who enjoys the rights and assumes the duties of membership (1). Keep in the forefront of your mind the meaning of Body Politic: The collective body of a nation or state as politically organized or as exercising political functions (2). The term Citizen is defined by Blacks Law Dictionary as, A member of a nation or body politic who owes allegiance (3). The Constitution of Palestine Liberation Organization states in Article 4: All Palestinians are natural members of the Palestine Liberation Organization which is also the nation that represents the Palestinian people (4). Albeit the Moorish Science Temple of America has divergent laws pertaining to membership, the point has been shown that nations have members which is analogous to citizenship. The Prophet is very clear in explaining that recognition as a Moor comes only through the connection of the Moorish Science Temple of America, in his editorial, A Divine Warning By The Prophet For The Nations, where he states, They are to claim their own free national name and religion. There is but one issue for them (unconscious Asiatics of America) to be recognized by this government and of the earth and it comes only through the connection of the Moorish Divine National Movement, which is incorporated in this government and recognized by all other nations of the world. There is no such corporation by the name of Moorish Divine National Movement; the corporation that exists is the Moorish Science Temple of America, and recognition as a nation can be only attained through it.

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In gaining citizenship of a nation you must meet the nations criteria to gain lawful citizenship. In the United States of America a foreigner must first fill out an application. Applicants for naturalization must also be able to read, write, and speak the English language. All applicants are required to pass an oral test on the history and government of the United States. From a standardized list of approximately ninety-five questions, ten questions are asked, and the applicant must answer at least six correctly (5). In gaining membership in the Moorish Science Temple of America, one must conform to Act 6 of the Divine Constitution and By-Laws which states, With us (Moorish Science Temple of America) all members must proclaim their nationalityall men now must proclaim their free national name to be recognized by the government in which they live and the nations of the earth The Divine Constitution and By-Laws of the Moorish Science Temple of America outlines, expresses, and explains in detail as to what is required of each and every member of the Moorish Science Temple of America.

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(1) Citizenship entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy by Dominique Leydet. (2) Blacks Law Dictionary, Third Edition, 1933. (3) Blacks Law Dictionary 4th edition. (4) Constitution of the Palestine Liberaion Organization (PLO), July 17th 1968. (5) Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the United States Constitution expressly gives the United States Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization.

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One must come to grasp with the fact that a person who willfully violates the laws of the government in which they live, can be de-nationalized, which ultimately results in forfeiture of citizenship. The same is with the Moorish Science Temple of America, one who willfully violates the laws of the Temple, relinquish their nationality, which ultimately results in forfeiture of membership. In the United States of America, one is denationalized through imprisonment. The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution states, Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, One may also be de-nationalized through desertion during war time. In other nations, citizenship is relinquished when, one is involved in activities incompatible with the status of the community citizen, and or prejudicial to the fundamental interests of one or more member states of the community, or if one has been sentenced in any state of the community for an act considered to be a crime and recognized as such within the community. In the Nation of Lao; one may be de-nationalized via dishonoring his Lao citizenship, for instance by committing treason or causing damage to the nation. In the Moorish Science Temple of America, one can be expelled due to violation of the rules; Prophet Noble Drew Ali states, The Prophet has the authority and power to expel any officer or member of the Moorish Science Temple of America who willfully violates or refuses to comply with the rules in regard to branch Moorish Science Temple If one willfully violates the Prophets Laws, that said individual although they may have proclaimed, cannot consider themselves Moors. The Prophet states, No member is to attend Adept Chamber that has not lived a moral and clean life, and has not paid his or her dues or assessments, providing that he or she is working or able, cannot consider himself a Moor. But traitors must be excluded from the booksAnd all members that are able to, subscribe towards the uplifting fund because it takes finance to uplift a nation. And those that are able and fail to act, are not Moors, but traitors to their cause and trust and their nation, and are not allowed to share all the Moorish honors.

