This is a first-prize winning article (Crystal Muslim Organization 12th Annual Essay Competition 2018)
Introduction
Africans are unique from the rest of the world in terms of values of family, hospitality, parenting and communal lives. This trait is not unconnected with the influence of Islam on African cultures. However, the remarkable impacts of the foremost Muslim settlers in the continent were often reported with defects of bias or outright falsehood. Till date, the emerging generations in the world, especially the Muslim youths are still covered in the smokes of this obscurantism. They were enveloped under the spell of confusion of: Islam is an Arabic culture! Allah is an Arabic god!! Islam was spread in Africa by swords dripping with blood!!! These are the popular rhetoric of many centuries. Consequently, a great deal of literary efforts would be required for the needed operation of reawakening their consciousness.
The Muslim world may be crying for the moon while beckoning on the western historians to undertake this task. Where on earth do sworn attackers help their targets build their fortress? It is on that note that interventions from the Muslim community such as the theme and topics of the 12th Annual Essay Competition organized by the Crystal Muslim organization are laudable as the right efforts in the right direction. It is a great privilege having the opportunity to submit entries on this subject of high significance.
Islam-Africa Cross Culture: A Brief Historical Background
The emergency of humans in African soil was dated back to over two million years ago. In a rapid evolution, the first civilization in Africa started in Egypt in 3000BC where herding, pottery, hunting, painting and weaving were the popular occupations. Humans were dressed in woven materials or skins of hunted animals. According to the historians, Africa was the first region on earth that the Muslims first carried Islam to.
Their first migration was to Abyssinia (today Ethiopia) in 612AD during the life time of the messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). There were relics of a tiny wooden and bigger stone mosques that showed that Islam entered east Africa between 8-11th centuries. The Muslims were said to be about four centuries earlier than the Europeans (Christians) in Africa.
The Impacts of Islam
Cairo was named in 920 CE (341AD) and Islamic conquest of Egypt occurred three centuries after, precisely dated to 642AD. This conquest was due to the impeccable influence of the merchants than the bravery of the soldiers. Muslim merchants were exceptionally reliable and flexible in business. Their belief in the transiency of this world [sic] life and accountability in the heaven engendered their simple life styles as well as respects for trusts and agreement. The virtues of the Muslims seen by the Egyptians as touch of Islam in them greatly impact and bear on their willing declaration for Islam. Till today, typical Africans have high regard for trust and agreement in business transactions as inherited from the Muslim merchants. A typical of such principles is contained in the prophetic statement: ‘May Allah have mercy on a person who is lenient when he sells, lenient when he buys and lenient when he asks for payment (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No:2203).
The situation of war only became inevitable for the Muslims to survive as conflict for dominance arose between cultures. Meanwhile, the bravery of the Muslim soldiers even appeared less influential than their hospitality towards the slaves. There existed writings in the prophetic traditions on the treatments of the war captives. Islam encourages freeing slaves. In fact, it is included as one of the conditions for expiation for various sins and offences such as manslaughter (Q4:92), zihar (Q58:3) etc. For instance, a provision of one of such Islamic texts is ‘He who slaps a slave or beat him, the expiation for it is that he should set him free’ (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No: 1657). As opposed to the practice in the slave trade, the slaves under the Muslims were not treated like animals with mouth padlocks. This humanitarian approach of Islam contributed to the image of the Africans today as brave but very loving and hospitable people.
More so, Africa was originally known with lack of exposure and backwardness. Historically, this ugly face of Africa was lifted when literacy and education came into Timbuktu, a city in West Africa as Islamic scholars gathered in its two big popular mosques to discuss theology and teach the religion. Islamic theology was a very vast body of knowledge existing in various reports and narrations. The need to compile these reports, validate their authenticity and establish rulings from them had made the early Muslims become experts in various fields of history, science, geography, medicine, law etc. Al-Azhar University in Cairo today is part of that Islamic legacy. It was originally started between 970-972CE as a madrasah, center of Islamic learning and now with a record of being the first university in the world.
