Native American Muslims!

Society Religion & Philosophy
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Thought some of you might find this interesting. I’ve heard of early aboriginal religious ceremonies including the name of Allah, goes to show that the message of Islam penetrated the entire world, long before the ‘new world’ was ‘discovered’ by the white man - unless of course, the Muslims who helped navigate the ships to the America’s were attributed with reverting these groups to Islam.

This article appeared in The Message, July 1996 Issue.

Digging for the Red Roots
by Mahir Abdal-Razzaaq El

My name is Mahir Abdal-Razzaaq El and I am a Cherokee Blackfoot American Indian who is Muslim. I am known as Eagle Sun Walker. I serve as a Pipe Carrier Warrior for the Northeastern Band of Cherokee Indians in New York City.

There are other Muslims in our group. For the most part, not many people are aware of the Native American contact with Islam that began over one thousand years ago by some of the early Muslim travelers who visited us. Some of these Muslim travelers ended up living among our people.

For most Muslims and non-Muslims of today, this type of information is unknown and has never been mentioned in any of the history books. There are many documents, treaties,legislation and resolutions that were passed between 1600s and 1800s that show that Muslims were in fact here and were very active in the comunities in which they lived. Treaties such as Peace and Friendship that was signed on the Delaware River in the year 1787 bear the signatures of Abdel-Khak and Muhammad Ibn Abdullah. This treaty details our continued right to exist as a community in the areas of commerce, maritime shipping, current form of government at that time which was in accordance with Islam. According to a federal court case from the Continental Congress, we help put the breath of life in to the newly framed constitution. All of the documents are presently in the National Archives as well as the Library of Congress.

If you have access to records in the state of South Carolina, read the Moors Sundry Act of 1790. In a future article, Inshallah, I will go in to more details about the various tribes, their languages; in which some are influenced by Arabic, Persian, Hebrew words. Almost all of the tribes vocabulary include the word Allah. The traditional dress code for Indian women includes the kimah and long dresses. For men, standard fare is turbans and long tops that come down to the knees. If you were to look at any of the old books on Cherokee clothing up until the time of 1832, you will see the men wearing turbans and the women wearing long head coverings. The last Cherokee chief who had a Muslim name was Ramadhan Ibn Wati of the Cherokees in 1866.

Cities across the United States and Canada bear names that are of Indian and Islamic derivation. Have you ever wondered what the name Tallahassee means? It means that He Allah will deliver you sometime in the future.

Article Taken from: MESSAGE, July 1996 (Copyrights Message Magazine as long as proper acknowledgement has been stated, it can be reproduced)

Achtung :wink:

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amazing

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Here is a response I got from a listserv I'm on, includes a reference to a book on the subject:

I am glad that you brought this topic to our attention. Indeed, researchs were and are taking place about it. You might consult a book (about 80 pages) that includes pictures of such documents in Arabic, maps, Native names and words derived from Arabic language (such as nabee or prophet)... This book argues how Muslims, long before Columbus and the Vikings, knew about the earth-shape as round instead of flat. Among their arguments is the following. When they used to ride ships, they noticed that the more they went farther from their ports, the more mountains disappeared below the horizon. They deduced then that the earth must be round. That's how
they used to call the Atlantic Ocean as or the surrounding sea. Also, at the moon eclipse (this happens when the earth comes between the sun and the moon), they noticed the reflection/shadow of the earth on the moon as round. The easiest way they used to cross the Atlantic Ocean is by following the natural currents there that lead them directly to the Caribbean. It is not a coincidence that Columbus landed first in the Caribbean first :) instead of West America which is closer to Europe :) It is not a coincidence either that Muslim
sailors were among his people :) He was astonished to find well setteled African Muslims there :).

** The book is called, "Deeper Roots, Muslim in the Americas and the Caribbean from Before Columbus To the Present" by Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick. It is published at "Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd. 1 Wynne Road, London SW9
0BB, United Kindom, Price about 3.00 pounds" ** I think someone has to order from them. The author himself is a Muslim whose parents are from Africans and Natives descent.

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“……Native American contact with Islam that began over one thousand years ago by some of the early Muslim travelers who visited us. Some of these Muslim travelers ended up living among our people…….”

