Editing Nation of Islam (section)

=== Civic engagement ===

The Nation has a longstanding record of involvement in civic, economic, and political activities.{{sfn|Akom|2007|p=722}} In some economically deprived areas, it has played a role in providing services that public institutions have not.{{sfnm|1a1=West|1y=1996|1p=45|2a1=Akom|2y=2007|2p=725}} In some areas with high African-American populations, the NOI has for instance engaged in door-to-door campaigns to raise awareness about local pollution,{{sfn|Akom|2007|p=723}} or used the Fruit of Islam to patrol neighborhoods as a community watchdog,{{sfn|Akom|2007|p=723}} especially to stop drug-dealing.{{sfn|Gardell|1996|pp=302–303}} The Nation has also urged African Americans not to rely on state welfare payments, arguing that this undermines the community's ability to be self-sufficient.{{sfn|Gardell|1996|p=319}}

The scholar Edward E. Curtis IV stated that the Nation is "both highly religious and political at the same time",{{sfn|Curtis IV|2002|pp=167–168}} while Gardell noted that it "formulated emphatic political demands".{{sfn|Gardell|1996|p=5}} However, the NOI has urged its members to avoid mainstream electoral politics;{{sfn|Curtis IV|2016|p=17}} throughout most of his leadership, Elijah Muhammad instructed his followers not to vote.{{sfn|Finley|2022|p=79}} Later, Farrakhan backed [[Jesse Jackson]]'s [[1984 Democratic Party presidential primaries|1984 campaign]] to become the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]'s presidential candidate,{{sfnm|1a1=Allen|1y=1996|1p=4|2a1=Gardell|2y=1996|2p=250|3a1=Gibson|3y=2012|3p=89}} and in 1990 three NOI candidates stood for election in the U.S.{{sfn|Gardell|1996|pp=313–314}} Although many outsiders have presumed the NOI to be a revolutionary movement,{{sfn|Barnett|2006|p=891}} it has not sought to foment political revolution or violent social change, instead focusing its emphasis on shifting the consciousness of its members, encouraging them to focus on personal moral improvement, family building, and economic activity.{{sfnm|1a1=Barnett|1y=2006|1p=891|2a1=Curtis IV|2y=2016|2p=17}}