Enslaved African Muslims Helped Build America

 

In the year 1807, a wealthy scholar was captured¹ in West Africa, brought to the United States and sold into slavery. His name was Omar Ibn Said. He was 37 years old at the time, and he spent the rest of his life enslaved.

Said was one of many enslaved Muslims in early U.S. history. Up to 40 percent of Africans captured and brought to the U.S. were from mostly Muslim countries in West Africa.

Said’s story might have been forgotten, but he wrote about it in a book called The Life of Omar Ibn Said. The U.S. Library of Congress² recently received the book, which was written in Arabic.

The book is one of only a few personal stories written by a slave in America. It is also one of the first intimate³ reports of the early history of Muslims in the United States.

The book challenges the idea that the U.S. is a Christian⁴ nation, says Zaheer Ali. He is a historian⁵ at the Brooklyn Historical Society in New York. Ali adds: the book “opens us up to the understanding” that people who were not Christian helped build the United States.

What records did enslaved Muslims leave?

Most enslaved African Muslims did not leave written records. But we can learn about their lives from public evidence and the memories of their families.

How long Muslim slaves practiced their faith is unknown. Some became Christians⁶. Others acted as if they did to better deal with their captors.

But there is evidence that some remained Muslim.

Zaheer Ali points to burial places off the U.S. state of Georgia. Some markers of enslaved people have Islamic signs. Also there, are some churches -- Christian religious buildings -- that face east, the direction Muslims face when they pray. In addition, some family members say they remember their ancestors using Islamic rugs⁸ and prayer beads⁹.

Leaving their mark

Sylviane Diouf is a writer and historian of the African diaspora, or movement from homeland. She says enslaved Muslims also influenced American culture. Diouf says slave work songs use beats like those used in Koran recitation and the Islamic call to prayer. She points to the song “Levee Camp Holler.” It helped give birth to the musical style called the blues¹⁰.

And, Zaheer Ali says the banjo and guitar could have come from a traditional West African musical instrument.

But the most lasting¹¹ evidence of Muslims in the United States may be a movement among modern African-Americans to join the Islamic faith. Black Muslims continue to make up the biggest part of the Muslim community in the U.S.

Ali concludes: “Islam is not new to the United States; it was here before the country was founded; it was present among the people who helped build this country; and it has very much been a part of the thread of America’s story.”

I’m Caty Weaver¹².

Words in This Story

scholar - n. a person who has studied a subject for a long time and knows a lot about it

intimate - adj. having a very close relationship : very warm and friendly

challenge - v. to say or show that (something) may not be true, correct, or legal

practice - v. to live according to the customs and teachings¹³ of (a religion)

rug⁷ - n. a piece of thick, heavy material that is used to cover usually a section of a floor

beads - n. a small, usually round piece of glass, wood, stone, etc., that has a hole through its center and that is put on a string with other similar pieces and worn as jewelry¹⁴ or that is sewn onto clothing

thread - n. an idea, feeling, etc., that connects the different parts of something (such as a story)

1 captured   

俘获( capture的过去式和过去分词 )； 夺取； 夺得； 引起（注意、想像、兴趣）

参考例句：

• Allied troops captured over 300 enemy soldiers. 盟军俘虏了300多名敌方士兵。
• Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。

2 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。

3 intimate   

adj.亲密的，密切的；个人的，私人的；v.暗示、提示、宣布、通知

参考例句：

• The two of them were as intimate as sisters.她们俩处得好像亲姐妹一样。
• I can't tell them my intimate thoughts.我不能告诉他们我内心深处的想法。

4 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

5 historian   

n.历史学家，编史家

参考例句：

• As a historian,he was most typical of the times in which he lived.作为历史学家，他是他所处时代最有代表性的人物。
• He calls himself a historian,but his books are a mere journalism.他自称为历史学家，但是他的书都是些肤浅的通俗作品。

6 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

7 rug   

n.毯子，地毯，旅行毯

参考例句：

• The rug can double up.这条地毯能卷起来。
• It will be more beautiful if you work some blue into the rug.如果你再织些蓝色的图案，这毯子会更好看。

8 rugs   

n.小块地毯( rug的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• rugs handmade by local craftsmen 由当地工艺师手工制作的小地毯
• Try to avoid colours that jar when choosing curtains and rugs. 选择窗帘和地毯时，尽量避免颜色不调和。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 beads   

n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链

参考例句：

• a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
• Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

10 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

11 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

12 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

13 teachings   

n.教学( teaching的名词复数 )；教学工作；教诲；学说

参考例句：

• We must never be unworthy of our teachers' untiring and sincere teachings. 我们决不要辜负老师的谆谆教导。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The Party's teachings were ringing in her ears. 党的教导在她耳边回响。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。