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African-American Muslims
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African-American Muslims
African-American Muslims, also known as Black Muslims, are an African-American religious minority. African-American Muslims account for over 20% of American Muslims. They represent one of the larger Muslim populations of the United States as there is no ethnic group that makes up the majority of American Muslims. They mostly belong to the Sunni sect, but smaller Shia and Nation of Islam minorities also exist. The history of African-American Muslims is related to African-American history in general, and goes back to the Revolutionary and Antebellum eras.
Historically, an estimated 30% of slaves brought to the Americas from West/Central Africa were Muslims. They were overwhelmingly literate in contrast to other slaves, and thus were given supervisory roles. Most of these captives were forced into Christianity during the era of American slavery; however, there are records of individuals such as Omar ibn Said practicing Islam for the rest of their lives in the United States. During the twentieth century, some African Americans converted to Islam, mainly through the influence of black nationalist groups that preached with distinctive Islamic practices including the Moorish Science Temple of America, founded in 1913, and the Nation of Islam, founded in the 1930s, which attracted at least 20,000 people by 1963. Prominent members included activist Malcolm X and boxer Muhammad Ali. Ahmadiyya Muslim groups also sought and won converts among African Americans in the 1920s and 1930s.
Malcolm X is considered the first person to start the movement among African Americans towards mainstream Islam, after he left the Nation and made the pilgrimage to Mecca. In 1975, Warith Deen Mohammed, the son of Elijah Muhammad took control of the Nation after his father's death and guided the majority of its members towards mainstream Sunni Islam. However, a few members rejected these changes, leading Louis Farrakhan to revive the Nation of Islam in 1978 based largely on the ideals of its founder, Wallace Fard Muhammad.
Bilali Mohammed was an enslaved West African on a plantation on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Born in Timbo, Guinea between 1760 and 1779 to a well-educated African Muslim family. Renowned for his literacy, knowledge of Islam, and higher education than his slaveowners, Bilali was the leader and imam of a community of enslaved people, where he lived with his multiple wives and many children. He is best known for his handwritten, Arabic manuscript on West African fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). The 19th century manuscript detailed Islamic beliefs and the rules for ablution, morning prayer, and the calls to prayer. In the 1940s it was taken to Nigeria to be translated by Hausa scholars. Today the manuscript has become one of the most sacred Islamic documents to African American Muslims. Bilali has many living descendants.
Omar Ibn Said was a Muslim scholar from Futa Toro (present-day Senegal), who was enslaved and transported to the United States in 1807. Born to a wealthy family in what would in a few years become the Imamate of Futa Toro, an Islamic theocratic state located along the Middle Senegal River in West Africa. Literate in Arabic, he is most known for his 14 Arabic manuscripts about his life and his theology. "Omar ibn Said was described as a 'staunch Mohammedan, and the first year at least kept the fast of Rhamadan with all great strictness.'”
Omar Ibn Said is one of the most celebrated figures in African American history and his works have become world famous. His autobiography is housed at The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.
Masjid Omar ibn Sayyid was opened in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1991 to honor his legacy.
Yarrow Mamout was a formerly enslaved entrepreneur and property owner in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Born in West Africa, he was kidnapped, enslaved, and taken to Annapolis, Maryland. He was educated and literate in Arabic because of his Islamic background. After being freed at the age of 60, he became a property owner and prominent investor. Mamout was known for praying and praising Allah in public, and wearing traditional African Muslim clothing.
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African-American Muslims
African-American Muslims, also known as Black Muslims, are an African-American religious minority. African-American Muslims account for over 20% of American Muslims. They represent one of the larger Muslim populations of the United States as there is no ethnic group that makes up the majority of American Muslims. They mostly belong to the Sunni sect, but smaller Shia and Nation of Islam minorities also exist. The history of African-American Muslims is related to African-American history in general, and goes back to the Revolutionary and Antebellum eras.
Historically, an estimated 30% of slaves brought to the Americas from West/Central Africa were Muslims. They were overwhelmingly literate in contrast to other slaves, and thus were given supervisory roles. Most of these captives were forced into Christianity during the era of American slavery; however, there are records of individuals such as Omar ibn Said practicing Islam for the rest of their lives in the United States. During the twentieth century, some African Americans converted to Islam, mainly through the influence of black nationalist groups that preached with distinctive Islamic practices including the Moorish Science Temple of America, founded in 1913, and the Nation of Islam, founded in the 1930s, which attracted at least 20,000 people by 1963. Prominent members included activist Malcolm X and boxer Muhammad Ali. Ahmadiyya Muslim groups also sought and won converts among African Americans in the 1920s and 1930s.
Malcolm X is considered the first person to start the movement among African Americans towards mainstream Islam, after he left the Nation and made the pilgrimage to Mecca. In 1975, Warith Deen Mohammed, the son of Elijah Muhammad took control of the Nation after his father's death and guided the majority of its members towards mainstream Sunni Islam. However, a few members rejected these changes, leading Louis Farrakhan to revive the Nation of Islam in 1978 based largely on the ideals of its founder, Wallace Fard Muhammad.
Bilali Mohammed was an enslaved West African on a plantation on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Born in Timbo, Guinea between 1760 and 1779 to a well-educated African Muslim family. Renowned for his literacy, knowledge of Islam, and higher education than his slaveowners, Bilali was the leader and imam of a community of enslaved people, where he lived with his multiple wives and many children. He is best known for his handwritten, Arabic manuscript on West African fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). The 19th century manuscript detailed Islamic beliefs and the rules for ablution, morning prayer, and the calls to prayer. In the 1940s it was taken to Nigeria to be translated by Hausa scholars. Today the manuscript has become one of the most sacred Islamic documents to African American Muslims. Bilali has many living descendants.
Omar Ibn Said was a Muslim scholar from Futa Toro (present-day Senegal), who was enslaved and transported to the United States in 1807. Born to a wealthy family in what would in a few years become the Imamate of Futa Toro, an Islamic theocratic state located along the Middle Senegal River in West Africa. Literate in Arabic, he is most known for his 14 Arabic manuscripts about his life and his theology. "Omar ibn Said was described as a 'staunch Mohammedan, and the first year at least kept the fast of Rhamadan with all great strictness.'”
Omar Ibn Said is one of the most celebrated figures in African American history and his works have become world famous. His autobiography is housed at The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.
Masjid Omar ibn Sayyid was opened in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1991 to honor his legacy.
Yarrow Mamout was a formerly enslaved entrepreneur and property owner in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Born in West Africa, he was kidnapped, enslaved, and taken to Annapolis, Maryland. He was educated and literate in Arabic because of his Islamic background. After being freed at the age of 60, he became a property owner and prominent investor. Mamout was known for praying and praising Allah in public, and wearing traditional African Muslim clothing.