Editing Five-Percent Nation (section)

== Beliefs ==
=== Basis ===
The men of the Five Percent Nation view themselves as Gods, both individually and collectively as the "Original Man".<ref name="IslamIn" /> According to the ''Five Percenter Newspaper'', "God first means that it is no longer a judicial argument; centered means everything we do is about God. Culture is the practices and principles of a people at any given time."<ref>Five Percenter Newspaper volume 16.5 p.2</ref> Gods and Earths sometimes refer to themselves as [[scientist]]s, implying their search for knowledge and proof.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Five Percenter Rap |last=Miyakawa |first=Felicia |publisher=Indiana University Press |year=2005 |isbn=0253217636 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780253345745/page/30 30, 68, 157] |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780253345745/page/30}}</ref><ref name="Jackson Richardson 2014">{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gl6hAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT174 |title=In: Understanding African American Rhetoric: Classical Origins to Contemporary Innovations |last=Miyakawa |first=Felicia |publisher=Routledge |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-136-72729-0 |editor-last=Jackson, Ronald |editor-first=Ronald L. and Elaine B. Richardson |location=New York, NY |pages=174, 179 |chapter=The Duty of the Civilized is to Civilize the Uncivilized: Tropes of Black Nationalism in the Messages of Five Percent Rappers |oclc=881034429 |author-link1=Ronald L. Jackson II |access-date=April 23, 2019 |archive-date=August 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819111826/https://books.google.com/books?id=Gl6hAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT174 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths are passed on through a modern oral tradition. The advancement of a God or Earth is based on their memorization, recitation, comprehension, and practical application of the Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet and also the 120 Lessons, sometimes referred to as degrees, a revised version of the Supreme Wisdom lessons of the NOI, originally written by [[Wallace Fard Muhammad]] and [[Elijah Muhammad]].<ref name="ThisFar" /><ref name="The5">{{cite book |title=The Five Percenters: Islam, Hip Hop, and the Gods of New York |url=https://archive.org/details/fivepercentersis00knig |url-access=registration |author=Knight, Michael Muhammad |publisher=Oxford, England, UK: Oneworld Publications |year=2007 |isbn=9781851685134}}</ref><ref name="CantStop">{{cite book |title=[[Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation]] |first=Jeff |last=Chang |author-link=Jeff Chang (journalist) |publisher=St. Martin's Press |year=2005 |pages=258, 259}}</ref>

The anthology ''Knowledge of Self: A Collection of Wisdom on the Science of Everything in Life'' by Supreme Understanding details the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ankh |first=Nur |title=Knowledge of Self: A Collection of Wisdom on the Science of Everything in Life (9780981617022): Supreme Understanding, Sunez Allah, CBS Alife Allah: Books |date=July 30, 2009 |publisher=Supreme Design |isbn=978-0981617022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.supremedesignonline.com/knowledgeofself.html#reviews |title=Knowledge Of Self |publisher=Supremedesignonline.com |access-date=February 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120129222911/http://www.supremedesignonline.com/knowledgeofself.html#reviews |archive-date=January 29, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Wakeel Allah]] has written ''In the Name of Allah: A History of Clarence 13X and the 5 Percenters'' and ''The Naked Truth: From the Goal Mind of Abu Shahid, the Elder of the Nation of Gods and Earths''.<ref>Muhammad, Ashahed (March 21, 2017). "In the Name of Allah, A History of Clarence 13X and the 5 Percenters". ''The Final Call Newspaper''. Retrieved March 26, 2014.</ref>

=== "Five Percent" ===
The term "Five Percenter" is taken directly from the "Five Percent" who are described in "Lost-Found Muslim Lesson No. 2" of the [[Nation of Islam]]. The lesson groups the people of the world into three categories. Eighty-five percent of the world's population are described as "uncivilized people; poison animal eaters; slaves from mental death and power, people who do not know the Living God or their origin in this world, and they worship that which they do not know. ... [They] are easily led in the wrong direction, but hard to lead into the right direction."<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |title=Manifestations of Masculine Magnificence |last=Washington |first=Teresa |publisher=Oya's Tornado |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-9910730-0-9 |pages=92–93}}</ref>{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=137–138}}

Ten percent of the world's population are described as "The rich; the slave-makers of the poor; who teach the poor lies—to believe that the Almighty, True and Living God is a spook and cannot be seen by the physical eye. Otherwise known as: The Blood-Suckers of the Poor."<ref name=":6" />{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=137–138}}

Five Percent of the world's population are described as "the poor, righteous Teachers, who do not believe in the teachings of the 10%, and are all-wise; and know who the Living God is; and Teach that the Living God is the Sun of man, the supreme being, the (Black man) of Asia [Pangea]; and Teach Freedom, Justice, and Equality to all of the human families of the planet Earth."<ref name=":6" />{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=137–138}}

