[NFB-Muslims] A Forgotten Legacy - Muslims in Black History

Fri Feb 10 20:31:50 UTC 2023

As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu everyone,

I have been wanting to prepare the below article on black history for some
time now. Please read and provide feedback, inshaAllah.

A Forgotten Legacy - Muslims in Black History

By Kristopher Idrees Crawley

Introduction

Muslims have played a significant role in the African American community,
yet their contributions are often overlooked and left out of the narratives
of Black history. From the early days of slavery to the civil rights
movement, Muslims have made invaluable contributions to the advancement of
African Americans. However, their impact is often overshadowed by the
dominant narrative of Black history which primarily focuses on the Christian
faith. As a member of the NFB Muslims Group, and 1st Vice President of the
SC Association of Black Leaders, please accept the following article as my
contribution to Black History Month.

Note: The views and opinions found within this article are mine alone and
not that of any group, division, chapter, affiliate, or other organization I
participate in.

African Muslims in Slavery

Slavery has a long and dark history in the United States, and it is well
known that many Africans were brought to the Americas as slaves. However,
what is often overlooked is the fact that among those enslaved Africans were
also Muslims. African Muslim slaves played a significant role in shaping the
history of the United States, and their legacy is one that deserves to be
remembered. 

One of the earliest recorded instances of Muslims in America was during the
transatlantic slave trade. It is estimated that as many as 15 to 30 percent
of enslaved Africans were Muslims, who brought their religious beliefs and
practices with them. Despite facing extreme adversity and persecution, these
enslaved Muslims continued to practice their faith and passed it down to
their descendants.

Many of these Muslim slaves were taken from regions that are now modern-day
Senegal, Gambia, and Mali and brought to the Americas as early as the 1600s.
These slaves were primarily used for manual labor on plantations in the
southern United States. Despite the challenges they faced, Muslim slaves
found ways to maintain their religious beliefs and practices. They prayed
secretly, created their own communities, and played important roles in many
slave revolts.

Bilali Muhammad

Bilali Muhammad was an enslaved African man who lived in the southeastern
United States in the early 19th century. He was born in West Africa, but was
captured and brought to the United States as a slave. Bilali is best known
for writing a religious text in Arabic, which is considered to be the first
written document in the United States by an enslaved person of African
descent. This document, known as the "Bilali Document," was an important
artifact of the Islamic faith among enslaved Africans in the Americas.

Bilali Muhammad was a devout Muslim and his religious beliefs played a
significant role in his life. He is said to have prayed and fasted
regularly, and his religious observance was respected by his slave owners.
Although he was a slave and subjected to the brutal conditions of slavery,
Bilali maintained his faith and passed it down to his descendants, who went
on to become leaders in the African American Muslim community. The Bilali
Document provides insight into the religious beliefs and practices of
enslaved Africans and are considered one of the most important primary
sources for the study of Islam in the Americas. His writings have been
widely studied by scholars of African American and Islamic history.

Omar Ibn Said

Omar Ibn Said was a West African Muslim scholar and slave who lived in the
United States in the 19th century. He was born in Futa Tooro, a kingdom in
present-day Senegal, and was captured and sold into slavery in 1807. He was
taken to the United States, where he spent the rest of his life as a slave
in North Carolina. Despite the difficult circumstances of his life, Omar Ibn
Said was a deeply religious man and continued to practice his faith. He is
notable for writing his autobiography in Arabic, which is a rare document
from an enslaved African in the American South during this period. A
translation of the document is available on NLS Bard.

Omar Ibn Said's autobiography provides a unique perspective on slavery in
the United States and the experience of African Muslims in the Americas. In
his writings, he described his life in West Africa before his capture, his
journey to the United States, and his experiences as a slave. He also wrote
about his faith, including his deep devotion to Islam and his daily
religious practices. 

The Impacts of Slavery on African Muslims 

The lives of Muslim slaves were difficult and brutal. They faced physical,
emotional, and psychological abuse, as well as the threat of being separated
from their families. Regardless of these hardships, they managed to maintain
their cultural and religious traditions. Many of these traditions, such as
the use of Arabic names and the practice of Islam, are still present in
African American communities today.

