Editing Nuwaubian Nation (section)

===The Nubian Islamic Hebrew Mission in America===
By 1969, York had changed the name of his group to the Nubian Islamic Hebrew Mission in America (NIHMA).{{sfnm|1a1=Palmer|1y=2010|1p=7|2a1=Knight|2y=2020|2p=15}} In 1971 he established its headquarters at 452 Rockaway Avenue in [[Brownsville, Brooklyn]].{{sfn|Knight|2020|p=15}} The group also changed their typical appearance, its men beginning to dress in dashikis and fez hats, accompanied by nose rings and small bones piercing the ear.{{sfnm|1a1=Palmer|1y=2010|1p=7|2a1=Knight|2y=2020|2p=16}} NIHMA women wore face veils.  
York began referring to himself as Isa Abd Allah bin Abu Bakr Muhammad,{{sfn|Knight|2020|p=16}} or just "Imam Isa" – Isa being the Arabic name for Jesus.{{sfn|Palmer|2010|p=7}} He subsequently clarified that he did not see himself as the rebirth of Jesus, but did draw comparisons between them; for York, [[John the Baptist]] heralded the coming of Jesus just as [[Elijah Muhammad]], former leader of the Nation of Islam, heralded the coming of York himself.{{sfn|Knight|2020|p=20}} 

In 1973 York traveled to the Middle East and Africa, undertaking the ''[[umrah]]'' pilgrimage to [[Mecca]].{{sfnm|1a1=Palmer|1y=2010|1p=46|2a1=Knight|2y=2020|2p=19}} He also visited Sudan, where he claimed that he was initiated into the [[Order of Al-Khidr]] and joined the [[Sufism|Sufi]] Order of Khawatiyya.{{sfn|Palmer|2010|p=46}} He also maintained that at the junction of two Niles, he experienced a vision of [[Khidr]], a legendary figure in Islamic lore, alongside the [[Twenty-Four Elders]] featured in the [[Book of Revelation]].{{sfnm|1a1=Palmer|1y=2010|1pp=46-47|2a1=Knight|2y=2020|2p=19}} On his return to New York, York proclaimed himself the grandson of [[Muhammad Ahmad]], a 19th-century Sudanese political leader who deemed himself the [[Mahdi]],{{sfnm|1a1=Palmer|1y=2010|1p=47|2a1=Knight|2y=2020|2p=17}} and alleged that he had been born exactly a hundred years after this grandfather;{{sfnm|1a1=Palmer|1y=2010|1p=47|2a1=Knight|2y=2020|2p=20}} he also began using the term "Mahdi" for himself.{{sfn|Palmer|2010|p=7}}