Islamic Extremists Rejoice at America’s Misfortune

Early Islamic Influence in Louisiana

The inspiring story of West African slaves, their Islam and their legacy.

"During the infamous Atlantic slave trade, thousands of Muslims from the Senegambia and Sudan were kidnapped or captured in local wars and sold into slavery. In America, these same Muslims converted other Africans and Amerindians to Islam."

So begins an enlightening monograph of Dr. Clyde-Ahmad Winters, former professor of African and Islamic Studies at Iowa State University, entitled "Afro-American Muslims-From Slavery to Freedom" that beautifully documents the pervasive influence of Islam throughout the slave-holding south, from the early 1500s up through the present.

As the great Port of New Orleans was a major point of entry for merchant ships, holds bursting with human, African cargo, the Port was also, unbeknownst to many, a major point of entry for captured Muslims (most often prisoners of local wars) who certainly brought with them their only possession unable to be stripped from them by their captors, their religion--Islam.

The historical record of shipping manifests attests to the fact that the majority of slaving merchant vessels that deposited their goods at the mouth of the Mississippi took on their cargoes from those areas of West Africa with significant, if not predominant, Muslim population.

As the Islamic belief system forbids suicide and encourages patient perseverance, the middle-passage survival rate of captured African Muslims was quite high.

For example, one such courageous survivor was Ibrahima Abdur Rahman, son of the king of the Fulani people of the Senegambia region, named "The Prince" by his master Thomas Foster of Natchez, Mississippi. Abdur Rahman came through the Port of New Orleans, was sold at auction and became a man of renown on the Foster Plantation. He eventually petitioned his freedom via President John Quincy Adams and returned to Africa after 46 years of enslavement. His is just one of thousands of such stories of African Muslims in the south.

While countless captured African Muslims pretended conversion to Christianity to escape the master's wrath, many held onto their religious beliefs until death. Dr. Winters documents that some African Muslims wrote out by hand from memory the entire Qur'an, the Muslim holy book. Remnants of these writings still exist today in museums in parts of the once slave-holding south.

Today, the call to prayer by the Muslim muezzin still sweetens the air of Louisiana, as dozens of mosques add to the state's urban landscapes--10 in New Orleans alone. The African legacy survives.

Islam of Today

 

Some propaganda machines have a hard time getting off the ground.

 

I'm not quite sure as to what you are saying. Islam does forbid and condemn the notion of suicide. It's black and white in the Faith and not a matter of opinion or "propaganda."

 

Bigtexxx,

Let me use the traditional Clutchfans neo-con troop analogy to respond to this thread. Instead of mentioning all of the good that people are proposing to do ( all of the countries that are offering us sympathies, assistance and aid), all you do is point out the negative. Why not title your thread how the Saudis are offering to bump up oil production to help us and how they are willing to do what they can to help us get back on our feet. Why not mention that Chirac sent his sincere sympathies to us. Stop being like the "troop-bashing liberals" that you condemn.

 

Hold on! Terrorists posting on websites that are known for carrying terrorist messages are 'rejoicing'?!!! Thank you master of obvious!

So what was the point again of the the thread? What do you want to debate? What, is it that the Saudis are evil or just more French bashing or what?

 

Thanks for starting this thread, anger at those wacky extremists saved me .25 seconds of being embarrassed and disgraced at the responsiblity that all americans share for the tragedy in our backyard that should or would have been prevented or at least mitigated in any civilized nation that we pretend to be.

 

BTW, and this is a serious question: Are we letting other countries help out with the cause, or are we refusing their help as a matter of 'pride'?

 

A-freaking-men

 

I don't understand this either. Why is the administration refusing help from other countries?

 

did we really refuse help from canada and venezuela? (seriously asking the question)

 

I read yesterday that several countries have offered help but the administration has stated that they haven't asked anyone for help and aren't planning too.

Weird...

 

With offers from the four corners of the globe pouring in, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has decided "no offer that can help alleviate the suffering of the people in the afflicted area will be refused," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Thursday.

However, in Moscow, a Russian official said the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency had rejected a Russian offer to dispatch rescue teams and other aid.

On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin sent condolences to Bush and said Russia was prepared to help if asked.

Boats, aircraft, tents, blankets, generators, cash assistance and medical teams have been offered to the U.S. government in Washington or in embassies overseas.

Offers have been received from Russia, Japan, Canada, France, Honduras, Germany, Venezuela, Jamaica, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, China, South Korea, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, NATO and the Organization of American States, the spokesman said.

Still, Bush told ABC-TV: "I'm not expecting much from foreign nations because we hadn't asked for it. I do expect a lot of sympathy and perhaps some will send cash dollars. But this country's going to rise up and take care of it."

"You know," he said, "we would love help, but we're going to take care of our own business as well, and there's no doubt in my mind we'll succeed. And there's no doubt in my mind, as I sit here talking to you, that New Orleans is going to rise up again as a great city."



http://www.billingsgazette.com/inde...ws/2005/09/02/build/nation/48-katrina-aid.inc

 

Islamic Extremists Rejoice at America’s Misfortune

Of course they did. And I suppose you are better for spreading hate for them.

 

thanks for the links mark

 

http://www.reliefonline.org/ <br>

http://www.islamicity.com/Donate/?ref=35 <br>

http://utah.indymedia.org/news/2005/09/11506.php <br>

http://www.irw.org/katrina/ <br>


Just a few links to the ISLAMIC ORGANIZATIONS and MUSLIMS working towards Katrina relief. Those who wish to spread the hatred can go on to bigtexxx's link. Those who wish to spend the same time and enrgy on helping the victims can go to any o fthe above links and donate some $$.

On a side note, I saw muslim student organiztion at my university collecting donations for Katrina fund.

 

So let me get this straight...Islamic Extremists that are known to hate anything and everything about America are happy that we have been hit by a massive natural disaster? Wow, I had no idea. Thanks for passing that along!

 

I don't understand why some of you don't see this as a valid contrast and reminder of who are enemy is and what they are made of.

We offered Tsunami relief to an area that was a hotbed of AQ activity. Wasn't there a nice story posted just last week about the great medical care we deliver to the enemy.

It never hurts to be reminded how low your enemy will stoop. I guess we should just forget that?

 

Are we supposed to stoop to their level? If so, then the terrorists win.

 

Houston Astrodome Feeding Day (9/11/2005)
On September 11th the Houston Muslim community has been put in charge of feeding 25,000 refugees at the Astrodome. 750 volunteers (brothers+sisters) are needed for this task.
All the volunteers MUST go through mandatory training. Training hours are:
1. Sat. (9/3) 9-11am
2. Sun. (9/4) 2-4 pm
3. Mon. (9/5) 1-3 pm
ICNA Houston Unit is participating in this noble effort. If you live in greater Houston area, please call Br. Ilyas Chaudhry at 832-275-0786 or 713-298-6811 to volunteer.
Feeding will be done in 6 hours shifts starting at 4:00 AM on 9/11/2005.

SIGN UP NOW TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAINING IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE. NO EXCEPTIONS.

ICNA Relief will be contributing a significant amount to pay the bill of $124,000 needed for this program.
Please Donate Generously towards this effort

http://icna.org/