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The Holy Prophet goes on to state, And for one to lead a group of Moors, you must keep you house clean- clean with good deeds, kind words- your wives brothers, must hear good words, kind words, and must know of your good deeds. If there are children you must see to their support. Follow this Divine Principle, for if you dont restrict to this Divine Principle then you are not a true Moor, and the heads are not to charge for membership, or to overcharge for cards, buttons, or for anything issued by the Prophet. Those who contribute to either of the preceding are not Moors, but robbers. The Moorish Science Temple of America, which functions as a Body Politic (which is defined as: The collective body of a nation or state) has the authority to determine who is a Moor and who is not to be considered Moors. This authority has been conferred on the Moorish Science Temple of America via established international laws governing the acquisition of nationality. The Hague Convention of 1930 held under the auspices of the Assembly of the League of Nations was the subsequent convention following the Advisory Opinion on the Tunis and Morocco Nationality Decrees of 1923 (6). These conventions were the first international attempt to ensure that all persons have a nationality, due to the fact that those who lacked a nationality were considered stateless, i.e. refuges. Act 1 of the Hague Convention of 1930 states that: It is for each State to determine under its own law who are its nationals. This law shall be recognized by other States in so far as is consistent with international conventionsand principles of law generally governing nationality (7). That being stated, the Moorish Science Temple of America being the collective body of the Moorish Nation or Moorish State has determined under the laws of the Holy and Divine Prophet Noble Drew Ali, who is to be considered Moors and who are not. The words of the Holy Prophet Noble Drew Ali are divinely inspired by the Almighty God-Allah. His words are not subject unto debate, nor interpretation; his words are considered law by his loyal and faithful followers. The most we can do is confirm his words by way of substantiated evidence.

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Confirmation of a persons American citizenship is usually a matter of record in the form of a U.S. Passport, and upon de-nationalization i.e. forfeiture of citizenship through, for example, desertion during war time, one would have to turn in their U.S. passport to the State Department. The Holy Prophet informs those who have lost confidence in him to return to the state of mental slavery in which they were found; he states, If they loose confidence in their Prophet, they should turn in their card and button, cease wearing their Turban and Fez and return to the state where I, the Prophet, found you. They were not found in the state of being Moorish, however quite the reverse: Negroes, Black people, colored folks, African-Americans, etc. Well what about mans descent nature? The Moorish Holy Koran instructs us that, What your ancient forefathers were, you are today without doubt or contradiction. There is no one who is able to change man from the descendant nature of his forefathers Truly no one can change a mans descendant nature, although he himself can deny it through his actions. For example: Mans heritage, as well as his birthright is to be Lord of all the plane of manifest, of protoplast, of mineral, of plant, and of beast; his nature is to be Lord, in spite of this, he gave up his birthrights, just to gratify his lower-self. No one can change the fact that man is Lord (descendant spiritual nature), on the other hand, man has the ability himself to deny his Lordship through his indulgence of the carnality of life, through him satisfying the lower-self. By the very act of man denying his birthright, he ultimately denied the right to be considered Lord. Allah in his infinite mercy sends masters to assist us, and it is the great work of master minds which is to restore the heritage of man to bring him back to his estate that he had lost. The same is with Prophet Noble Drew Ali (Mastermind) who brought us back (Asiatics of America) our lost estate, our heritage, which was made known to us via our identity. I pray we do not deny ourselves our birthright through blatant disobedience to Allahs Prophet.

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(6)(7) Nationality and Statelessness, 2005, published by the Intra-Parliamentary Union with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

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One has rights and privileges while being recognized as a citizen, and being recognized as a citizen one must pay taxes; in the Moorish Science Temple of America we have a similar determination. Prophet Noble Drew Ali states, Every member pays 5o cents a month for dues. This money goes toward the support of the Temple. This, if not paid, does not entitle you to the protection that is provided you, and especially if you are not working or in the position to work. If you neglect to fulfill this small duty assigned you, how can you rightfully expect money or other help when you are sick or otherwise disable? (8) We must learn not to just speak as if a nation, but we must learn to demonstrate the principles by which a nation must function under in order to be successful. The Prophet speaks of our fundamental principles which are desired for our civilization of our posterity, such as obedience to law, respect, and loyalty to government, tolerance, and unity (9). Let us establish unto ourselves principles of action, and see that we ever act accordingly.

(8) MSTA General Laws [as said by the Prophet], October 17th 1928. (9) Moorish Guide newspaper, National Edition Vol.1 no.1, Prophet Noble Drew Ali: owner and publisher, editorial: Moorish Leaders Historical Message to America, August 24th 1928.

