>My real good friend is Muslim too. So, does the Nation of
>Islam still exist

Very much so.

>how do black people in general percieve it?

I have to admit that the NOI has casted a weird shadow since Malcolm X's death. Some people defend the NOI but I know people who left the Nation after his murder, esp. because he was allegedly murdered by NOIs from No. 25.

Here's something jambone wrote in okayactivist:

"Farrakhan slights Malcolm every chance he gets in one breath, but then talks about how great Malcolm is in another. Farrakhan will never be Malcolm, and it eats at Farrakhan's soul daily. So, all that work the NOI did to get Malcolm out of the Nation backfired because Malcolm became even bigger in life and bigger after his death.

The whole irony is that Malcolm recruited Farrakhan into the Nation in 1955. Malcolm taught and trained Farrakhan as a minister. Malcolm referred to Farrakhan as his "little brother". Malcolm taught Farrakhan's eldest daughter her ABC's. They were so intertwined. Farrakhan has often said Malcolm taught him how to be man. Malcolm was the father figure he never had. If you watch all of the old footage of "Make it Plain" and other old documentaries, you will see a young Farrakhan lurking in the background because he was Malcolm's understudy. Malcolm even mentions how talented and great Farrakhan was in his autobiography.

Yet, it was Farrakhan who betrayed Malcolm in quest for power in the Nation. It was Farrakhan who was one of the main people who plotted to get him out of the NOI. It was Farrakhan who slandered Malcolm in Muhammad Speaks after Malcolm was kicked out of the Nation (Malcolm did not leave the Nation). And it was Farrakhan who was present at the Newark Mosque the day Malcolm was assassinated by members of the Newark Mosque in New York. And it was Farrakhan who took Malcolm's place as being the NOI's National Spokesman." (jambone, from okayplayer.com)

>Do Muslims look down upon it? Again, I could ask my friend
>these questions but it is a very touchy subject for him.

I can see why. I was able to talk openly about it with my mentor. I think he looked down on the actions of the NOI and the part they played in the death of Malcolm X. You should also look into COINTELPRO.

"COINTELPRO is an acronym for a series of FBI counterintelligence programs designed to neutralize political dissidents. Although covert operations have been employed throughout FBI history, the formal COINTELPRO's of 1956-1971 were broadly targeted against radical political organizations." - http://www.icdc.com/~paulwolf/cointelpro/cointel.htm

My theory is the NOI sold Malcolm X out to protect their organization or get the FBI off their backs. They used his "chickens come home to roost" comment as an excuse to silence him but that did not work, so I think some negotiating went on behind Malcolm X's back. But that's my theory (and I'm sticking to it).