I believe in a religion that believes in freedom. Any time I have

“I believe in a religion that believes in freedom. Any time I have to accept a religion that won't let me fight a battle for my people, I say to hell with that religion,” declared Malcolm X, the fiery voice of conscience in a world deafened by oppression. His words burn with the flame of truth — a truth both ancient and eternal: that faith without freedom is a chain, and worship without justice is hollow. In this declaration, Malcolm does not reject God, but challenges the corruption of religion when it becomes an instrument of control rather than liberation. He speaks not as a rebel against the divine, but as a defender of the sacred dignity of the human soul.

The origin of this quote lies in Malcolm’s transformation — from Malcolm Little, bound by the wounds of poverty and racism, to Malcolm X, the awakened man who sought not vengeance, but truth. In his early years, he embraced the Nation of Islam, drawn by its message of self-respect and empowerment for the Black people of America. Yet even within that faith, he found contradictions that could not be ignored. For Malcolm was a seeker of freedom, and no institution, no doctrine, no dogma could silence the call of his conscience. When he journeyed to Mecca, he beheld believers of every color bowing before one God, and his heart expanded beyond boundaries. His religion became larger than tribe or nation — it became the religion of liberation, of justice, of human unity.

To understand his words is to understand the heart of all prophetic voices. From Moses confronting Pharaoh, to Jesus overturning the tables of hypocrisy, to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) standing against oppression — the true messengers of faith have always fought for freedom. Religion, when pure, does not demand submission to tyranny; it demands defiance of it. Malcolm’s creed was the same: that God, the Most Just, cannot be served by those who bow to injustice. “To hell with that religion,” he cried — not as blasphemy, but as a cleansing fire against falsehood. For a faith that silences the fight for truth is no faith at all; it is a prison of the spirit.

Throughout history, there have been those who have wrapped chains in the robes of religion. They have used holy names to sanctify oppression, to keep the poor silent, to justify the whip and the sword. But Malcolm X stands among the voices that tore through those veils. He reminds us that freedom is divine — that to rise, to resist, to fight for one’s people is not rebellion against God, but an act of worship itself. Just as fire purifies gold, so too does struggle purify the soul. The God of Malcolm was not a God of passivity, but of power; not of fear, but of courage.

Consider the story of Harriet Tubman, who carried the torch of liberation through the darkness of slavery. She did not wait for permission from preachers who preached obedience; she heard the whisper of God in her own heart, saying, “Go.” Guided by faith, she freed hundreds, defying laws made by men but not by heaven. Tubman’s faith, like Malcolm’s, was not a quiet prayer in the pews, but a roaring cry for freedom. Such is the religion of the free — not one of submission to human masters, but of allegiance to the divine justice that dwells in the soul.

Malcolm’s words also warn us of a deeper danger — the temptation to trade truth for comfort. Many accept religions that promise peace without struggle, salvation without sacrifice. But freedom, both spiritual and earthly, demands the willingness to fight — not with hatred, but with unyielding conviction. The battle he speaks of is not only against the oppressor outside, but the fear within. To serve God truly is to stand for what is right, even when the world calls it rebellion. Faith and freedom are twins born of the same spirit; one without the other cannot survive.

And so, what lesson shall we carry from this? Let no one tell you that holiness means submission to injustice. Let your faith make you fearless, not docile. Stand for those who are voiceless; speak when silence would make you complicit. If a creed demands that you accept inequality, if it commands you to bow while others bleed, cast it away — for no divine truth can rest upon the backs of the oppressed. True religion, as Malcolm teaches, is not a cage but a key; not a chain, but a sword of light that cuts through lies and leads the soul to freedom.

Therefore, dear listener, remember: belief without courage is emptiness, and worship without justice is noise upon the wind. Like Malcolm X, seek a faith that uplifts, a truth that liberates, and a peace that is born through struggle. Let your devotion be fierce and your compassion unyielding. For in standing for the freedom of your people, you honor not only humanity — you honor the very will of God.