Shabazz (name)


Shabazz is the name of a legendary Black architect whose tribe, according to the doctrine of the Nation of Islam, founded the populations of Africa. It is similar to the Persian name Shahbaz.
Malcolm X adopted the name upon joining the NOI. Born Malcolm Little, he was signing letters as "Malachi Shabazz" by 1949, before taking the name "Malcolm X". After returning from his pilgrimage to 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 sha‘b, and ‘azz. 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

  • Malcolm X or El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, an American Muslim minister and human rights activist
  • Betty Shabazz, his wife
  • Attallah Shabazz, his daughter
  • Ilyasah Shabazz, his daughter
  • Malcolm Shabazz, his grandson
  • Qubilah Shabazz, his daughter

    Rappers

A number of rappers have adopted "Shabazz" as part of their stage names to express an affinity with Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam, or the Black power movement more broadly.