The Autobiography of Malcolm X: Chapter 17 Summary & Analysis

“The pilgrimage to Mecca, known as Hajj, is a religious obligation that every orthodox Muslim fulfills, if humanly able, at least once in his or her lifetime.” As the Nation of Islam is very different from what Malcolm calls “orthodox Islam,” he has generally been quite hostile when other Muslims suggested he make the Hajj and learn more about the religion. But now that he’s broken with the Nation, he wonders if he should expand his thinking and religious knowledge, an idea which Wallace Muhammad supports as well.

Often, Arab Muslims urge Malcolm to talk with Dr. Mahmoud Youssef Shawarbi, a professor from Cairo and a well-respected scholar. One day, they are introduced by a newspaperman and proceed to have a very cordial conversation. Dr. Shawarbi makes quite an impression on Malcolm.

Malcolm also feels inspired by his sister Ella, who has freely broken with the Nation of Islam. Instead, she’s joined an orthodox mosque and opened a school for teaching Arabic. After talking all night, she firmly believes that Malcolm should go on the Hajj, using the funds she had been saving to make the trip herself. Her independence and generosity have both been very important factors in Malcolm’s life, and he is very grateful to her.

When applying for a visa, Malcolm is told that he will need approval from Dr. Shawarbi—a fact Malcolm takes as a sign of Divine Providence. Dr. Shawarbi readily approves, and also gives Malcolm a book by Abd-Al-Rahman Azzam, an Egyptian intellectual who wished to send this copy specifically to Malcolm. Dr. Shawarbi also gives Malcolm the contact information for his own son in Cairo and for Abd’s son, Omar Azzam, who works in Jedda.

The beginning of Malcolm’s trip is marked by surprising instances of friendliness from strangers, like his two Muslim seatmates on the flight to Frankfurt or the white boy from Rhode Island in the airport men’s room. Malcolm notes that the shopkeepers in Frankfurt are more “humane.” Many pilgrims of all nationalities are also there on their way to Cairo (and then on to Mecca).

Once he arrives in Cairo, Malcolm encounters people of all races in what is a festive and friendly atmosphere. He parts ways with his new flight friend, who gives him his number and promises to get Malcolm in contact with an English-speaking group that would be headed to Mecca soon. After spending a couple of days sightseeing in Cairo and having a lovely dinner with a very intelligent couple, Malcolm meets up with the Hajj group, who speak English perfectly and welcome him warmly.

At the Cairo airport, thousands of pilgrims are entering the state of Ihram, “a spiritual and physical state of consecration.” In this state, all pilgrims don two simple white towels, a pair of sandals, and two small bags for carrying their papers and money. Then they call out, “Labbayka!” (Here I come, O Lord!) to demonstrate their enthusiasm for the journey.

On the plane, Malcolm sees people of all races, ready to make the Hajj together. He feels a profound sense of fraternity and equality. Meanwhile, word spreads that he is an American, and the captain comes to meet him. Malcolm is taken to see the cockpit, where another dark-skinned man is in the co-pilot’s seat. Surrounded by Muslims treating him like a brother and watching black men fly a plane, the experience begins to feel surreal, or as Malcolm puts it, “Brother, I knew Allah was with me.”

The plane lands in Jedda, where the airport is even more packed than in Cairo. The airport has only three kinds of people: pilgrims, their guides (known as Mutawaf), and the airport officials. The airport resounds with the sound of chanting and praying as Malcolm’s group makes their way slowly towards customs.

Malcolm is nervous, as he knows an American passport will raise questions. Sure enough, the customs official protests in Arabic, and despite the objections from the others in his group, he is told that he must go before the Mahgama Sharia to determine whether or not he is an authentic Muslim, before he can enter Mecca. Sadly, and with much concern, his friends are forced to continue on their journey without him.

Feeling very alone, Malcolm is taken by a Mutawaf to a dormitory above the airport to await his hearing the next day. While the other pilgrims in the room watch them, his guide shows him the proper Muslim prayer postures. Now Malcolm feels very embarrassed that as a minister of Islam, he has never learned these before, and his body’s lack of flexibility struggles to perform them.

When the sun rises and the other Muslims in his room wake up, they all watch each other attentively. Malcolm takes particular note of the multi-use nature of rugs in Arabic culture. Individual rugs are used for praying, while large communal rugs are used for eating, talking, sleeping, settling disputes, and teaching. He finally realizes why the rugs he once stole in Boston were so intricate and beautiful, given their cultural origins.

One of the others in the room tries to talk with Malcolm, and Malcolm begins to teach him English. When Malcolm says “Muhammad Ali Clay,” the whole room perks up, as they believe he is Muhammad Ali. Malcolm soon learns that Ali is a hero to the entire Muslim world.

When the Mutawaf from earlier returns, he takes Malcolm down to the mosque for morning prayer. Malcolm knows that before prayer come ablutions, but even these he doesn’t perform correctly. Then, inside the mosque, he does his best to copy his guide’s movements and to quietly mumble along to the Arabic prayers.

