Born to a wealthy family in West Africa around 1770, Omar Ibn Said was abducted and sold into slavery in the United States, where he came to the attention of a prominent North Carolina family after filling “the walls of his room with piteous petitions to be released, all written in the Arabic language,” as one local newspaper reported. Ibn Said soon became a local celebrity, and in 1831 he was asked to write his life story, producing the only known surviving American slave narrative written in Arabic.
In A Muslim American Slave, scholar and translator Ala Alryyes offers both a definitive translation and an authoritative edition of this singularly important work, lending new insights into the early history of Islam in America and exploring the multiple, shifting interpretations of Ibn Said’s narrative by the nineteenth-century missionaries, ethnographers, and intellectuals who championed it.
This edition presents the English translation on pages facing facsimile pages of Ibn Said’s Arabic narrative, augmented by Alryyes’s comprehensive introduction, contextual essays and historical commentary by leading literary critics and scholars of Islam and the African diaspora, photographs, maps, and other writings by Omar Ibn Said. The result is an invaluable addition to our understanding of writings by enslaved Americans and a timely reminder that “Islam” and “America” are not mutually exclusive terms.
This edition presents the English translation on pages facing facsimile pages of Ibn Said’s Arabic narrative, augmented by Alryyes’s comprehensive introduction and by photographs, maps, and other writings by Omar Ibn Said. The volume also includes contextual essays and historical commentary by literary critics and scholars of Islam and the African diaspora: Michael A. Gomez, Allan D. Austin, Robert J. Allison, Sylviane A. Diouf, Ghada Osman, and Camille F. Forbes. The result is an invaluable addition to our understanding of writings by enslaved Americans and a timely reminder that “Islam” and “America” are not mutually exclusive terms.
Best Books for General Audiences, selected by the American Association of School Librarians
Reviews (19)
Amazing! Like he is speaking to us now. 💫
“Then there came to our country a big army. It killed many people. It took me, and walked me to the big Sea, and sold me into hands of a Christian man.”—Omar Ibn Said Highly educated, wealthy, Omar Ibn Said’s original manuscript is written in his native language of Arabic. I was fortunate to find out about Omar Ibn Said and purchased this book in February initially in recognition of Black History Month here in America. As for this years theme we’re paying tribute to the many Muslims brought in bondage from Africa. Students are learning how Portuguese, British, Spanish, Dutch & Danish Europeans stole African Scientists, Doctors, Architects, Teachers, Entrepreneurs, Astronomers, Mothers, Fathers, Sons, Daughters and made them into slaves. Omar Ibn Said’s autobiography is of how he; an educated Muslim scholar, was stolen and put into bondage in America and used as free labor to build these United States of America. This book is amazing in that it provides the actual transcript written by Omar Ibn Said in his language of Arabic. Omars transcript has also been both preserved & digitized and can be seen and accessed at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC..This is historic! I’m grateful that Ala AlRyyes put together this book “A Muslim American Slave” along with Omar Ibn Said’s actual written transcript. It’s important to have it translated by a native Arabic speaker like Ala. I’ve noticed there are quite a few news clips that state how fascinating a find this is, yet end with “...Omar converted to Christianity.” Like Omar Ibn Said, I also say “La”/No 7 times. Don’t you think it was the logical survival thing for Omar to do to stay in the protection of these Colonizationist’s (you’ll discover who they are in the book who still enslaved Omar) to “say” he was a Christian? Yet when you read the translation of Omar Ibn Said’s Autobiography, Omar reverently opens it with Surat al-Malk from the Quran. A fragment that is very significant. I won’t spoil it. You’ll need to get the book. And please read and share/gift the book with others. P.S. As Omar Ibn Said escaped from South Carolina to Fayetteville, North Carolina, there’s now a Masjid there dedicated to him: Masjid Omar Ibn Sayyid. If this was helpful to you, plz like to help others discover. Thanks. 👍
A very interesting read !
This book is very important as it chronicles the life in America of an educated african who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. This person was able to read and write Arabic, and knew much the the Qur'an from memory. It is a strange story because it is uncommon finding actual evidence from the person himself, telling his own story. If you read between the lines you can almost imagine the fear and terror he faced and how ultimately had to grapple with a very hard reality. An interesting read.
A Historical Read Supported by a Lived Experience
A historical document with a multitude of gems connecting the Islamic faith, African heritsge and African born persons in America. This is a must read for all interested in the design and the construction of the American society. Well included is the supportive research to valid the legacy of Omar ibn Sayyid.
