Introduction: A Study of Influence
This study explores the hypothesis that the eschatological teachings of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, known as Jehovah's Witnesses, influenced the doctrines of early Black Muslim leaders in the 1930s.
Striking Doctrinal Parallels
The core doctrines examined are drawn from the authoritative works of Joseph F. Rutherford, the second president of the Watchtower Society, and Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. The resemblances between the two belief systems have been noted by other academics, and many Black Muslims are reportedly aware of them. The fact that the Nation of Islam vehemently denies any causal relationship implies a recognition of these striking parallels.
The Year 1914 and the Final Judgment: Both groups identified 1914 as a pivotal eschatological date. The Watchtower Society taught that the "Gentile times" ended in 1914, but the final end was delayed to allow for a great preaching campaign.
2 Similarly, the Nation of Islam teaches that the world's time expired in 1914, but Allah delayed the final judgment so that Black people could first hear the teachings of Islam.The Millennium: Jehovah's Witnesses taught that the millennium, the final 1,000 years after 6,000 years of human history, began in the 1870s. The Nation of Islam also teaches of a 6,000-year period followed by a final 1,000 years, but places the beginning of this millennium in 1914.
3 The Battle of Armageddon: Both faiths anticipate a final, decisive "Battle of Armageddon." For Jehovah's Witnesses, this battle will end Satan's rule. For the Nation of Islam, it is a central expectation that will terminate "white rule."
The 144,000 Survivors: Until around 1935, the Watchtower Society preached that only 144,000 elect individuals would survive Armageddon. In a direct numerical parallel, the Nation of Islam instructs that exactly 144,000 Black people will survive the battle, representing the number Allah permitted Elijah Muhammad to reconvert to Islam.
The Fate of the Earth: Both groups believe the earth will not be burned up but will exist forever. The 144,000 survivors, in both doctrines, are an earthly group destined to constitute a New World on Earth, rather than a heavenly one.
The Afterlife: Both theologies reject the concept of an immortal soul and eternal hellfire. Jehovah's Witnesses believe the dead are simply "asleep" until judgment. The Nation of Islam teaches that heaven and hell are not postmortem places but conditions experienced in this life, and therefore, the dead will not be resurrected in a hereafter.
Evidence of Direct Contact and Influence
The doctrinal similarities appear to be more than mere coincidence. Wallace F. Fard, the founder of the Nation of Islam, and his successor, Elijah Muhammad, both endorsed Rutherford. During the 1930s, they encouraged their followers to read Rutherford's writings and listen to his radio addresses. Rutherford was one of the few white men whom Muhammad mentioned in a favorable light, a "prestige suggestion" that could have made his ideas more acceptable and influential among the movement's leaders.
Further evidence of a shared mindset can be seen in their common positions against dominant American culture. Both groups took strong stands against military service and saluting the flag, viewing these as worldly allegiances. However, the influence may not have been unidirectional; Black Muslims held their position on the flag salute in the early 1930s, while the Watchtower Society did not formalize its stance until 1934-35.
Significantly, the influence appears to be confined to the teachings of the 1930s. The Nation of Islam did not adopt later Watchtower doctrines, such as the opposition to blood transfusions introduced in the 1940s, and in fact, actively attacks that position.
Why the Influence Occurred: A Theory of Cryptic Ambiguity
A possible explanation for why Rutherford's teachings were so readily adapted lies in their "cryptic ambiguity." This refers to labyrinthine statements that allow for multiple levels of interpretation, making the author's original intent difficult to pin down. Such doctrines are more easily adapted than those that are merely vague.
This is supported by reports that Fard explicitly told his followers Rutherford's books were "symbolic" and should be interpreted through the lens of his own teachings. The ambiguity of the source material, combined with the prestige of Rutherford, made his doctrines highly influential and easily re-purposed to fit the theological framework of the nascent Nation of Islam. This theory, however, does not preclude other sociological or psychological explanations for the influence.