Although they had a significant presence, the history of African Muslim
slaves has been largely forgotten. This is due in part to the fact that many
slave owners sought to stamp out the religious and cultural practices of
their slaves, and also to the fact that Muslim slaves were not allowed to
openly practice their religion or share their stories. This resulted in a
lack of documentation of their lives and experiences, and made it difficult
for future generations to know about the contributions and sacrifices of
Muslim American slaves.

Jerald Dirks in his book "Muslims in  American History" states "As can be
imagined, the institution of slavery in the Americas was not conducive to
the preservation of detailed, biographical information on enslaved African
Muslims. Nonetheless, as many of these Muslims were highly educated and
literate individuals, some left autobiographical sketches, and others came
to the attention of whites who chose to write a brief account about them".

After the abolition of slavery in the United States, many former Muslim
slaves faced continued discrimination and segregation. The legacy of slavery
and racism has had a lasting impact on African American communities,
including those from a Muslim background.

Black Muslims in the 20th Century

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, African American leaders such as
Noble Drew Ali and W. D. Fard founded movements aimed at empowering Black
Americans and reconnecting them with their Islamic heritage. The civil
rights movement in America had a profound impact on Black Muslims, who saw
in the struggle for racial equality a parallel to their own struggles for
religious freedom and dignity. The Black Muslim movement emerged as a
powerful force in the African American community. The Nation of Islam, led
by Elijah Muhammad, became one of the largest Black nationalist
organizations in America and was instrumental in advocating for the rights
of African Americans. Malcolm X, one of the most influential Black leaders
of the 20th century, was a prominent member of the Nation of Islam and his
ideas continue to influence the Black community today.

The Moorish Science Temple of America

The Moorish Science Temple of America is a religious and cultural
organization that was founded in the United States in the early 20th
century. It is a unique blend of Islam, Christianity, and black nationalism,
and has been a significant part of African American history for over a
century.

The Moorish Science Temple was founded in Newark, New Jersey, in 1913 by
Noble Drew Ali, who was born Timothy Drew in North Carolina in 1886. Drew
Ali was a traveling salesman and circus performer who claimed to have been
sent by Allah to bring a message of salvation to African Americans. He
taught that black people in America were descended from Moors, a Muslim
Berber people who ruled Spain and North Africa from the 8th to the 15th
centuries. According to Drew Ali, these Moors were the true descendants of
the ancient Egyptians, and had a special relationship with Allah.

Drew Ali taught that African Americans should reclaim their identity as
Moors, and reject the names that had been imposed on them by white slave
masters. He encouraged his followers to adopt Moorish names and titles, and
to reject the "Black", "Colored", and "Negro" labels. Drew Ali's message of
pride in African heritage and spiritual uplift resonated with many African
Americans, who were still grappling with the aftermath of slavery and
segregation. The Moorish Science Temple quickly grew in popularity, with
branches opening in cities across the country. At its height in the late
1920s, it was estimated that the organization had as many as 35,000 members,
17 temples across the Midwest, and was one of the largest and most
influential black nationalist organizations of its time.

Another key belief of the Moorish Science Temple is that all people,
regardless of race or religion, are equal in the eyes of Allah. Drew Ali
taught that Islam was the original religion of the black race, and that all
other religions were corruptions of the truth. He believed that the Prophet
Mohammed (peace be upon him) was a black man, and that Islam was a universal
religion that was meant for all people, not just Arabs.

Despite its religious teachings, the Moorish Science Temple was not just a
religious organization. It was also a political and social movement that
aimed to improve the lives of African Americans and to promote black
nationalism. Members of the temple were active in civil rights activism, and
the organization was involved in a number of important social and political
causes, such as voting rights, education, and employment opportunities for
African Americans.

One of the most notable contributions of the Moorish Science Temple was its
emphasis on black self-reliance and economic empowerment. Drew Ali
encouraged his followers to start their own businesses, and to build a
self-sufficient black community that was not dependent on white-owned
institutions. He also taught that the key to black progress was education,
and that African Americans needed to study science, engineering, and other
subjects in order to build a better future for themselves and their
children.

The Moorish Science Temple faced a number of challenges in the years after
Drew Ali's death in 1929. The organization was riven by internal disputes
and political infighting, and it struggled to maintain its momentum and
unity in the face of these challenges. Some members left the organization
and formed their own splinter groups, while others became disillusioned and
dropped out.