=== The Universal Language ===
{{Anchor|Supreme Alphabet}}
{{Anchor|Supreme Mathematics}}
<!--Do not add a list of the Supreme Mathematics other than what has already been written. Any further details can be accessed via the references below.-->
The '''Supreme Mathematics''' and '''Supreme Alphabet''' are key concepts in the Five Percent Nation. The Supreme mathematics is a system of understanding [[numerical digit|numerals]] alongside concepts and qualitative representations that are used along with the Supreme Alphabet.<ref name="ThisFar" /><ref name="CantStop" /> The Supreme Mathematics is thought to be the highest system of [[numerology]] in the NGE, used to give qualitative value to numbers in addition to quantity. How the values associated with each number were derived is unknown. The numerals are as follows:<ref>{{Cite book |title=Manifestations of Masculine Magnificence |last=Washington |first=Teresa |publisher=Oya's Tornado |year=2014 |isbn=9780991073009 |pages=97}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Five Percenter Rap |last=Miyakawa |first=Felicia |publisher=Indiana University Press |year=2005 |isbn=0253217636 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780253345745/page/26 26] |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780253345745/page/26}}</ref>{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=134}}

* 1. Knowledge
* 2. Wisdom
* 3. Understanding
* 4. Culture or Freedom
* 5. Power or Refinement
* 6. Equality
* 7. God
* 8. Build or Destroy
* 9. Born (Birth)
* 0. Cipher<!--Do not add a list of the Supreme Alphabet other than what has already been written. Any further details can be accessed via the references below.-->

The Supreme Alphabet is a system of interpreting text and finding deeper meaning from the NOI Lessons, by assigning actual meanings to the letters of the [[Latin script]]. For example, the first letter, A, stands for Allah; the 12th letter, L, stands for Love, Hell, or Right; and the 13th letter, M, stands for Master. The Supreme Alphabet was developed by Allah the Father and Justice.{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=135}} The method by which letters were associated with certain values is unknown.

=== Customs ===
<!--Move all relevant and appropriate information from elsewhere in this article into this section.-->
The Five-Percent Nation holds events known as Universal Parliaments in various cities—usually once a month—to build on their interpretation of the Supreme Mathematics, lessons, and to discuss business concerning the NGE.{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=238–239}} These meetings usually take place in public areas and can be held anywhere.

Because the NGE defines itself as a way of life and not a religion,{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=345}} the Nation generally does not observe religious holidays, including those associated with Christianity or Islam.<ref name="Allah 2009">{{cite book |last=Allah |first=Wakeel |author-link=Wakeel Allah |title=In the Name of Allah: A History of Clarence 13X and the Five Percenters, Vol. 2 |publisher=A-Team Publishing |location=Atlanta, GA |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-9821618-2-1 |oclc=607977900 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TSeCRQAACAAJ |access-date=23 April 2019 |page=300 |archive-date=August 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819233340/https://books.google.com/books?id=TSeCRQAACAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> Many Five Percenters honor Allah the Father's birthday on February 22, or the official founding of the Nation on October 10, with special events and parliaments.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Five Percenters |last=Knight |first=Michael |publisher=One World |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-85168-615-5 |pages=172, 214}}</ref> The Show and Prove is an annual event that takes place in [[Harlem]] every second weekend in June.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2014/jun/19/five-percenters-hold-44th-annual-show-and-prove/ |title=Five Percenters hold 44th annual Show and Prove |access-date=July 18, 2018 |archive-date=July 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719024400/http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2014/jun/19/five-percenters-hold-44th-annual-show-and-prove/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Similar to adherents of denominations of traditional Islam, Five Percenters abstain from eating [[pork]] or any pork-based by-products.{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=138–139}} According to Five Percenter Universal Shaamguadd, Allah the Father stated Five Percenters should avoid eating "small scavengers, such as shrimp", and avoid "lobsters, crabs, clams, and oysters".{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=149}} Some Five Percenters take further steps and eschew meat altogether, often opting for "strict" [[vegetarianism]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |title=Five Percenter Rap |last=Miyakawa |first=Felicia |publisher=Indiana University Press |year=2005 |isbn=0-253-21763-6 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780253345745/page/32 32] |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780253345745/page/32}}</ref> Allah the Father advocated "eating one meal a day, every other day or every third days, as prescribed in the Nation of Islam."{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=149}} Allah was a proponent of [[fasting]] and many new adherents fast as part of "an induction process".{{sfn|Allah|2007|p=151}}

