Shabazz (name)


According to the doctrine of the Nation of Islam, Shabazz is the name of a black architect whose tribe founded the populations of Africa.
The name was adopted by Malcolm X, initially when he joined the NOI. Born Malcolm Little, by 1949 he was signing letters as "Malachi Shabazz", before taking the name "Malcolm X". After returning from his pilgrimage in Mecca, he finally adopted the title and name El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, seen as symbolic of his spiritual journey to Orthodox Islam. The surname was borne by his wife Betty Shabazz and his children, and has also been adopted by unrelated persons.

Origin

A 1994 article in The American Muslim claims that the name is from the Arabic words شعب sha‘b, "a people", and عز ‘azz, "to be mighty or glorious". There is also a similar Persian name, Shahbâz, meaning "royal falcon". Indicating "royalty and nobility", the name is popular with Bosnian, Turkish, Indian and Pakistani Muslims.
In his book Message to the Blackman in America, Elijah Muhammad wrote that African-Americans are descended from an ancient tribe by that name:

People

Notable people with the name include:

The family of Malcolm X