The Islam Spread in Colonial America

Introduction

The study of how a particular religion gained strength and spread among people is of particular value. This helps to better understand the processes that contributed to this aspect and understand what is behind the creed. Thus, this research aims to study how Islam spread and took root in the territories of colonial America with the help of transatlantic trade by representatives of African peoples. Moreover, as part of the topic of the scientific paper, the main empires that affected the formation of Islam, the influence of trade on culture and the church, and West and North Africa will be considered.

The Origin of Islam and the Split between Christianity and Judaism

Judaism and Christianity separated in the first century after Christ, and by the fourth century after Christ, Christianity had become the Roman Empire’s official religion. As a result, it rapidly spread throughout the entire world. The religion has its sacred text called Quran that all followers must follow and live by¹. Muhammad is credited with founding Islam in the seventh century CE, and early Muslim victories were crucial to the religion’s rapid spread². After the year 380 CE, Judaism became the dominant religion in the Himyarite Kingdom in Yemen. Simultaneously, Christianity entered the Persian Gulf region and established a foothold there. In addition, there was a desire for a more spiritual religion, and the choice of one’s religious affiliation became increasingly an individual rather than a social one. As a result, Jewish and Christian loanwords from Aramaic throughout the peninsula began to replace the previous pagan Arabic vocabulary. These Abrahamic religions were the most influential intellectual and spiritual touchstones. Although some Arabs were unwilling to adopt a religion from another culture, these Abrahamic religions provided the main intellectual and spiritual reference points for the Arab people.

Islam in West and North Africa and the Culture and Religion of the Tribes

In the seventh century, after Muslim Arabs conquered North Africa, Islam expanded throughout West Africa. The people who lived south of the Sahara did not become aware of the religion until the seventh century, when merchants from the north contacted those people and informed them about them³. Frequently, African rulers accepted or converted to the religion. Therefore, a sizeable population was already practicing Islam in West Africa by the 14th century. Using this method, Islam eventually penetrated the Sahara Desert. Islam was introduced to East Africa by Arab traders who crossed the Red Sea and settled along the Swahili Coast. Thus, Islam spread throughout the area. In the fourteenth century, the Muslim Fulani began a holy war in the vicinity of Lake Chad. The Common Era witnessed both occurrences.

Traditional African culture, which practiced animism, fetishism, and the veneration of spirits and ancestors, occasionally engaged in violent resistance. Active trade harmed the culture of the African people because more people went to other lands, and their traditions, customs, and beliefs were ignored and overlooked. Despite this, Islam grew quietly and peacefully for at least six centuries, wherever there were trade connections with the more prominent Muslim civilizations of the southern Mediterranean, Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea. It occurred everywhere; there was a coastline. It was not consistently observed and did not maintain its purity; rather, it coexisted with other traditions and rituals. Religion gave rise to administration, law, architecture, and other aspects of daily life.

The Songhay, Mali, and Ghanaian Empires

Islam in its orthodox Sunni form began to spread after the conversion of two rulers: War Diaby, from Takrur in northern Senegal, which became the first West African Muslim state by applying the sharia, or Islamic law; and Kosoy, from Gao in what is now Mali. War Diaby and Kosoy were both from Takrur, which is located in what is now Mali. Both of these kings were devout followers of the Sunni school of thought. At the beginning of the eleventh century, these individuals embarked on the path that would eventually lead them to become Christians. Within half a century, Islam had made its way across Africa, reaching from the banks of the Senegal River in the west to the shores of Lake Chad in the east⁴. It was making its way toward the Songhai Empire, which at the time was expanding its territory. The Songhai Empire was in the general vicinity when this took place.

Ghana was among the three great empires that arose during the medieval period and eventually came to dominate the history of West African countries. Songhay’s empire later followed in Ghana’s footsteps after Mali. This Islamic religious movement was associated with the Sanhaja people and was known as the Almoravids. Although the Mande people and the Soninke of Ghana come from the same cultural background, they had never been unified under the reign of a single monarch prior to this moment in time⁵. The Songhay empire was founded in Gao, situated on the eastern side of the Niger Bend, and is known for its trading. Songhay was the third of the West African empires to flourish throughout the middle ages.

In the first half of the 13th century, the nation of Mali was founded and known as the “Cradle of African Civilization.” The empire’s agricultural, grazing, and fishing resources received a significant boost as a direct result of Mali’s expansion. The conquest of new territories resulted in the acquisition of new sources of slave labor, which was then put to use in the production of goods for trade and military purposes, as well as in agricultural endeavors. Despite the success of empires and their influence on the spread of the Islamic faith, they all failed. Thus, Ghana lost its greatness due to the transfer of a monopoly on profitable trade routes. Mali, in turn, has failed when trying to lead and rule over too large a territory. Hence, it could not cope with all the military conflicts. The same thing happened with the third Songhai Empire, which fell under the weight of its own strength and greatness.

