Final answer:
Malcolm X's shift in religious and political perspectives after leaving the Nation of Islam involved embracing racial equality taught by orthodox Islam and advocating for African American empowerment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Malcolm X underwent a significant shift in religious and political perspectives after leaving the Nation of Islam. One primary element of this shift is his embrace of orthodox Islam and its teachings of racial equality. During his pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm X learned that Islam preached the equality of all races, which changed his attitudes towards whites. He returned to the U.S. advocating for African American empowerment through the use of ballots or, if necessary, bullets.