Back in his dormitory, Malcolm is offered food and tea by many of his roommates, but he politely refuses. Partially he does not want to impose, but he is also wary of the communal, utensil-less style of eating. So he decides to go exploring for food of his own. Malcolm finds a restaurant, orders a whole roasted chicken, and then proceeds to eat it with his hands just as everyone around him does. On another exploration, he meets two English-speaking Muslims, but they are just about to leave, making Malcolm feel alone again.

That evening after prayer, Malcolm suddenly gets a wave of inspiration and remembers that he has Omar Azzam’s phone number, and that he lives in Jedda. Malcolm rushes downstairs and asks a group of airport officials to please call Omar for him. Seeing that he is an American, they agree. Omar then shows up within half an hour, a very warm man whose only concern is that Malcolm didn’t reach out to him sooner. He promptly has him released and brings him to his home.

Malcolm is blown away by the hospitality shown to him by Omar, a civil engineer, and by his father, Abd, who is an extremely well-respected scholar at the United Nations. While it is quite late when they arrive at Omar’s home, everyone is waiting for him and treats him like a brother. Abd is also quite outraged that Malcolm was made to stay at the airport for a whole day, and goes to make a phone call.

Malcolm is then ushered into a car and brought to the Jedda Palace Hotel. Omar leaves him in his father’s suite, while Abd spends the night at his son’s house. Malcolm says that he would have protested this arrangement, but by the time he knew what was going on, he was alone in the beautiful suite.

That morning, Malcolm reflects on the significance of Abd’s generosity. Here was a white-complexioned man with international influence and family relations to the rulers of Saudi Arabia, and with nothing to gain by treating Malcolm so well, and he nonetheless gave up his suite simply for Malcolm’s comfort. This forces Malcolm to reassess his views on the “white man.” Rather than racism being tied primarily to complexion, he says, it is actually a set of attitudes towards whiteness and those perceived as not white.

After writing in his notebook and praying multiple times to thank Allah for protecting him, Malcolm sleeps for several hours. When he receives a call from Omar informing him that he will come to collect him for dinner, Malcolm gets dressed and goes to the lobby of the hotel, where the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who lives down the hall, is being received by the press.

At dinner, Malcolm is once again blown away by Abd’s hospitality and intelligence; he has a command of many topics of conversation and world affairs. He also teaches Malcolm how the idea of color superiority is an idea that originates and dominates in the West.

The next morning, Malcolm goes before the judge of the Hajj Committee Court. The judge is very kind as he enquires into Malcolm’s sincerity as a Muslim. Once he confirms that he is indeed a true Muslim, he gives Malcolm two books on Islam, and says that he hopes he becomes a great preacher in America one day.

After having lunch at the Hotel and then once again sleeping, Malcolm is awoken by a call from the Saudi Prince Faisal’s office, saying that a car has been commissioned to take him on the Hajj after dinner. The car breezes through all the checkpoints, and Malcolm is astonished by such star treatment.

Mecca is an ancient city filled with winding streets and thousands of pilgrims headed for the Great Mosque. There, Malcolm performs the ablutions with a Mutawaf, and then enters the mosque, which is being renovated by Omar Azzam. Thousands of pilgrims are praying, chanting, and walking in seven circles around the Ka’ba, a large black stone at the center of the mosque. After his seventh time around, Malcolm prostrates himself to pray while his Mutawaf protects him from being trampled.

Over the next few days, Malcolm’s Mutawaf takes him through the other essential rituals of the Hajj journey. They drink from the well of Zem Zem, run between the Safa and Marwa hills, and climb Mount Arafat, where they give thanks to Allah. Malcolm’s state of Ihram has ended.

Sitting with other Muslims who have also just finished the Hajj, Malcolm tells them about the contrast between the brotherhood he experienced here with the racism found in America. They seem shocked at the terrible plight of black men in America. Malcolm, meanwhile, is grateful for the feeling of oneness with others and with God.

Malcolm writes a letter to his wife Betty, explaining that Allah has allowed him greater insight into the truth of Islam. Muslim society is essentially color-blind, and he has found great solace here. He is positive that Betty will instantly understand and join him in his newfound perspective.

Malcolm then writes more versions of essentially the same letter to his sister Ella, Dr. Shawarbi, Wallace Muhammad (who had advocated for the Nation to move towards orthodox Islam) and to his assistants at the new Muslim Mosque, Inc. He asks the latter to distribute his letter among the press. Malcolm is himself astounded at the profound shift in his mentality. And yet, his “whole life had been a chronology of – changes.”

In his letter, Malcolm recounts what he’s experienced on the Hajj, and especially emphasizing the sense of communion and brotherhood he felt with men of all colors and races, including the whitest of men, as they worshipped the same God together. He believes that it is up to the younger generation to see the destructive nature of racism and turn towards the “spiritual path of truth” in order to avoid disaster. Finally, he contrasts the way he has been treated with the utmost dignity and honor by the relatives and servants of Princes to how in America, he is simply “a Negro.” Malcolm signs the letter, “El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, (Malcolm X).”