This more appropriately belongs in Jokes section. My Islamic History is not as good as my Ancient History, but even a high school history book can tell us that this is not so. The earliest “westward” conquer by the Muslims was in 711 by Tarik bin Ziyad (Berber). It wasn’t until later in the 11th and 12th centuries that Moors had a stronghold in Spain, which they ruled from Marrakesh. Moors defeated Alfonso IV in 1086, and Islamic rule continued until 1492, when Kurtaba was conquered by Ferdinand and Isabella. (This happens to be the same year when Columbus was sanctioned to go and discover India.) Over 1000 years ago (as the Native American Author is contending) Muslims were still in Europe. No question about the majestic past of the Islamic Empires, but reaching to the Americas over 1000 years ago is not true.

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This more appropriately belongs in Jokes section.

So do you my friend...

My Islamic History is not as good as my Ancient History, but even a high school history book can tell us that this is not so.

God forbid anyone question our "history books". Whose the author of these great history books. Books which I may add do not teach North Americans, the history of the native peoples. At least not in any sense which is worthwhile. These books were written by non-Natives. So one has to question how a non-Native can relate Native history. He can, but only through his own percieved biases, on both a concious and unconcious level. An African American author writing the history of America, will have a different picture than a white anglo saxon American. The same goes for the history of Natives. And if the Native Americans want to re-write their history and add whatever theory they feel may be plausible, I give them credit. Its important that they deconstruct the historical constructs which helped legitimize years of colonial oppression, which have debilitated their communities. The oppressed unfortunately are often deprived of the opportunity to 'tell their story'. Steve Biko (South African anti-apartheid activist and educator), once said the 'greatest weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed'. Let the Natives re-write their history, let them tell their stories, and de-myth the history in our text books.

The earliest “westward” conquer by the Muslims was in 711 by Tarik bin Ziyad (Berber).

The earliest 'westward' conquer according to ** one ** historical account. But history is not conclusive, its in flux, constantly changing. The fact that Christopher Columbus (the tyrant!) was believed to be the first western person to cross the atlantic, is now a full fledged debate. Was it the Vikings? They aren't sure of this either. A book just published by Farley Mowet, questions this hypothesis.

Moors defeated Alfonso IV in 1086, and Islamic rule continued until 1492, when Kurtaba was conquered by Ferdinand and Isabella.

And they slaughtered Muslims indiscriminately...can you say "genocide"...

(This happens to be the same year when Columbus was sanctioned to go and discover India.)

Columbus was ** not ** the first person from the west to reach or discover the Americas. This is an almost conclusively accepted fact by most historians.

[Muslims] reaching to the Americas over 1000 years ago is not true.

Maybe it isn't, maybe it is. We don't know. This is one theory. If its a theory being theorized by Native American's themselves, and by people from the Caribeen, I support them. If someone wishes to question their arguments, they should do so by analyzing their arguments and questioning their evidence. Simply stating, my text books say this is not true, is not good enough. After all Napoleon said:

** "History is a lie agreed upon" **

Achtung ;)

"Some people got everything, some people got nothing, some people have hope and dreams, some people have ways and means..." Bob Marley

[This message has been edited by Achtung (edited November 17, 1999).]

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Dear Achtung,

even the books written by Islamic Historians don’t mention such a thing. It would at least have a little mention in Ibn Jarir al Tabari, or more importantly in Abu Hanifa Dinawar, whose book (General History, or Akhbar al Tiwal) is a required reading in Islamic History in any undergrad course in Islamic History at any US or UK institution.

I don’t know what you are arguing about here. You seem to be quite biased against whites no matter what the issue at hand is. Every one knows that history is subjective, but that’s all we have to go by. If you have some “valid” sources (any Islamic Historians that mention such a phenomenon – reaching to Americas over a 1000 years), quote them. Otherwise take your anti-white propaganda to Afghanistan or Iran where it might be appreciated.

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NY Ahmadi: “Otherwise take your anti-white propaganda to Afghanistan or Iran where it might be appreciated.”

I really resent this remark!! For two reasons: 1) I never said anything racist (if your going to accuse me of racism, don’t just call me a racist, demonstrate what I said that was biased against white people), its a serious accusation. I am anti-colonialist and I don’t hide this fact, alot of my arguments are based on my resentment towards colonialists (non Muslim and Muslim colonialists), but not based on color of skin. 2) The statement you just made ** is a racist one **. You assume that people of Afghanistan and Iran would appreciate someone who has hatred towards a certain skin color - which is not true.

