“Zionism is a new form of colonialism. It presents itself as kind and helpful, offering economic aid and support. But in reality, it’s a strategy to control and dominate newly independent nations, especially in Africa and Asia. This modern colonialism differs only in appearance, not in purpose or goal.”
— Malcolm X, “Zionist Logic,” The Egyptian Gazette, September 17, 1964
Few figures in recent history embody the spiritual and political journey from disillusionment to global solidarity like Malcolm X. Not just a civil rights icon, Malcolm was a Muslim preacher and human rights activist who was assassinated on 21 February 1965. In the final years of his life—particularly after his break with the Black nationalist and separatist Nation of Islam—he began forging alliances with global leaders and championing oppressed peoples across the world, including the Palestinian people.
A Turning Point: Hajj and Embracing True Islam
Before embracing orthodox Islam, Malcolm X was a prominent figure within the Nation of Islam, a group whose beliefs had strayed from the foundational teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)—including the finality of Prophethood. It was during Hajj in 1964 that Malcolm experienced a transformation that would not only change his faith, but also reshape his worldview.
During his time in Makkah, Malcolm witnessed a true brotherhood of believers—people of all races and nationalities united in worship. This experience deeply moved him and shattered the racial lens through which he had previously viewed the world. He wrote:
“There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and the non-white.
America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered white — but the ‘white’ attitude was gone from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.”
This powerful transformation led Malcolm to fully embrace the teachings of orthodox Islam. It reoriented his activism toward universal justice and solidarity with all oppressed peoples, regardless of race or nationality. It was through this lens that his advocacy for the Palestinian cause grew stronger.
Back then, not many people in the United States spoke up for Palestine. Malcolm was brave to do so. He understood that Black Americans and Palestinians were both facing unfair treatment, violence, and losing their homes.
Understanding the Nakba
To appreciate Malcolm’s solidarity with Palestinians, it’s essential to understand the context. In 1948, the Palestinian people endured the Nakba—or “catastrophe”—when around 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their homes to make way for the new state of Israel. Over the years, these displaced communities were confined to refugee camps in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
His Visits to Palestine
Malcolm X visited Palestine twice. His first visit was in 1959, when he stopped in Jerusalem. The second—and more historically documented—trip took place in September 1964, after his Hajj and religious transformation.
At the time, Gaza was under Egyptian administration, making it relatively easy to travel from Cairo. Malcolm arrived in Gaza on 5 September 1964. According to his personal travel notes, he visited the Khan Younis refugee camp—established in 1949 for those displaced by the Nakba. He also visited a hospital and shared a meal with local religious leaders.
That evening, he met the renowned Palestinian poet Harun Hashem Rashid, who shared the traumatic story of his narrow escape from the 1956 Khan Younis massacre. During the Suez Crisis, Israeli forces had invaded southern Gaza and executed around 275 Palestinian civilians in a house-to-house raid.
Malcolm left Gaza the next day, on 6 September, and went back to Cairo. Just a few months later, on 21 February 1965, he was killed while giving a speech in the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan. He was shot by men linked to the Nation of Islam—the group he had left after changing his beliefs. Some people in the group were angry at him for leaving and speaking out against their teachings. He was killed because he chose to follow true Islam and speak the truth, even when it was dangerous.
A Legacy That Lives On
Malcolm’s Hajj marked more than just a personal spiritual awakening—it expanded his moral compass. It was a moment of clarity, where he saw Islam as the path to justice not just for Black Americans, but for oppressed peoples everywhere. His solidarity with Palestine was not just political—it was born from a spiritual realization during Hajj that true Islam demands standing against injustice.
His voice inspired future generations of Black American activists—such as Kwame Ture, Angela Davis, and members of the Black Panther movement like Eldridge Cleaver—who continued to champion Palestinian liberation.
Today, when Palestinians and Black Americans raise their fists together in protests from Gaza to Ferguson, the legacy of Malcolm X lives on. His life is a reminder that the journey from Harlem to Hajj is not just geographical—it is the path from isolation to global solidarity, from nationalism to universal justice.