The story of American slavery is often presented as a uniquely Western crime, a scourge of European colonialism that tore apart African lives and families. While this narrative is partially accurate, it is incomplete. American slavery did not arise in isolation; it was deeply rooted in the larger trans-Saharan, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean slave trades operated by Islamic empires for over a millennium.
As an Iranian-American ex-Muslim, I have come to learn through research and faith that the atrocities of Islamic slavery are often omitted from mainstream discourse, yet they are vital to understanding the broader history of human bondage. It is time to confront the historical truth that Islamic empires were not only instrumental in facilitating the transatlantic slave trade but also carried out the largest and longest-lasting slave trade in history, enslaving over 70 million Africans.
Islamic Slavery: The Largest Slave Trade in History
Islamic slavery began shortly after the rise of Islam in the 7th century. The Quran and Hadith explicitly permit the practice of slavery, often justifying it as a means of obtaining war captives and expanding the Islamic economy (Quran 4:24; Sahih Muslim 3901). While Western colonial slavery spanned roughly three centuries, the Islamic slave trade persisted for over 1,400 years, with its impact still visible today.
Unlike the transatlantic slave trade, which brought an estimated 12 million Africans to the Americas, the Islamic slave trade enslaved more than 70 million Africans over its history. Many were taken in brutal raids across the African continent and sold to markets stretching from the Middle East to India and beyond.
Dr. John Alembillah Azumah, in his book The Legacy of Arab-Islam in Africa, highlights the devastating demographic and cultural effects of Islamic slavery. He notes that two-thirds of African slaves in Islamic lands were women, used predominantly for domestic labor and sexual exploitation, while castrated male slaves were used for hard labor and military purposes. These practices decimated populations and left a legacy of cultural disruption that continues to plague Africa.
Islam’s Role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade
When European traders arrived on the African coasts in the 15th and 16th centuries, they found an already well-established slave network operated by Islamic states. Muslim slave traders facilitated the sale of Africans to European merchants, ensuring a steady supply of slaves for plantations in the Americas. Many African leaders, themselves Muslim, profited from selling their non-Muslim neighbors or prisoners of war into bondage.
Renowned historian Dr. Ralph Austen argues in The Trans-Saharan Slave Trade that the infrastructure and knowledge for the transatlantic slave trade were largely inherited from the Islamic slave trade. European traders learned from Muslim merchants how to capture, transport, and sell enslaved Africans, creating a grim collaboration between European colonial powers and Islamic empires.
Hypocrisy and Silence About Islamic Slavery
In my former roles within Islamic organizations, I noticed a glaring hypocrisy: Islamists frequently criticize Western slavery while ignoring or excusing the Islamic world’s participation in the same atrocity. This silence is not accidental. Acknowledging Islamic slavery undermines the narrative that Islam is a religion of peace and justice. However, history reveals that Islam institutionalized slavery in ways that were profoundly brutal and dehumanizing.
The silence extends to modern times. Mauritania, an Islamic country, was the last nation to abolish slavery in 1981, and even today, over 20% of its population lives in bondage. The Islamic State (ISIS) reintroduced slavery in Iraq and Syria, openly selling Yazidi women and children in markets, just as their ancestors did centuries ago.
The Christian Perspective on Freedom
As a Christian conservative, I find it profoundly moving that Christianity played a central role in ending the transatlantic slave trade. Abolitionist movements led by devout Christians like William Wilberforce in Britain and Frederick Douglass in the United States sought to end the dehumanization of slavery, guided by the belief that all humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
Islam, by contrast, has yet to reckon fully with its own history of slavery. The Quran’s failure to condemn the practice outright has allowed its perpetuation in various forms throughout Islamic history. As Christians, we must confront this truth with courage and call for accountability while extending the message of Christ’s love and freedom to those who are still trapped in darkness.
Conclusion
The Islamic slave trade was not only the precursor to American slavery but also one of the greatest human atrocities in history. It enslaved over 70 million Africans, destroyed entire cultures, and facilitated the transatlantic trade that would later devastate the Americas. As an Iranian-American ex-Muslim, I feel a deep responsibility to expose this hidden history.
We cannot fully understand the horrors of slavery without acknowledging its Islamic roots. As Christians, we must ensure that the truth is told and that the message of liberty through Christ reaches all corners of the world.
Citations
- Azumah, John Alembillah. The Legacy of Arab-Islam in Africa: A Quest for Inter-Religious Dialogue. Oneworld Publications, 2001.
- Austen, Ralph A. The Trans-Saharan Slave Trade. Cambridge University Press, 1995.
- Gordon, Murray. Slavery in the Arab World. New Amsterdam Books, 1989.
- Lovejoy, Paul E. Transformations in Slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa. Cambridge University Press, 2011.
- "Slavery in Mauritania." Anti-Slavery International. https://www.antislavery.org/slavery-today/slavery-in-mauritania/
- Quran 4:24. The Noble Quran. https://quran.com/4/24
- Sahih Muslim 3901. Sunnah.com. https://sunnah.com/muslim/15/153
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