The Continuing Legacy of Islamic Slavery: An Iranian-American's Perspective on the Past and Present

The Continuing Legacy of Islamic Slavery: An Iranian-American's Perspective on the Past and Present

By Bobby Darvish, Iranian-American Ex-Muslim, Former Vegan, Former Democrat, Former Socialist, Former CAIR-Columbus Executive Director, Former Muslim Forum of Utah President, Former Pagan, Christian Conservative LDS Priest, Freemason, Windows Sons MRA Member, and Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with Cybersecurity Specialty.

As someone who has experienced the deep complexities of both Islamic and Christian cultures, I find it crucial to address an uncomfortable truth often ignored in contemporary discussions about slavery. The Muslim slave trade, which has been active for over 1,400 years, not only shaped the history of the Middle East and Africa but also played a significant role in the development of the transatlantic slave trade, which devastated the African continent and led to the oppression of African people in the Americas and Europe. In fact, the effects of Islamic slavery are still felt today, as it continues in regions such as Libya, where a black slave can be bought for as little as $400.

The Roots of Islamic Slavery

The origins of slavery in the Islamic world trace back to the early centuries of Islam. While the Quran (the holy book of Islam) provides regulations on the treatment of slaves, it does not prohibit slavery outright, leading to its continuation under Islamic rule. The expansion of the Islamic empire, from the 7th century onwards, resulted in the enslavement of millions of people from various regions, including sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Historically, the trans-Saharan and Indian Ocean slave trades were central to Islamic slavery. The Muslims enslaved not only Africans but also Europeans, including the famous “Barbary pirates,” who captured Christian slaves along European coasts. These pirates would sell captured individuals into slavery, often forcing them to work in the galleys or serve the Islamic aristocracy.

Unlike the system of slavery in the Americas, which was largely centered around plantation labor, Islamic slavery operated in a broader array of sectors, including domestic servitude, military service, and even as harem attendants. The conditions of these slaves, especially those held in the Islamic world, were often harsh, and many were subjected to physical and sexual abuse. These victims, predominantly African men and women, were stripped of their identities, forced into lives of servitude, and treated as mere property.

The numbers of slaves trafficked across the Islamic world were staggering. Between the 7th and 19th centuries, an estimated 17 million people were enslaved, primarily from Africa. Compare this to the 12 million who were transported to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade. It is clear that the scale of Islamic slavery was, in many respects, more extensive than the Christian slavery that would later develop in the Americas and Europe. This staggering statistic exposes the depth of the injustice faced by African and other enslaved peoples under Islamic rule.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Islamic Influence

The history of Islamic slavery is often overlooked when discussing the transatlantic slave trade, yet it played a crucial role in shaping the dynamics of European involvement in the slave trade. The Portuguese, in particular, were among the first European powers to engage in the slave trade, but they had long been involved in slavery in North Africa, where Muslims had been capturing Africans for centuries.

The establishment of trade routes by the Portuguese and other European powers between Africa and the Americas in the 15th century was influenced heavily by existing networks of Islamic slave traders. European colonialists, seeing the profits made by Muslim traders in Africa, began to model their own slave systems after those in the Islamic world, importing vast numbers of Africans to work on plantations in the Americas. Thus, the two systems became intertwined, with the Islamic slave trade laying the foundation for the development of the transatlantic slave trade.

But while the Western world has taken significant strides toward confronting its legacy of slavery, the Muslim world has remained largely silent about its own history of slavery, especially regarding the enslavement of Africans. There are still areas in which the practice persists.

Slavery in the Modern World: Libya and Beyond

One of the most alarming aspects of this history is that slavery continues to exist today in parts of the Muslim world. In Libya, which has descended into chaos after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime, black Africans are still being bought and sold in open-air slave markets. Reports from the United Nations and human rights organizations confirm that migrants traveling through Libya are often captured and forced into slavery, where they are subjected to brutal conditions.

In 2017, CNN released a chilling video showing African migrants being auctioned as slaves for as little as $400. This modern-day slave trade is a direct continuation of the practices that were prevalent under Islamic rule for centuries. It highlights the ongoing human rights violations and the systematic exploitation of black Africans, often at the hands of Muslim slave traders.

This modern version of slavery is deeply connected to the historical legacy of Islamic slave trading, a dark chapter that remains largely unaddressed in many parts of the Muslim world. Despite the efforts of the West to abolish slavery and confront its ugly history, Islamic slavery has continued unchecked in many places, with no significant effort to confront the issue or provide reparations for the millions affected.

Islamic Slavery vs. Christian Slavery

One argument often put forward to defend Islamic slavery is that the system was less harsh than its Christian counterpart. While there may have been variations in the treatment of slaves under different Islamic empires, it is clear that slavery within the Islamic world was, by and large, just as brutal as that in the Christian world.

The enslavement of Africans under Islam was no less severe than the exploitation of slaves in the American South. In both cases, men and women were forced into labor, often brutal and degrading, and their lives were controlled by the whims of their masters. The key difference, however, is that the Islamic slave trade was far more extensive, involving millions more people over a much longer period of time.

Moreover, slavery under Islam had a particular racial element. Africans, especially black Africans, were disproportionately targeted for enslavement. The deep racial prejudices inherent in Islamic slavery had a profound impact on the way African slaves were treated, as they were often seen as subhuman and expendable.

Conclusion: Addressing the Past and Present

As an Iranian-American who has witnessed the horrors of both Islamic and Western colonial systems, I believe it is vital that we acknowledge the full history of slavery, including its Islamic roots. While we rightfully condemn the transatlantic slave trade and the horrors it inflicted on African people, we must also reckon with the fact that Islamic slavery was equally devastating—and that it continues to persist in some parts of the world today.

The Muslim world, especially those who continue to profit from the human trafficking of African migrants, must take responsibility for this legacy. As someone who has lived through the turmoil of Islamic rule, I call for an honest reckoning with this dark history, one that does not ignore the atrocities of the past, but seeks to ensure that they are never repeated in the future.

Citations:

• "Libya Slave Markets: African Migrants 'Sold in Open Auctions,' CNN Report Finds." CNN, Nov 2017, https://www.cnn.com.
• "Islamic Slave Trade." Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/slavery/Islamic-slavery.
• "The History of Slavery in the Islamic World." National Geographic, https://www.nationalgeographic.com.
• "The Barbary Pirates and Christian Slavery in the Islamic World." History Today, https://www.historytoday.com.