Unbreakable Faith: How Enslaved Africans Preserved the Quran Against All Odds!
In the Qu’ran, Allah(swt) says, “And We have certainly made the Quran easy to remember. So is there anyone who will be mindful?”
Amidst the severe mental and psychological trauma of the Middle Passage, a haunting chapter in human history, we find a testament to the unwavering spirit of enslaved Africans. Despite the unimaginable horrors they endured, they accomplished something truly remarkable—they would reproduce entire copies of the Qu’ran from memory.
Despite the severe mental and psychological trauma of the Middle Passage, historical documents record a fascinating phenomenon. In a journal, a white plantation owner in Jamaica wrote that “I had a visit one Sunday Morning very lately, from three Mandingo negroes, natives of Africa. They could all read and write Arabic; and one of them showed me a Koran written from memory by himself…..”
In 1768, a journal article records that, “a negro slave of Capt. David Anderson”, wrote several verses of the Qu’ran from memory. Sadly, the name of this enslaved African Muslim is unknown. He is only referred to as “Anderson’s Negro” consistent with the American status of black people as mere property.
In another incident, Thomas Bluet reported that Ayuba Diallo, an enslaved African Muslim wrote three copies of the Qu’ran from memory:
His Memory was extraordinary: for when he was fifteen Years old he could say the whole Alcoran [Qu’ran] by heart, and while he was here in England he wrote three Copies of it without looking to one of those three when he wrote the others. He would often laugh at me when he heard me say I had forgot anything and told me he hardly ever forgot any Thing in his Life and wondered that any other body should.
These examples of enslaved Africans preserving the Quran against all odds serve as a powerful reminder of the indomitable human spirit and the strength of religious conviction. They faced unimaginable hardships, yet still managed to reproduced the Qu’ran from memory. The mental and psychological trauma inflicted by the Middle Passage and the harsh conditions of slavery cannot be understated. Yet, within the depths of their suffering, these courageous still reproduced Allah’s revelation.
In contrast, we often find ourselves entangled in excuses when it comes to memorizing the Quran. We may claim that our lives are too busy, that we lack the time or ability, or that memorization is beyond our capabilities. Their legacy reminds us that no excuse should hold us back from pursuing the memorization of the Quran. Instead, we should harness our God-given intellect, prioritize our time, and invest consistent effort in this noble endeavor.