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Conclusion
It is the sincere prayer of this author that whosoever peruses this pamphlet incontrovertibly and conclusively realizes the fact that the Prophet Noble Drew Ali laid the foundation, the bedrock of the Moorish Nation in America. We unquestionably do not have to reinvent the wheel. We do not have to re-incorporate the Moorish Science Temple of America; we do not have to launch or inaugurate another Moorish or Muurish group with new flags, constitutions, seals, etc. We do not have to operate externally to Prophet Noble Drew Ali, or on the peripheral of the Moorish Science Temple of America, for if we do, by our endeavors we are asserting that the Prophets work was incomplete. Prophet Noble Drew Ali was divinely guided by the Almighty God-Allah; he has irrefutably laid down the foundation, all we have to do is build upon it. The Holy Prophet being given the divine gift of prophesy foreshadowed the ultimate fragmentation of the Moorish Nation in America, for he informs us in The Holy Koran of the Moorish Science Temple of America, that he (Prophet Noble Drew Ali) is the founder of the uniting of the Moorish Science Temple of America. Consequently, the problem lies in our dis-unity. There has been a plethora of individuals who have become fed-up with the bickering and infighting in the Moorish Science Temple of America, and through their lack of insight, erudition, and edification concerning the Moorish Science Temple of America, they have sought other means of maintaining there Moorish identity. By and large these embittered and acrimonious individuals have caused much confusion in the hearts and minds of folks who are seeking true knowledge of self. They have indoctrinated a few Asiatics with the thought that the Moorish Science Temple of America is merely a social group where one can go learn the basics, afterward conversely the higher education would be found in some other association, guild, or circle. This pamphlet is an instrument used to educate John Q Public-Bey regarding the vastness and magnitude of the Moorish Science Temple of America; it is not simply an organization or a corporation, it is the sole legitimate representative of the Moors in America, and recognition

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comes only through the connection to it. The greatest potential of the Moorish Science Temple of America is still yet to be witnessed. Consequently, we work to achieve the Prophets orders of uniting the Moorish Science Temple of America. We continually declare that there is only one Prophet and one Temple; in spite of this we have a surplus of National Grand Sheiks, Supreme Grand Sheiks, Chief Heads, etc. of the one Moorish Science Temple of America. This is an oxymoron, and a disgrace to the Moorish Nation. We have a great deal to learn from our Christian counterparts; there is only one Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and one central government which is the Holy See. Marcus Garvey said the greatest weapon used against our people is disorganization. Nowadays we unfailingly use this weapon on ourselves. This action is in essence a byproduct of mental slavery. We must come to grasp that disunity among Moorish American Moslems is one of our greatest problems today. We talk about unity and discuss the problem of disunity in meetings and conferences, but we fail to become united. We fail to work together, although everything in our religion (i.e. Islamism) and in our condition demands that we come together and work together as a nation. Unity is not a slogan; it is a mission. Wherever we are we should try to see how we can achieve unity among ourselves. Each one of us should ask ourselves: Do I want to be united with my fellow Moorish American Moslems? What am I doing to work with my brothers and sisters to promote our purpose and achieve our goal? If I have a problem, what am I doing to solve the problem? Unity does not come down as rain from the sky. Unity is not a miracle that will happen among those who do not believe in unity. Unity will only come if we strive for it and work hard to achieve it. It is a reward of faith, sincere efforts, lots of patience, good will, tolerance, and sincere commitment to the aims, objects, and objectives of the Moorish Science Temple of America as put forth by the Holy Prophet Noble Drew Ali. Let us all work together to achieve unity among us and let us pray to Allah to bless us in this effort. What unites Moorish American Moslems is much greater than what disunites them. With the enemies of Allah and the Prophet trying hard to sow the seeds of discord among us, we should try our best to render their attempts futile. It is the duty of every Moorish American Moslem to preserve and protect Moorish American Moslem unity, and not to cause any division in the Moorish American Moslem ranks. It is against the spirit if Islam for Moslems to be disunited.

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The Moorish scholar Bro. N. Chambers-El said, Unity is like a flower watered by those who are of one mind. If each of us does his part and contribute to the watering of the flower of unity, it will grow. If not, it will die. Prophet Noble Drew Ali, Brother Marcus Garveyand many others contributed to the unity of our people. What contribution will you make to the unity of our people? National Unity may very well be a condition for our salvation as a nation. May Allahs care be continued to us all in our love to each other.

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