Global Intifada

This book has caused my head to implode.

This is one of the best books on the history of Muslims in America starting with the pre-Columbus ‘Discovery’ up until today.

I’m at a loss of words to discover how profound this book has changed my perception of Muslims in America. I’m going to write up a book review and inshaAllah, it’ll get posted on deenport.

The book is divided into the following chapters:
1. The Pre-Columbian Era
2. The “European Explorers”
3. The Slave Trade
4. Muslims and Native Americans
5. The Melungeons
6. Islamic Residuals in African-American Life
7. The Immigrants
8. The Converts
9. Islam in Modern North America

Those of you who are interested in purchasing the book, it can be found at islamic bookstore for only $16 bucks!

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The author cites the following proof for his claim that it is conceivable for Muslim exploration of the Americas:

I. Andalusia
A. Abul Hasan ‘Ali ibn Al-Hussain ibn ‘Ali Al-Masudi (Andalusian historian, geographer, and scientist) who wrote “Muruj al-Dhahab wa Ma’adin al-Jawhar” (The Meadows of Gold and Quarries of Jewels) [c. 956] where he described a voyage of discovery made during the reign of caliph ‘Abd Allah ibn muhammad (888-912). This voyage was lead by Khashkhas ibn Saeed ibn Aswad in 889 with a Muslim crew from delba (same port as Columbus) which sailed West into the Atlantic Ocean. Khashkash encountered a new area of the map that he entitled “Ard Majhoola” (unknown earth) and returned with a large amount of wealth.

B. Abu Bakr ibn ‘Umar al-Qutiyya narrated a story about Ibn Farrukh, a Muslim from Granada, who sailed west into the Atlantic from Kadesh in 999 during the reign of Caliph Hisham II. Ibn Farrukh reportedly landed in the Canary Islands and continued westwards for three to four months where he came accross two islands which he named Capraria and Pluitana.

C. Al-Sharif Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad Al-Idrisi (geographer, physician, advisor to the court of King Roger II of Sicily) wrote in Nuzhat al-Mushtaq Fi Ikhtiraq al-Afaq (Excursion of the Longing One in Crossing Horizons) about 8 Muslim sailors from North Africa who sailed west into the Atlantic from Lisbon (which was then part of Portugal) where they sailed in excess for 31 days and came accross previously unknown land where they were taken as prisoner. They were questioned by a translator who was fluent in Arabic, freed, placed in a boat, and sent back home which was two months to the east.

II. African Muslims in America
A. Shaykh Zayn Al-Din ‘Ali ibn Fadhel al-Mazandari sailed west into the Atlantic Ocean from Tarfaya in 1291. After a long voyage he landed on a “Green Island” and returned to Morroco.

B. Shihab al-Din Abu Al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Fadhl al-’Umari (1300-1384 CE) wrote in his Masalik al-Abrar Fi Mamalik al-Amsar (The Pathways of Sights in the Provinces of Kingdoms) of a report from Ibn Amir Hajib (the Governor of Cairo) regarding a conversation that he had with Mansa Musa, the Mandinka tribual ruler of the West African Empire of Mali. Sultan Musa reported that Abu Bakari, his brother and predecessor to the throne of Mali had authorized two voyages accross the Atlantic. The first expedition consisted of 400 ships, 200 of which were stocked with enough food, water, gold, and supplies to last the crews for sevral years. This fleet was sent off with instructions to return only when they had reached the furthest extremity of the ocean or when they had exhausted their food and water. After an extended period of time, only one ship returned. The captain of that ship reported that he had been separated from the other ships by an ocean current, quite possibly the North Equitorial or Antilles Current, which would have placed ships sailing from Mali close to America at the time the lone ship returned back to Africa. Sultan Abu Bakari then ordered the construction of a fleet of 2,000 ships, half of which were used primarily for the hauling of supplies. The fleet sailed west accross the Atlantic in either 1307 or 1311 being personally commanded by Sultan Abu Bakari.

III. Othmatic Muslims in America
A. The Piri Rets Map - In 1929 a map was discovered in the Serallo library in Istanbul Turkey that was drawn in 1513 by Piri Muhyi’ Al-Din Re’is, a Turkish navigator and cartographer which portrayed West Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Americas. In its portrayl of the Americas, it revealed geographical features that were not yet known to Christian europe such as the Andes Mountains which were given in their correct geographic location and were not discovered by Europe until Pizarro’s expedition of 1527. It also contained a description of Marajo, an island at the mouth of the Amazon which was not discovered by Christian Europe until 1543. Piri Ret calimed that his map was based on earlier source maps including those of Columbus, although Columbus never actually explored the mainland of America.

The author also incorporated reports that seemed to confirm a Muslim presence from Non-Muslims such as Columbus, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, et al not to mention a linguistic analysis of common Native American words with Turkish, Arabic, and Mankdinka ideagrams.

Subsequent to this discussion, the author then turns on the discussion of Muslims being present along with European explorers and much of the rest of the book contains history which is already being accepted.

The book over all is fascinating and contains one of the best compilations of Muslims in America and is a good supplement to Dr. Umar Abdallah’s biography of Russel Alexender Webb, which the author of this book mentions as well.

I’m very impressed by the overall structure and information of the book, but my curiousity has been greatly whetted with regards to the opening chapter of Muslim explorers.

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