Besides, Islam encourages decency in dressing with a recommendation of wide flowing attires for men and women. Today, one of the most unique features that distinguish Africans from other races is this dressing style. The Arabic language was also assimilated into African diction as they attended learning classes with the Muslim scholars. In fact, education is the greatest tool employed by Islam to propel African cultures along religious sentiments. Polygamy, chastity before marriage, respect for elders, love for the poor as well as sense of brotherhood and communality were existing cultures in Africa but were not written. They were only passed down by conventions and oral traditions. The Muslims presented the literary basis for these practices and thus, remain parts of the socio-cultural features of the Africans till today.
Similarly, Africans were traditionally pagans. The Islamic ideals of equality before God where the kings and chiefs are equally accountable to God as their subjects appealed to them. As Islamic evangelism grew, the practice of paganism was gradually overridden by the interest to serve only one God. For example, the central mosques of the major cities were built very close to the palaces of traditional Yoruba kings in the south western Nigeria. Is there a better indicator of the impact of Islam on African culture when the royal fathers who were the custodians of the pagan cultures and traditions recognized the place of Islam?
Conclusion
The view that projects Islamic cultures as Arabic cultures is either a yolk from the hatchery of sentiments or ignorance. It is grossly misleading. The Muslims who migrated to Africa to impact on their lives were not Arabs in their entirety. Their composition even from the time of the messenger of Allah included people like Bilal from Abyssinia, Salman Alfarsi from Persia and host of others non-Arab natives. A wide distinction existed between Arab and Islamic cultures. That distinction occasioned the conflicts between the Muslims and indigenous Arabs in the earlier stage of Islam.
Arabs regarded female children as signs of weakness and disgrace to their masculinity. They made fun with women’s beauty and dancing concert. They consumed alcohol, oppressed the weak and maltreated the slaves. They were also pagans. These were similar to what obtained in Africa before the advent of Islam. The Islamic cultures that revolutionized the Arabs themselves and also impacted on the virtuous outlook and lifestyles of the Africans could not have been less virtuous and admirable.
Bibliography
The history of Islam in Africa, accessed at https://www.whyislam.org on March 16, 2018
Impacts of Islam in Africa: 1000-1750AD, accessed at https//:www.hubpages.com on March 16, 2018
History of Africa, accessed at https://www.historyworld.net on March 16, 2018
Islamic Egypt, accessed at https:www.egyptgiftshop.com on March 16, 2018
Introduction
Africans are unique from the rest of the world in terms of values of family, hospitality, parenting and communal lives. This trait is not unconnected with the influence of Islam on African cultures. However, the remarkable impacts of the foremost Muslim settlers in the continent were often reported with defects of bias or outright falsehood. Till date, the emerging generations in the world, especially the Muslim youths are still covered in the smokes of this obscurantism. They were enveloped under the spell of confusion of: Islam is an Arabic culture! Allah is an Arabic god!! Islam was spread in Africa by swords dripping with blood!!! These are the popular rhetoric of many centuries. Consequently, a great deal of literary efforts would be required for the needed operation of reawakening their consciousness.
The Muslim world may be crying for the moon while beckoning on the western historians to undertake this task. Where on earth do sworn attackers help their targets build their fortress? It is on that note that interventions from the Muslim community such as the theme and topics of the 12th Annual Essay Competition organized by the Crystal Muslim organization are laudable as the right efforts in the right direction. It is a great privilege having the opportunity to submit entries on this subject of high significance.
Islam-Africa Cross Culture: A Brief Historical Background
The emergency of humans in African soil was dated back to over two million years ago. In a rapid evolution, the first civilization in Africa started in Egypt in 3000BC where herding, pottery, hunting, painting and weaving were the popular occupations. Humans were dressed in woven materials or skins of hunted animals. According to the historians, Africa was the first region on earth that the Muslims first carried Islam to.
Their first migration was to Abyssinia (today Ethiopia) in 612AD during the life time of the messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). There were relics of a tiny wooden and bigger stone mosques that showed that Islam entered east Africa between 8-11th centuries. The Muslims were said to be about four centuries earlier than the Europeans (Christians) in Africa.