Spread of Islam in Colonial America

The great majority of Muslims who lived in the United States at the time were held as slaves and did not have citizenship. This was the circumstance throughout the early years of the nation’s founding. Richard Brent Turner, an academic, asserts that estimates of the total number of Muslim slaves sent to the Americas range from 40,000 (in the United States alone) to three million⁶. According to the findings of Turner’s research, a significant proportion of Muslim slaves were literate and Arabic-educated, and they commonly occupied positions of responsibility in the activities that slaves were responsible for doing on southern United States plantations⁷. In addition, their names, the dress they wore, the rituals they observed, and the dietary restrictions they adhered to were viewed as significant manifestations of their Islamic identities inside the slave society.

Despite the enormous obstacles, African Muslims brought to colonial America and sold into slavery were able to maintain their religious and cultural traditions and, as a result, their identities. They were able to continue their religious and cultural rituals despite the significant obstacles that they faced. African Muslims continued to view themselves not as slaves of Christian masters but as servants of Allah even after they were taken into slavery. On the Georgia Sea Islands, alms are distributed as a delectable dessert called saraka⁸. It is an intriguing cultural practice to take note of since it is still done today.

Trans-Atlantic Trade Routes

Throughout the 17th century, enslaved Africans were used extensively to develop plantations in the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands. These plantations were constructed after the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands successfully created colonies abroad. This newly formed system was eventually known as the “triangular trade” because it was divided into three stages. It involved purchasing and selling plantation-produced goods and the services of African slave labor. This system would eventually become known as the “Trans-Atlantic trade.”⁹ The primary activity of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, which was the second phase of the triangle slave trade and involved the transportation of enslaved individuals across the Atlantic Ocean, was the transportation of enslaved individuals. Trading people for servitude has had a disastrous impact on the African continent.

In general, those who participated in the transatlantic slave trade followed a path shaped like a triangle. The ports of Europe functioned as points of departure for commercial vessels sailing in the direction of the west coast of Africa. After purchasing the slaves in exchange for various items, they were loaded onto the ships before being transported to the loading area. The voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the Middle Passage, often lasted anywhere from six to eight weeks to complete¹⁰. Those people from Africa who had made it through the journey alive were put up for auction once they arrived in the Americas, and those who were successful in winning the auction were forced to work as enslaved people. After this, the ships began their journey back to Europe, bringing goods that had been manufactured utilizing the labor of enslaved people. The triangle, which included three distinct continents, was concluded successfully. Money from Europe, labor from Africa, and land and resources from the United States were all brought together to satisfy European market demand.

In addition to traveling to Africa via the Triangle Route, colonists from the Americas also participated in directly transferring enslaved people to Africa through slaving expeditions. This practice coincided with transporting enslaved people to Africa via the Triangle Route. It was carried out both before and after they arrived in Africa after traveling the Triangle Route. The continent of Africa served as the setting for these various missions at various times. After the year 1800, there was a noticeable increase in the amount of economic activity, most of which originated in Brazil¹¹. This growth in economic activity was driven by an increase in the number of exports. This expansion can be attributed mainly to a rise in the total quantity of exports and imports. The history of the transatlantic slave trade includes the treacherous journey known as the “Middle Passage,” as well as the lives of individuals on all three continents. This is because the history of the transatlantic slave trade covers the treacherous voyage and the lives of those who survived. This is because the history of the transatlantic slave trade includes the perilous voyage and the lives of those who survived it.

Slave Laborers and the Early Church in America

Even as late as 1800, most slaves in America had not yet converted to Christianity. It was the case, although Christianity was the official religion of the United States. Although Christianity was recognized as the state religion of the United States, this was the situation that prevailed, although Christianity was officially recognized as the country’s state religion. In the years that followed, the Protestant Evangelical movement was the one that was responsible for the first instance of widespread religious conversion among people who enslavers had enslaved. This event occurred during the period of the American Civil War.

The United States of America was the scene of this incident. During that historical period, the ministers of the Methodist Church and the Baptist Church specifically targeted members of the black population. It included both those whom the slave traders enslaved and those who were free at the time. This viewpoint made evangelical Christianity more palatable to many slaveholders¹². It provided a compelling argument for converting enslaved people and establishing churches that welcomed people of both black and white backgrounds.

In addition, adopting this worldview increased the likelihood that Christians would convert enslaved people to the evangelical form of Christianity. During this period, Christians who supported slavery and used their faith to justify slave rebellion were condemned by other Christians. Between 1820 and 1830, the United States of America was the scene of two of the most significant slave uprisings in American history. These uprisings occurred in the United States of America. It is widely believed that the masterminds behind these uprisings were men by the names of Denmark Vesey and Nat Turner. Both of these men were driven to extremes by their religious zeal.

The black church movement was successful in the North despite widespread restrictions on its activities in the South due to the fear that enslaved people might rise up and revolt. Although in the South, this was the case all the same. In 1794, in response to this kind of discrimination, black people in Philadelphia established St. Thomas Episcopal Church, which is considered the culmination of their response to this kind of discrimination. Even as late as the nineteenth century, there was a consistent upward tendency in the number of black churches in the northern regions. Freedmen and women banded together to pool their resources in order to construct a more significant number of independent black churches. These churches would later become symbols of the demands made by African-Americans for the right to determine their destinies.