=== Teachings on race ===
The teachings of Five-Percent Nation have been accused of promoting Black supremacy. As in the Nation of Islam, Five Percenters believe that the original inhabitants of the world were Black, which they refer to as the "Asiatic Blackman" and believe had inhabited the earth for "66 trillion years", who ultimately descended from the [[Tribe of Shabazz]], while the [[White people|white race]] are evil "devils" who were created 6,000 years ago on what is today the Greek island of [[Patmos]], by a "rogue bigheaded scientist" named [[Yakub (Nation of Islam)|Yakub]], the Biblical and Qur'anic [[Jacob]], who was of the [[Mecca]]n branch of the tribe. After the whites attempted to rise up against their creators, they were exiled to the caves of "West Asia" – what would later be known as Europe. The Yakub origin story is the basis for all Five Percenter racial understanding.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.academia.edu/8737494 |title="Ain't No Spook God": Religiosity in the Nation of Gods and Earths |last=Andrews |first=Pamela |website=Academia.edu |access-date=2 August 2019 |archive-date=October 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029212422/https://www.academia.edu/8737494 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Gender perceptions ===
Some Five Percenters have been accused of promoting male chauvinism and [[misogyny]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Five Percenters |last=Knight |first=Michael |publisher=One World |year=2007 |pages=214–215}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Manifestations of Masculine Magnificence: Divinity in Africana Life, Lyrics, and Literature |last=Washington |first=Teresa N. |publisher=Oya's Tornado |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-9910730-0-9 |pages=123–128}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Voices of the Earth: A Phenomenological Study of Women in the Nation of Gods and Earths |last=Keiler-Bradshaw |first=Ahmon J. |publisher=Georgia State University: M.A. Thesis |year=2010 |pages=63}}</ref> According to Prince Allah Cuba, since the death of Allah the Father, some Gods have grown preoccupied with male supremacy, and this preoccupation has resulted in the minimization of all things female: from the crescent moon on the nation's flag being made smaller and eventually placed under the number seven, to the lack of parity in the God-Earth dyad.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Five Percenters: Islam, Hip Hop and the Gods of New York |last=Knight |first=Michael |publisher=One World |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-85168-615-5 |pages=214–215}}</ref>

According to the Five Percent Nation, each member constitutes a divine being in their own right.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite book |title=Manifestations of Masculine Magnificence |last=Washington |first=Teresa N. |publisher=Oya's Tornado |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-9910730-0-9 |pages=123}}</ref> Some men promote the minimization of women, as with [[Lord Jamar]]'s lyric that woman is "secondary but most necessary".<ref>Lord Jamar. "Supreme Mathematics." ''[[The 5% Album]]''. [[Babygrande Records|Babygrande]]/[[Koch Records|Koch]]. 2006.</ref> Others describe the Black woman as the Black man's equal: In [[X Clan]]'s song "Wiz Degrees", Five Percenter [[Brother J]] describes his partner as "Wisdom and the Goddess manifest".<ref name=":2">[[X Clan]]. "Wiz Degrees." ''[[Mainstream Outlawz]]''. Suburban Noize. 2009.</ref> [[Ladybug Mecca]], a Five Percenter and the female member of the hip hop group [[Digable Planets]], offers her view of gender and divinity: <blockquote>We need to know that there is a feminine and masculine principal or consciousness that is considered the God or the Creator. It's not a male, like religion will tell you. It's a mother/father principle, a masculine/feminine principle. [...] The feminine principle is what gives birth to the universe. It's what brings creation forth, so there has to be an acknowledgement and respect for her in order to bring back the balance. In religion, in Christianity and in Islam, in all religions ... it's a perverted piece of the truth, when it doesn't hold the woman on a pedestal.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Manifestations of Masculine Magnificence |last=Quoted in: Washington |first=Teresa |publisher=Oya's Tornado |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-9910730-0-9 |page=127}}</ref> </blockquote>

Five Percenter Just I C Equality Allah, asserts that gender equality is an inherent aspect of ALLAH: "How can woman not be God as well as man? First of all, we are the Arm Leg Leg Arm Head (Allah). There is no gender type, we all have the components that make the physical. Allah is the all in all. How can we be the all in all if 'all' isn't included?"<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Five Percenters |last=Knight |first=Michael |publisher=One World |year=2007 |pages=219}}</ref> When Allah the Father was alive, some female Five Percenters referred to themselves as Goddesses.<ref name="knight220">{{Cite book |title=The Five Percenters |last=Knight |first=Michael |publisher=One World |pages=220}}</ref> A Five Percent female named Tawanna referred to herself as God. When challenged by some male Five Percenters, Tawanna defended her position and was declared by Justice to be "more God than some of the men!"<ref name="knight220" />