The Nation of Islam

One challenge faced by Black Muslims in the 20th century was the rise of the
Nation of Islam (NOI), a Black separatist movement that was both
controversial and influential. The NOI was founded in the 1930s by Wallace
Fard Muhammad, and it combined elements of Islam with Black nationalism and
conspiracy theories. While many Black Muslims rejected the NOI's beliefs, it
attracted a large following and helped to create a sense of community and
solidarity among Black Muslims.

The Nation of Islam gained significant popularity in the mid-20th century,
particularly among African Americans in inner cities. One of its most famous
leaders was Elijah Muhammad, who led the movement from the 1930s until his
death in 1975. Muhammad continued to teach the beliefs of the Nation of
Islam and built a network of mosques, schools, and businesses throughout the
United States.

The movement's focus on black self-sufficiency and empowerment resonated
with many African Americans, who saw it as a way to escape the poverty and
oppression that they faced in American society. The Nation of Islam also
became known for its advocacy for black rights and for its opposition to
white supremacy and racism.

One of the most famous members of the Nation of Islam was Malcolm X, who
joined the movement in the 1950s and rose to prominence as a charismatic
speaker and leader. Malcolm X was a fierce critic of American society  and
the American government of the time, and he advocated for the rights of
black people both in the United States and abroad.

Another major challenge faced by Black Muslims in the 20th century and
beyond is discrimination within the larger Muslim community. Despite the
fact that Islam teaches equality and that all races and ethnicities are
equal in the eyes of Allah, many non-Black Muslims looked down upon their
Black counterparts. This discrimination was and is often based on racist
beliefs and was compounded by the larger systemic racism present in American
society.

Despite these challenges, Black Muslims continued to practice their faith
and make important contributions to American society. They established
mosques, Islamic schools, and community organizations, and they worked to
promote Islamic education and cultural understanding. Black Muslims also
became involved in the Civil Rights Movement, using their faith as a source
of inspiration and strength in their fight for justice and equality.

Black Muslims Today

American Muslims are one of the most racially diverse religious groups in
the U.S. with no majority race. Black people make up a significant portion
of the Muslim community in the United States. According to recent estimates
by the
<https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/muslim-population-by-state
> World Population Review, the racial makeup of Muslims in the U.S. is split
as 25% black, 24% white, 18% Asian, 18% Arab, 7% mixed race, and 5%
Hispanic. 

Despite their contributions, the experiences and struggles of Muslims within
the black community are often overlooked in discussions of black history.
This is in part due to the broader American society's lack of understanding
of Islam and its place in the black community, but also to the tendency of
the larger black community to marginalize the experiences of black Muslims.
This marginalization takes many forms, including the exclusion of black
Muslim leaders and organizations from discussions of the Civil Rights
Movement and the portrayal of black Muslims as less authentic than their
Christian counterparts.

The erasure of black Muslims from history is not only a disservice to their
community, but also to the broader black community and to the country as a
whole. The contributions of black Muslims to the black struggle for freedom
and equality are an important part of the larger story of black America, and
their experiences provide important insights into the intersections of race,
religion, and identity.

the marginalization of black Muslims in black history is a complex issue
that has been shaped by a range of historical and cultural factors. However,
by acknowledging their contributions and experiences, we can help to create
a more comprehensive and inclusive understanding of black history in the
United States. it is crucial that the experiences of black Muslims are
recognized and incorporated into the telling of black history. This
recognition is not only a matter of historical accuracy, but also of justice
and respect for a community that has made significant contributions to
American society. Only by including the experiences of all members of the
black community can we truly understand and appreciate the full scope of the
black struggle for equality, and the diversity of religious beliefs and
practices within the African American community.

Additional Resources

A Muslim American Slave: The Life of Omar Ibn Said,
By Omar Ibn Said, NLS Bard

Black Crescent: The Experience and Legacy of African Muslims in the
Americas,
By Michael A. Gomez,  NLS Bard

Islam and the Black American: Looking Toward the Third Resurrection
By Sherman A. Jackson

Muslims in American History,
By Jerald F. Dirks, Book Share.

Prince Among Slaves: The True Story of an African Prince Sold into Slavery
in the American South,
By Terry Alford

Servants of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved in the Americas,
By Sylviane A. Diouf, Book Share.

Sincerely,

Kristopher I. Crawley

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