Early Education in America during Slave Trade

The education system in America influenced the emergence of a widespread belief that enslaved Africans were uncultured savages. As a result, many people came to believe that Africans who were held in slavery should be kept in degrading conditions. Enslavers thought literacy posed a threat to the institution of slavery and the financial investment that enslavers had made¹³. It was against the law in North Carolina to teach enslaved people how to read and write because, according to the statute, doing so was likely to cause dissatisfaction in the minds of the enslaved people and result in insurrection and rebellion against them. It was why teaching enslaved people how to read and write was illegal.

Enslavers considered literacy a threat, not just to the institution of slavery but also to their monetary investment in it. It was because literacy was spreading. Literacy was seen as a threat by enslavers, not just to the institution of slavery but also to their financial investment in the system. Enslaved people could read and write, which the owners of enslaved people viewed as a threat. It was because of the increasing number of people who could read and write. Enslavers believed literacy would turn enslaved people into ungrateful, disobedient, and pessimistic individuals at the worst. Despite the absence of evidence that they might use to back up this view, it persisted. In the decades leading up to and immediately following the War of Independence in the United States of America, the Quakers played an important role in developing various educational programs and initiatives.

African Americans of free and enslaved status continued to learn how to read due to covert efforts made by free African Americans. Moreover, whites who were sympathetic to the plight of enslaved African Americans and informal schools that operated discreetly during this period took part in this process. After the institution of slavery was outlawed in the United States, there was no corresponding increase in access to education for formerly enslaved people and the descendants of those people. On both the American and European sides of the Atlantic, a religious education served as the cornerstone of what was regarded to be a sufficient education¹⁴. Because the ability to write was seen as a status symbol, many members of society, including enslaved people, were exempt from the requirement to be able to do so. It is because the vast majority of people first need the acquisition of literacy to progress in their writing abilities.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Islam had a significant contribution to the history of colonial America. Moreover, the transatlantic trade in the west and northern areas played a great role in the distribution of the faith. The Prophet Muhammad became a significant figure in the process of establishing the religion of Islam, which was becoming increasingly widespread in colonial America. The Songhay, Male, and Ghanaian empires contributed to the trade, which, with an increase in followers of the faith, reflected in the early church, culture, and educational system of America. Hence, despite the fact that the slaveholders considered literature as a threat, the slaves brought gradually began to learn to read writing. Regarding religion, representatives of the black community were subjected to repression, and they had to create their own churches in which they preached their own creeds. In addition, the enslaved Muslims brought to America were a significant factor in the expansion of Islam across the American continent. They were from the West and Northern Africa and maintained their religious practices and cultural customs throughout their time in the new world.

Bibliography

Conrad, David C. Empires of Medieval West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. New York: Facts on File, 2005.

Gomez, Michael A., and Michael Gomez. Black crescent: the experience and legacy of African Muslims in the Americas. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.

Gregg, Robert C. Shared Stories, Rival Tellings: Early Encounters of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.

Itani, Talal. Quran: Arabic and English in Parallel. Dallas: ClearQuran, 2015.

Lapidus, Ira M. A History of Islamic Societies. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1988.

Messenger of God, Muhammad. Book of Allah (Al Quran Al Karim or The Holy Quran). Seattle: Amazon Publishing, 2020.

Reynolds, Gabriel Said. The Emergence of Islam: Classical Traditions in Contemporary Perspective. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2012.

Turner, Richard Brent. “Conclusion: Last Days and Times: Islam and Jazz in the Post-Coltrane Era.” Soundtrack to a Movement: 199-204. Web.

Footnotes

1. Messenger of God, Muhammad. Book of Allah (Al Quran Al Karim or The Holy Quran). Seattle: Amazon Publishing, 2020.
2. Itani, Talal. Quran: Arabic and English in Parallel. Dallas: ClearQuran, 2015.
3. Reynolds, Gabriel Said. The Emergence of Islam: Classical Traditions in Contemporary Perspective. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2012.
4. Conrad, David C. Empires of Medieval West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. New York: Facts on File, 2005.
5. Conrad, David C. Empires of Medieval West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. New York: Facts on File, 2005.
6. Turner, Richard Brent. “Conclusion: Last Days and Times: Islam and Jazz in the Post-Coltrane Era.” Soundtrack to a Movement.
7. Gomez, Michael A., and Michael Gomez. Black crescent: the experience and legacy of African Muslims in the Americas. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
8. Conrad, David C. Empires of Medieval West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. New York: Facts on File, 2005.
9. Gomez, Michael A., and Michael Gomez. Black crescent: the experience and legacy of African Muslims in the Americas. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
10. Gregg, Robert C. Shared Stories, Rival Tellings: Early Encounters of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
11. Gregg, Robert C. Shared Stories, Rival Tellings: Early Encounters of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
12. Gregg, Robert C. Shared Stories, Rival Tellings: Early Encounters of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
13. Reynolds, Gabriel Said. The Emergence of Islam: Classical Traditions in Contemporary Perspective. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2012.
14. Turner, Richard Brent. “Conclusion: Last Days and Times: Islam and Jazz in the Post-Coltrane Era.” Soundtrack to a Movement.