Wallace Fard Muhammad

Wallace Fard Muhammad or W. D. Fard ( fə-RAHD; reportedly born February 26, c. 1877 – disappeared c. 1934) was a religious leader who was the founder of the Nation of Islam.

Fard arrived in Detroit in 1930 with an ambiguous background and several aliases and proselytized syncretic Islamic teachings to the city's black population. His group taught followers to abandon their old "slave names" in favor of new names that were bestowed on new members. Fard's movement similarly taught Black pride and Black exceptionalism, saying that the black man is the "original" man and teaching that the white race were devils created by a scientist named Yakub via eugenics. The group preached abstinence from drugs, alcohol, pork, and out-of-wedlock sex.

After one of Fard's followers performed a human sacrifice, Fard was briefly arrested, but the police ordered him to depart Detroit and not return. Instead he continued to return to the city, where he was spotted by police. In 1934, after repeated arrests and death threats, Fard left Detroit and ultimately disappeared.

Elijah Muhammad succeeded Fard as leader of the Nation of Islam. Fard's teachings in turn influenced many, including Malcolm X, Clarence 13X, Muhammad Ali, and, indirectly, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Nation of Islam celebrates Saviour's Day every February 26 in his honor.