Disappointing
This book was very disappointing. From the press hype, I thought that I would be getting a book with a personal narrative of a slave’s life in Charleston. In his story in the book, there is literally only one sentence about his time in Charleston. The portion of the book dealing with his actual story is very short. There is almost nothing in the book describing his day to day life as a slave.
Great read
Great read
Allahu
Very informative
Good read
Very interesting prospective and dynamic not spoken of during the black holocaust! Must read to add perspective on a controversial subject.
Book vs Psychobabble
I don't understand what the writer is trying to convey. This is just an opinionated piece of writing with no factual basis. Was the writer in conversation with Omar Ibn Said? How does he know what was going on in his head? This cannot be an objective piece of writing when a large percent of the writing is speculation. In addition, it is badly written and boring.
Five Stars
it is an intense story about a slave , a man and a muslim.
Knowledge is empowering.
Great read!
Amazing! Like he is speaking to us now. 💫
“Then there came to our country a big army. It killed many people. It took me, and walked me to the big Sea, and sold me into hands of a Christian man.”—Omar Ibn Said Highly educated, wealthy, Omar Ibn Said’s original manuscript is written in his native language of Arabic. I was fortunate to find out about Omar Ibn Said and purchased this book in February initially in recognition of Black History Month here in America. As for this years theme we’re paying tribute to the many Muslims brought in bondage from Africa. Students are learning how Portuguese, British, Spanish, Dutch & Danish Europeans stole African Scientists, Doctors, Architects, Teachers, Entrepreneurs, Astronomers, Mothers, Fathers, Sons, Daughters and made them into slaves. Omar Ibn Said’s autobiography is of how he; an educated Muslim scholar, was stolen and put into bondage in America and used as free labor to build these United States of America. This book is amazing in that it provides the actual transcript written by Omar Ibn Said in his language of Arabic. Omars transcript has also been both preserved & digitized and can be seen and accessed at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC..This is historic! I’m grateful that Ala AlRyyes put together this book “A Muslim American Slave” along with Omar Ibn Said’s actual written transcript. It’s important to have it translated by a native Arabic speaker like Ala. I’ve noticed there are quite a few news clips that state how fascinating a find this is, yet end with “...Omar converted to Christianity.” Like Omar Ibn Said, I also say “La”/No 7 times. Don’t you think it was the logical survival thing for Omar to do to stay in the protection of these Colonizationist’s (you’ll discover who they are in the book who still enslaved Omar) to “say” he was a Christian? Yet when you read the translation of Omar Ibn Said’s Autobiography, Omar reverently opens it with Surat al-Malk from the Quran. A fragment that is very significant. I won’t spoil it. You’ll need to get the book. And please read and share/gift the book with others. P.S. As Omar Ibn Said escaped from South Carolina to Fayetteville, North Carolina, there’s now a Masjid there dedicated to him: Masjid Omar Ibn Sayyid. If this was helpful to you, plz like to help others discover. Thanks. 👍
A very interesting read !
This book is very important as it chronicles the life in America of an educated african who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. This person was able to read and write Arabic, and knew much the the Qur'an from memory. It is a strange story because it is uncommon finding actual evidence from the person himself, telling his own story. If you read between the lines you can almost imagine the fear and terror he faced and how ultimately had to grapple with a very hard reality. An interesting read.
A Historical Read Supported by a Lived Experience
A historical document with a multitude of gems connecting the Islamic faith, African heritsge and African born persons in America. This is a must read for all interested in the design and the construction of the American society. Well included is the supportive research to valid the legacy of Omar ibn Sayyid.
Disappointing
This book was very disappointing. From the press hype, I thought that I would be getting a book with a personal narrative of a slave’s life in Charleston. In his story in the book, there is literally only one sentence about his time in Charleston. The portion of the book dealing with his actual story is very short. There is almost nothing in the book describing his day to day life as a slave.
Great read
Great read
Allahu
Very informative
Good read
Very interesting prospective and dynamic not spoken of during the black holocaust! Must read to add perspective on a controversial subject.
Book vs Psychobabble
I don't understand what the writer is trying to convey. This is just an opinionated piece of writing with no factual basis. Was the writer in conversation with Omar Ibn Said? How does he know what was going on in his head? This cannot be an objective piece of writing when a large percent of the writing is speculation. In addition, it is badly written and boring.
Five Stars
it is an intense story about a slave , a man and a muslim.
