(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Islam in the African American Experience

After the West Africans converted, they attempted to mix Islam with traditional African religions. This resulted in West African Islam being markedly unique from other forms of Islam found in the world. Additionally, racist feelings inherent among some Arabs perpetuated the rise of separatist feelings among West African Muslims. These separatist feelings would only be fueled later when Arabs began enslaving their fellow Muslims. Turner goes through this thorough description of the founding of West African Islam to communicate to the reader that the Islam of African People was different from the Islam of the Middle East and Indian subcontinent. He brings this up so that the reader may eventually link how the early differences between West African Islam and orthodox Islam would carry over to the twentieth century during the initiation of new American Islam in the black Community. The last part of the chapter is spent discussing the stories of some of the first known African Muslims in America such as Yarrow Mahmout and Bilali. The author describes the customs and clothing of these trailblazers, and also emphasizes that they all were well educated. Many of them were fluent in Arabic or had significant portions of the Quran devoted to memory. Turner mentions this to highlight how these slaves still had traditional "old Islamic" beliefs. .
             The next chapter in the book is titled "Pan-Africanism and the New American Islam: Edward Wilmot Blyden and Mohammed Alexander Russell Webb". The purpose of this chapter is to familiarize the reader with how Pan-Africanism infused itself with the ideologies that formed the basis of twentieth century American Islam. The author makes it known that he believes that Pan-Africanism bridged the gap between "old Islam" and "new Islam" in America. Turner begins his discussion by detailing the life and beliefs of Edward Blyden, the so-called "father of Pan-Africanism.


Essays Related to Islam in the African American Experience

1. The Spread And Expansion Of Islam

It was only within Arabia, where a crude form of idolatry was rampant, that Islam was propagated by warring against those tribes, which did not accept the message of God, whereas Christians and Jews were not forced to convert Within half a century of the Prophet's death, Islam had spread to three continents, Asia, Africa and Europe. ... The Berbers of North Africa, for example, who resisted Arab rule but willingly embraced Islam, later joined them when they crossed the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain. The Berbers later also launched reform movements in North Africa, which greatly influe...

  • Word Count: 512
  • Approx Pages: 2

2. Book Review

In his incisive book, Islam in the African American Experience, Richard Brent Turner takes the reader through the evolution of Islam in black America. ... In it, Turner comprehensively demonstrates how he believes that, "The new American Islam was deeply influenced by racism in America, by the Pan-African political movement of African Americans in the early twentieth century, and by the historic patterns of racial separation in Islam."... The author makes it known that he believes that Pan-Africanism bridged the gap between "old Islam" and "new Islam" in America. ... Turner goes on to say ...

  • Word Count: 3389
  • Approx Pages: 14

3. The Status and Role of Women in Islam

When Islam entered Africa, newly converted women, wanting to continue and spread the practice, linked it to the Islamic religion causing it to spread to and be popular in other Islamic countries (Peters, 1995). ... The role and status of Islamic women in North America greatly differs from those of eastern countries. With over 3,950,000 Muslims in America today, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the United States (Islam in America). Due to the democratic-style government and authoritative laws we have in North America, the degradation and oppression of Islamic women is very rare and un-...

  • Word Count: 1808
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. The Status and Role of Women in Islam

When Islam entered Africa, newly converted women, wanting to continue and spread the practice, linked it to the Islamic religion causing it to spread to and be popular in other Islamic countries (Peters, 1995). ... The role and status of Islamic women in North America greatly differs from those of eastern countries. With over 3,950,000 Muslims in America today, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the United States (Islam in America). Due to the democratic-style government and authoritative laws we have in North America, the degradation and oppression of Islamic women is very rare and un-...

  • Word Count: 1808
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Muslims In American

Muslims are about 40 percent African- American, 25 percent South Asian, 12 percent Arab, and the remainder from a mix of backgrounds (Newsweek, 1998). ... The appeal of Islam to African- Americans is the message of black pride, self-improvement, and black power. ... American Muslims have been known to experience discrimination in housing and employment; mosques and Islamic centers across the country frequently report being vandalized. Should Muslims feel betrayed, disrespected, like the African-Americans once felt? ... Americans fail to see the difference between American Muslims and extremist...

  • Word Count: 662
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Religion and Three Key African-American Leaders

King and Malcolm were both African American civil rights activists. ... While he left the Nation of Islam (NOI), Malcolm X was still a Muslim and did abandon his commitment to free his fellow African Americans from such crippling bonds. ... While he accepted the support of the whites for his new organization, membership was limited to African Americans. ... Through his conversion to Traditional Arab Islam, Malcolm X again found a way to understand the world, one that coincided with what he was experiencing. ... Later his experiences during his hajj were in part responsible for his second conve...

  • Word Count: 2128
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

7. The Islamic Faith in Florida

Islam means submission or to surrender. ... Islam expanded from the Arabian Peninsula to influence in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. ... Muslim from regions in Asia, Africa, the Americans and other places. ... Visiting a mosque was a very nice experience. ... It was a great experience to see something from a different point of view. ...

  • Word Count: 1290
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

8. The Situation of African-Americans in America

The Situation of African-Americans in America In their motherland Africa, black people lived together in tribes with the families staying together in the village and leading a live according to strong morals and rites. ... When America was discovered in 1492, Europeans soon realised that Africans were more able to work in the hot sun than native Americans and were also easier to identify as slaves than white prisoners because of their skin-colour. ... In the South, mostly African-Americans of the middle-class took an active part in the struggle for integration in the American society. ... Hi...

  • Word Count: 3965
  • Approx Pages: 16
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Malcolm X - Great American Orator

Malcolm, who was born in Nebraska, was an influential African-American nationalist leader. ... In addition, the quote reflects on the lost opportunities by the African-American masses. ... In response, the African-Americans are encouraged to participate in unskilled labor. ... In his career as an influential activist, the author attempts to employ the Islamic religion in changing the divine, political, economic and social wellbeing amongst the African-Americans. Malcolm efforts of ensuring Africans experience freedom is underpinned by the author's believe of the role of Islamic religion i...

  • Word Count: 3645
  • Approx Pages: 15
  • Has Bibliography

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question