Islam Race and Rebellion in the Americas: Transatlantic Echoes of the West African Jihads

Slavery in the Americas represented one of the most horrific phenomena in human history, as millions of Africans were uprooted from their homelands and forcibly transported to the New World to labour under inhumane conditions. At the heart of this darkness emerged stories of resistance and resilience, most notably the role of West African Muslims, who brought with them not only their shackled bodies but also a rich religious and cultural heritage. Despite the oppression and indignities that they were subjected to, these Muslims contributed to igniting the spirit of rebellion and led resistance movements against the plantation slave system. They drew upon their Islamic values and jihadist traditions that served both as a source of inspiration and as an organising tool in the face of injustice. This introduction lays the groundwork for a deeper understanding of the relationship between religion, identity, and liberation, as explored in depth by Daud Abdullah in his study.

In his latest book, Islam, Race and Rebellion in the Americas: Trans-Atlantic Echoes of the West African Jihads, Daud Abdullah offers an eye-opening and in-depth reading of the history of enslaved Muslims in the Americas. He opens a window into a long-marginalised historical dimension of the African diaspora in the Americas — that is the role of Islam and West African jihads in inspiring revolts and uprisings against the brutal regime of plantation slavery.

The book highlights the horrors of chattel slavery in the Americas and the Caribbean, a system in which Africans were reduced to the lowest forms of dehumanisation, labelled with degrading names such as “sugar mules” and “cotton slaves.” It underscores how the cultural and intellectual legacy of jihad movements in West Africa profoundly influenced Muslim slaves transported to the New World, affirming that the ideas and conflicts that were prevalent in West African societies had crossed the Atlantic with them.

The author argues that Islam in the Americas was not merely a residue of culture or a collection of passing rituals, but rather a sustained intellectual and political force — a central driver of resistance and rebellion that preserved Black identity in the face of slavery and persecution, and contributed to reshaping history in the direction of freedom.

The book explores a core debate in slavery studies—between scholars like Eric Williams, who argued that slavery was primarily an economic construct, and those like American journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Nikole Hannah-Jones, who viewed slavery as purely a racial phenomenon. Abdullah shows that Islam was more than a religion; it was a cultural and political force that strengthened the resistance of the enslaved and challenged the oppressive slave system.

The book also traces the historical background of Transatlantic slavery, beginning with Portugal’s early use of West African slaves in Europe, justified through religious and authoritarian grounds enshrined in papal decrees. It examines how Medieval Christian-Muslim antagonisms were extended into the New World slave colonies, with deep-rooted Portuguese hostility toward Muslims being transferred to Brazil and other regions.

The author explores the roots of the jihad tradition in West Africa, examining how movements like that led by Sheikh Usman dan Fodio in present day Nigeria influenced revolts in the Americas. The book delves into the nuanced differences in slavery practices between Spanish and English colonies, particularly in how enslaved people interacted with European languages and cultures. Muslim slaves notably preserved Arabic literacy as a secret means of communication.

Subsequently, in chapter four Abdullah highlights the role of Muslim slaves in specific uprisings such as the 1835 revolt in Bahia, Brazil, where they led an armed rebellion inspired by Islamic teachings, utilizing the Arabic language and mosques as tools of mobilisation—a clear sign of cultural and spiritual cohesion despite harsh oppression.

Islam Race and Rebellion in the Americas explains that the relationship between slaves and their masters in the Americas was marked by constant tension, fuelled by historical roots tracing back to the Crusades and Medieval Christian-Muslim conflicts. Enslaved Muslims never surrendered; they maintained their religious and cultural identity and were prepared to die for freedom, inspired by the Islamic concept of martyrdom.

This book further asserts that the impact of these revolts extended beyond resistance to slavery—they laid the foundation for the Back-to-Africa movements, helped spark Pan-Africanist and roots-based movements, and gave rise to new Islamic currents within the African diaspora in the 20th century, such as the Moorish Science Temple, the Nation of Islam, and civil rights movements.

The author concludes that Islam in the Americas was not merely a cultural residue or passing set of rituals. It was a continuous intellectual and political movement—a central force behind resistance and rebellion that preserved Black identity in the face of slavery and oppression and contributed to steering the course of history toward liberation.

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