Islamic Slavery In Africa

On the 4th of November, I posted the first part of an essay entitled "Slavery In Islam And The West: The Double Standards of the Intellectual Elites". The first part dealt with slavery in the West, and how Western principles of equality and human rights eventually led to the emancipation of the practice. I had intended to publish the second part of the essay, which dealt with the unreformed, unconfronted problem of the historical and contemporary Islamic enslavement of non-Muslims, a couple of days later. However, unfortunately, the computer I was using died, and the Word document which contained the rest of the essay was lost.

Rather than trying to write it all up again, I thought instead that I would simply share a link to this Youtube video on Islamic slavery, narrated by John Azumah, the author of The Legacy of Arab-Islam in Africa. I have just ordered this book, and expect to receive it sometime in the next few weeks. Once I have read it, I will post a short review/summary, which will serve as a full replacement for my lost essay. I will also add the book to the Recommended Reading list on the right-hand side of the page.

In the meantime, I suggest you watch the video linked above. Education on this issue, as with a number of other Islam-related issues, is vital if we are to have genuine and meaningful "interfaith dialogue" between Muslims and other religious groups, as well as bringing a final end to dehumanising, backward practices such as slavery.