The Impacts of Islam
Cairo was named in 920 CE (341AD) and Islamic conquest of Egypt occurred three centuries after, precisely dated to 642AD. This conquest was due to the impeccable influence of the merchants than the bravery of the soldiers. Muslim merchants were exceptionally reliable and flexible in business. Their belief in the transiency of this world [sic] life and accountability in the heaven engendered their simple life styles as well as respects for trusts and agreement. The virtues of the Muslims seen by the Egyptians as touch of Islam in them greatly impact and bear on their willing declaration for Islam. Till today, typical Africans have high regard for trust and agreement in business transactions as inherited from the Muslim merchants. A typical of such principles is contained in the prophetic statement: ‘May Allah have mercy on a person who is lenient when he sells, lenient when he buys and lenient when he asks for payment (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No:2203).
The situation of war only became inevitable for the Muslims to survive as conflict for dominance arose between cultures. Meanwhile, the bravery of the Muslim soldiers even appeared less influential than their hospitality towards the slaves. There existed writings in the prophetic traditions on the treatments of the war captives. Islam encourages freeing slaves. In fact, it is included as one of the conditions for expiation for various sins and offences such as manslaughter (Q4:92), zihar (Q58:3) etc. For instance, a provision of one of such Islamic texts is ‘He who slaps a slave or beat him, the expiation for it is that he should set him free’ (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No: 1657). As opposed to the practice in the slave trade, the slaves under the Muslims were not treated like animals with mouth padlocks. This humanitarian approach of Islam contributed to the image of the Africans today as brave but very loving and hospitable people.
More so, Africa was originally known with lack of exposure and backwardness. Historically, this ugly face of Africa was lifted when literacy and education came into Timbuktu, a city in West Africa as Islamic scholars gathered in its two big popular mosques to discuss theology and teach the religion. Islamic theology was a very vast body of knowledge existing in various reports and narrations. The need to compile these reports, validate their authenticity and establish rulings from them had made the early Muslims become experts in various fields of history, science, geography, medicine, law etc. Al-Azhar University in Cairo today is part of that Islamic legacy. It was originally started between 970-972CE as a madrasah, center of Islamic learning and now with a record of being the first university in the world.
Besides, Islam encourages decency in dressing with a recommendation of wide flowing attires for men and women. Today, one of the most unique features that distinguish Africans from other races is this dressing style. The Arabic language was also assimilated into African diction as they attended learning classes with the Muslim scholars. In fact, education is the greatest tool employed by Islam to propel African cultures along religious sentiments. Polygamy, chastity before marriage, respect for elders, love for the poor as well as sense of brotherhood and communality were existing cultures in Africa but were not written. They were only passed down by conventions and oral traditions. The Muslims presented the literary basis for these practices and thus, remain parts of the socio-cultural features of the Africans till today.
Similarly, Africans were traditionally pagans. The Islamic ideals of equality before God where the kings and chiefs are equally accountable to God as their subjects appealed to them. As Islamic evangelism grew, the practice of paganism was gradually overridden by the interest to serve only one God. For example, the central mosques of the major cities were built very close to the palaces of traditional Yoruba kings in the south western Nigeria. Is there a better indicator of the impact of Islam on African culture when the royal fathers who were the custodians of the pagan cultures and traditions recognized the place of Islam?
Conclusion
The view that projects Islamic cultures as Arabic cultures is either a yolk from the hatchery of sentiments or ignorance. It is grossly misleading. The Muslims who migrated to Africa to impact on their lives were not Arabs in their entirety. Their composition even from the time of the messenger of Allah included people like Bilal from Abyssinia, Salman Alfarsi from Persia and host of others non-Arab natives. A wide distinction existed between Arab and Islamic cultures. That distinction occasioned the conflicts between the Muslims and indigenous Arabs in the earlier stage of Islam.
Arabs regarded female children as signs of weakness and disgrace to their masculinity. They made fun with women’s beauty and dancing concert. They consumed alcohol, oppressed the weak and maltreated the slaves. They were also pagans. These were similar to what obtained in Africa before the advent of Islam. The Islamic cultures that revolutionized the Arabs themselves and also impacted on the virtuous outlook and lifestyles of the Africans could not have been less virtuous and admirable.
Bibliography
The history of Islam in Africa, accessed at https://www.whyislam.org on March 16, 2018
Impacts of Islam in Africa: 1000-1750AD, accessed at https//:www.hubpages.com on March 16, 2018
History of Africa, accessed at https://www.historyworld.net on March 16, 2018
Islamic Egypt, accessed at https:www.egyptgiftshop.com on March 16, 2018
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