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Historically Speaking
Autobiographical Text Highlights Similarities
of Beliefs Between Muslims and Christians, Circa 1930
El-Hajj
Omar Ibn Said was a Muslim scholar who was captured in his native
Senegal and enslaved. Although he wrote 14 manuscripts, all in Arabic,
he is best known for his 1931 autobiographical essay, the narrative of
which describes events in his life, including his abduction from his
homeland and his acceptance of other “God-fearing people.”
Much of
Ibn Said's life is known from this brief document, which is now property
of the University of North Carolina library. Although just 15 pages,
the short chronicle is profound in many ways. It is one of the few
autobiographies written by African slaves, is entirely penned in the
Arabic language, and is included as one of the earliest Islamic
artifacts in American History.
Although the exact date is unknown,
Omar Ibn Said is believed to have been born 1770, or thereabout, in Futa
Tora, a part of modern day French Senegal. He was son of a wealthy
family known and respected for their observance of the Islamic faith.
Ibn Said was brought up with refinement and educated in science, math,
and reading -with particular emphasis on Holy Quranic Arabic. He spent
25 years abroad to further his education, made Hajj, and in the course
of his travels gained knowledge of Christianity and Judaism, as well.
After
returning home in 1807, the last year of the import of slave into
America, Ibn Said was abducted by slave traders. He writes, “There came
to our place a large army, who killed many men, and took me, and brought
me to the great sea, and sold me into the hands of the Christians.”
Once
in America, Ibn Said was brought to Charleston, South Carolina, where
he was sold to a man named Johnson, but ran away. Ibn Said referred to
Johnson a wicked man, a man who did not read the Gospel. He was a
“complete infidel, who had no fear of God at all.”
After running away
from his first master, Omar was captured and put in jail where he wrote
in Arabic for release on the walls with a piece of coal. When his
jailers saw that he was literate in another language he was soon put up
for auction. A man by the name of General Jim Owen purchased him and
brought him to his family home in Fayetteville, NC where he spent the
rest of his life.
Ibn Said was treated well in the care of the Owens,
his Christian owners. He was not worked as hard as most slaves were,
was well fed and well clothed, allowed to continue reading and writing
and was even presented with an Arabic Bible, procured by the Owens.
Omar
spoke of the Owens as good people and asks “O ye Americans, ye people
of North Carolina--have you, have you, have you, have you, have you
among you a family like this family, having so much love to God as
they?”
It can be seen that though Omar found himself enslaved, he
bore no animosity to his possessors because of their outstanding
kindness and Christian values. Through this he came to deeper
understanding of Christianity: “General Jim Owen and his wife used to
read the Gospel, and they read it to me very much,--the Gospel of God,
our Lord, our Creator, our King, He that orders all our circumstances,
health and wealth, willingly, not constrainedly, according to his
power.--Open thou my heart to the Gospel, to the way of
uprightness.--Thanks to the Lord of all worlds, thanks in abundance. He
is plenteous in mercy and abundant in goodness."
It is believed by
some that Omar Ibn Said made a conversion to Christianity, abandoning
his faith in Islam. However, it simply takes reading his autobiography
to see that he identified with both religions: he opens his manuscript
with praise of the Holy Last Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him),
and quotes the entire Surah Al-Mulk, a chapter from the Holy Quran. He
also spoke of his love for the Gospel, wrote the Lords Prayer and paid
reverence to the Holy Messengers of God, Moses, Jesus son of Mary, and
Muhammad, may peace be on them all.
How can it be that he could have
embraced both faiths? Because Christianity and Islam are two faiths have
the same reality: the oneness of God Almighty and His Sovereignty over
all creation, worship of Him and Him alone, belief in the Messengers
sent by God, and just treatment towards other human beings. The chasm
that is so highlighted today was obviously bridged by truth and love,
and appeared to allow Omar Ibn Said to embrace Christians with
conviction.
This historical account is relevant to the time we live
in now, wherein Muslim and Christian relations are strained. It
highlights the harmony that can exist between the two faiths.
The
United Muslim Christian Forum (UMCF), an interfaith group established by
El Sheikh Syed Mubarik Ali Shah Gilani, Vice Chancellor of the
International Open Quranic University has been established for this
reason: to highlight similarities between Muslims and Christians,
diminish differences and foster mutual respect based on the 10
Commandments of God and love of all the Blessed Messengers (peace be on
them all).
From Omar Ibn Said, an example of forgiveness,
understanding, and tolerance can clearly be seen.
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