Here are your history books:
*

  1. A Muslim historian and geographer ** Abul-Hassan Ali Ibn Al-Hussain Al-Masudi ** (871 - 957 CE) wrote in his book ** ‘Muruj Adh-dhahab wa Maadin al-Jawhar’ (The Meadows of Gold and Quarries of Jewels) ** that during the rule of the Muslim Caliph of Spain Abdullah Ibn Muhammad (888 - 912 CE), a Muslim navigator Khashkhash Ibn Saeed Ibn Aswad of Cordoba, Spain sailed from Delba (Palos) in 889 CE, crossed the Atlantic, reached an unknown territory (Ard Majhoola) and returned with fabulous treasures. In Al-Masudi’s map of the world there is a large area in the ocean of darkness and fog (the Atlantic ocean) which he referred to as the unknown territory (the Americas).

  2. A Muslim historian ** Abu Bakr Ibn Umar Al-Gutiyya ** narrated that during the reign of the Muslim Caliph of Spain, Hisham II (976 -1009 CE), another Muslim navigator Ibn Farrukh of Granada sailed from Kadesh (February 999 CE) into the Atlantic, landed in Gando (Great Canary Islands) visiting King Guanariga, and continued westward where he saw and named two islands, Capraria and Pluitana. He arrived back in Spain in May 999 CE.

  3. ** Ferdinand Columbus ** , the son of Christopher, wrote about the blacks seen by his father in Honduras: “The people who live farther east of Pointe Cavinas, as far as Cape Gracios a Dios, are almost black in color.” At the same time in this very same region, lived a tribe of Muslim natives known as Almamy. In Mandinka and Arabic languages Almamy was the designation of “Al-Imam” or “Al-Imamu,” the person who leads the Prayer, or in some cases, the chief of the community, and/or a member of the Imami Muslim community.

  4. A renowned American historian and linguist ** Leo Weiner of Harvard University ** , in his book ** Africa and The Discovery of America (1920) ** wrote that Columbus was well aware of the Mandinka presence in the New World and that the West African Muslims had spread throughout the Caribbean, Central, South and North American territories, including Canada, where they were trading and intermarrying with the Iroquois and Algonquin Indians.

  5. The famous Muslim geographer and cartographer ** Al-Sharif Al-Idrisi (1099 - 1166 CE) ** wrote in his famous book ** ‘Nuzhat al-Mushtaq fi-Ikhtiraq al-Afaq ** (Excursion of the longing in crossing horizons) that a group of seafarers (from North Africa) sailed into the sea of darkness and fog (the Atlantic ocean) from Lisbon (Portugal), in order to discover what was in it and what extent were its limits. They finally reached an island that had people and cultivation…on the fourth day, a translator spoke to them in the Arabic language.

  6. The Muslim reference books mentioned a well-documented description of a journey across the sea of fog and darkness by ** Shaikh Zayn-eddine Ali ben Fadhel Al-Mazandarani ** . His journey started from Tarfay (south Morocco) during the reign of the King Abu-Yacoub Sidi Youssef (1286 - 1307 CE) sixth of the Marinid dynasty, to Green Island in the Caribbean sea in 1291 CE (690 AH). The details of his ocean journey are mentioned in Islamic references, and many Muslim scholars are aware of this recorded historical event.

  7. The Muslim historian ** Chihab Addine Abul-Abbas Ahmad ben Fadhl Al-Umari (1300 - 1384 CE, 700 - 786 AH) ** described in detail the geographical explorations beyond the sea of fog and darkness of Male’s sultans in his famous book ** ‘Masaalik al-absaar fi Mamaalik al-amsaar (The Pathways of Sights in The Provinces of Kingdoms) ** .

  8. ** Sultan Mansa Kankan Musa (1312 - 1337 CE) ** was the world renowned Mandinka monarch of the West African Islamic empire of Mali. While traveling to Makkah on his famous Hajj in 1324 CE, he informed the scholars of the Mamluk
    Bahri Sultan court (an-Nasir-eddin Muhammad III, 1309 - 1340 CE) in Cairo that his brother, Sultan Abu Bakari I (1285 - 1312 CE) had undertaken two expeditions into the Atlantic ocean. When the sultan did not return to Timbuktu from the
    second voyage of 1311 CE, Mansa Musa became sultan of the empire.

