What did Malcolm X learn about Elijah Muhammad that damaged their relationship?

The relationship between Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad deteriorated due to several factors, most notably Muhammad's violations of the Nation of Islam's moral code. Malcolm X was devastated to learn that Muhammad had fathered children by six of his personal secretaries, two of whom eventually filed paternity suits and made the matter public.1

Additionally, tensions grew over the political direction of the organization. Malcolm X urged the Nation to become more actively involved in the civil rights movement rather than remaining a critic on the sidelines. The relationship reached a breaking point following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, when Malcolm X publicly remarked that the event was a case of "chickens coming home to roost." In response to the public outrage, Muhammad ordered Malcolm X to observe a 90-day period of silence, which led to a permanent schism between the two leaders.12