  9. Columbus and early Spanish and Portuguese explorers were able to voyage across the Atlantic (a distance of 24,000 Kilometers) thanks to Muslim geographical and navigational information, in particular maps made by Muslim traders, including
    ** Al-Masudi (871 - 957 CE) ** in his book ‘Akhbar Az-Zaman’ (History of The World) which is based on material gathered in Africa and Asia. As a matter of fact, Columbus had two captains of Muslim origin during his first transatlantic voyage: Martin Alonso Pinzon was the captain of the Pinta, and his brother Vicente Yanex Pinzon was the captain of the Nina. They were wealthy, expert ship outfitters who helped organize the Columbus expedition and repaired the flagship Santa Maria. They did this at their own expense for both commercial and political reasons. The Pinzon family was related to Abuzayan Muhammad III (1362 - 66 CE), the Moroccan sultan of the Marinid dynasty (1196 - 1465 CE).

  10. ** Dr. Barry Fell (Harvard University) ** introduced in his book Saga America - 1980 solid scientific evidence supporting the arrival, centuries before Columbus, of Muslims from North and West Africa. ** Dr. Fell discovered the existence of Muslim schools at Valley of Fire, Allan Springs, Logomarsino, Keyhole Canyon, Washoe and Hickison Summit Pass (Nevada), Mesa Verde (Colorado), Mimbres Valley (New Mexico) and Tipper Canoe (Indiana) dating back to 700-800 CE ** . Engraved on rocks in the old western US, he found texts, diagrams and charts representing the last surviving fragments of what was once a system of schools - at both an elementary and higher levels. The language of instruction was North African Arabic written with old Kufic Arabic script. The subjects of instruction included writing, reading, arithmetic, religion, history, geography, mathematics, astronomy and sea navigation.

  11. ** This is not a source, but interesting nevertheless ** . There are 565 names of places (villages, towns, cities, mountains, lakes, rivers, etc.) in USA (484) and Canada (81) which are derived from Islamic and Arabic roots. These places were originally named by the natives in pre-Columbian period. Some of these names carried holy meanings such as: Mecca (Indiana) - 720 inhabitants, Makkah Indian tribe (Washington), Medina (Idaho) - 2100, Medina (NY) - 8500, Medina and Hazen (North Dakota) - 1100 and 5000, respectively, Medina (Ohio) - 12,000, Medina (Tennessee) - 1100, Medina (Texas) - 26,000, Medina (Ontario) -1200, Mahomet (Illinois) - 3200, Mona (Utah) - 1100, Arva (Ontario) - 700, and many others. A careful study of the names of the native Indian tribes revealed that many names are derived from Arab and Islamic roots and origins, i.e. Anasazi, Apache, Arawak, Arikana, Chavin Cherokee, Cree, Hohokam, Hupa, Hopi, Makkah, Mahigan, Mohawk, Nazca, Zulu, Zuni, etc.

So there are a few sources…taken from the following web-site:
http://users.erols.com/gmqm/mamerica.html#historic

What I am saying is that you can’t just dismiss anybody’s history - because its not in sync with what you learned in your ‘high school’. History is something more complex than that. Maybe these accounts are true, maybe they are not. We don’t really know. That is why I quoted Napolean - “history is a lie agreed upon”. We don’t know the truth in some circumstances.

The history of America’s which we find in our high schools and in book stores was for the most part written by white Christians, based on the accounts of other white Christians. They ignored the accounts of Native Americans and African Americans, not to mention the works of Muslims. Some argue that Columbus used maps on his journey which were used by Muslims, in trade routes established far before he was commisioned to sale. But why on earth would anyone want to place that piece of history in our high school texts? And why would we want to put anything in our history books relaying the oppressive force which suppressed peaceful and beautiiful Native communities - inserting these events in our history books would just be too embarrassing, so we tend to ignore them. I’m not saying that I believe that Muslims were the first or even ‘first-before’ Europeans, to ‘discover’ or land on the Americas, I’m just saying its possible. The Chinese have the same theory, as do Phoenicians, and other groups…this debate isn’t gonna end, because nobody knows the truth conclusively.

Achtung

[This message has been edited by Achtung (edited November 17, 1999).]

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Dear Achtung,

I don’t believe that I termed you as a “racist’, but your views, in general, do tend to be biased against a certain group of people. Just as Western thought can cover their bias against Islam under "“cultural differences”, covering a bias of race under the umbrella called “anti-colonialist” is no different. You are quick to say that Isabella and Ferdinand butchered Muslims indiscriminately (call it genocide), but neglected to mention what Moors did to Spaniards. That’s what I meant by being “biased” against white, and not that you are a racist.

In terms of what I think of Iran and Afghanistan. Not much. But that is only a political view that I see these two nations with. They are nations of great cultural heritage and magnificent history, being systematically destroyed by religious fanatics. When I said to take such views there, I meant it. In today’s paper, there is a write-up about Montazerri. It is heartbreaking to see how far backward Iranian clergy has taken the entire nation. There is also a mention of the street demonstration in Afghanistan about the USA and the UN against imposed sanctions. They will find anything anti-Western to “explain” their tyrannical rules. Anti-Western stuff sells well there.

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Afghani's have every right to blame the 'west' for their misery. The sanctions are not humane. They will kill innocent people (as if enough haven't been killed already - 2 million dead in the Russia-US proxy war). Afghan's should be permitted to blame the US, USSR, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iran for its misery. Now you can add the UN to that list. Will the sanctions help de-stabilize the Taliban regime or persuade them to extradite Usama Bin Laden - probably not. Will they kill innocent babies (ie like Iraq), yes!! I don't support killing babies...I'm strange that way (sarcasm).

Isabella and Ferdinand didn't only butcher Moors, they also butchered Jews. A number of non-Muslim artists, writers and thinkers joined forces with the Moorish resistance. They too were persecuted. That period of Spanish history isn't really discussed in our text books either...

Anyways...you should take what I say with a grain of salt. I live and was born in the west, I'm as much part of this culture as I am not. I identify with my Canadian identity as much as I do with my Pakistani. I am embarassed to read about the treatment of Natives in my country. And it is not a treatment of oppression which is embedded in the past, it is continuing to this day. I think groups like these should be encouraged to re-write history - and help weaken the ** dis-information ** which exists regarding their societies and uncover the injustices they've suffered. I'm sure you agree with me. I'm sure you would take any historical analysis of the Qadiani movement written by someone from the Sunni ulama with a grain of salt. And you would much rather read (or at least respect the right) of a Qadiani to re-write that history.

So, yes I was offended when you called the post 'a joke', because I was quite impressed by this search for the truth being conducted by members of the groups most affected themselves. And hope to see more in the future.

Achtung ;)

"They live a life of false pretense everyday. These are the big fish, who always try to eat the small fish. They will do anything, guiltiness rests on their concious!" Bob Marley <--- I've been listening to alot of him today :)

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Dear Achtung,

I agree with you for the most part. I think that history (your example of Ahmadis) should be written by a ‘third party’ who is completely ‘objective’. I wouldn’t trust A Muslim source written on Ahmadiyat more than I would trust an Ahmadi source. I totally agree that most history books are written in subjective manners. My only problem is that we can’t throw (or discard) work of the people that devote their lives documenting events for generations to come. However subjective the accounts may be, at least there is something to read and learn from. I myself have trouble making sense of many sources, but it doesn’t mean that I will start throwing my collection out the window. In terms of Afghans, I don’t know where the situation is heading towards. I don’t believe that protesting against the West is the answer to the problems these poor people are facing. I can only hope that things will get better.

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Arabs coming to the New World before Columbus is a theory.
People built pyramids with giant steps on each side.The styles of clothing, footwear, pottery were similar. According to one old manuscript Arabs visited an island called Saale. There they found beardless men whose breath was like the smoke of burning wood. Historians think these were the Natives of the Carribean. They smoked tobacco long before the Europeens did.
Who knows what happened? These are powerful theories. I found some sites of Native American Muslims in light of this discussion:
http://www.aliasoft.com/themes/native0.htm

Latin American Muslims: http://www.latinmuslims.com/history.html