The most famous African American convert to Islam is Malcolm X. He was an active member of an obscure Islamic sect, the Nation of Islam, and later left the sect to join traditional Sunni Islam. He was murdered by a member of the Nation of Islam for leaving the sect. He was an inspiration and a role model for many Black Americans during the civil rights movement.
While it is difficult to quantify Malcolm X’s causal impact on conversion rates within the Black American society, there are qualitative studies showing that many of them followed Malcom X’s example and became converts to Islam. (sources: 1, 2, 3, 4 and more). He became part of the pop culture and merchandize is still being produced with his name and portrait. Malcom X’s public profile was an indivisible fusion of a Muslim man and a civil rights activist and his example leads to the conclusion that Islamic teachings are a good and fitting choice for African Americans.
To answer the question, “Is Islam a good fit for Black Americans and the right world view for them?” they must separate Malcom X’s civil rights activities from his submission (a literal translation of the word Islam) to Mohammed and Allah. Those inspired by Malcom X need to evaluate Islamic teachings and doctrine separately from the personality they admire. And in the bigger world picture, is Islam the right choice for any Black community?
Islamic proclamation of faith is called the Shahada: “There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is the messenger of Allah.” Anyone who wants to become a Muslim must pronounce the Shahada in front of Muslim witnesses to express their full submission to the will of Allah and their obligation to follow the example of Mohammed. The words of Allah are found in the Koran. Mohammed’s examples are found in his life story known as the Sira, and his traditions are called the Hadith. These texts are the foundation of the Islamic primary doctrine that all Muslims must obey.
African Americans are sensitive to the idea of slavery as they have wrestled with it for over 150 years. So, they need to understand the extensive doctrine of slavery made sacred by the Koran, the Hadith and the Sira before they submit to an ideology that requires a penalty of death if its members leave. And they need to know that slavery still exists in Africa and countries in the Mid-East.
The General Concept of Slavery in Islamic Primary Doctrine
Slavery is an integral part of the Islamic doctrine. Every Muslim is the slave of Allah, according to the Koran. Mohammed is referred to as Allah’s slave, and, he also refers to himself in this way. However, slavery in this specific case, is only conceptual. It is a mental state the doctrine asks of Muslims to perceive oneself as a slave of Allah. It does not mean that their freedoms are taken away from them in any way. Even so, it is still interesting to understand the psychology behind this concept and how it shapes their world view.
Koran 2:23 “And if ye are in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto Our slave (Muhammad), then produce a surah of the like thereof, and call your witness beside Allah if ye are truthful.”
Bukhari 3445 Narrated `Umar: “I heard the Prophet saying, “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Apostle.”
It is important to know that Islamic doctrine does not allow a Muslim to enslave another Muslim. Only non-Muslims can be made slaves with no individual freedoms or civil rights, while physically, sexually or otherwise serving their slave masters.
If non-Muslims convert to Islam, they can (but don’t have to) be freed by their Islamic master. A non-Muslim slave can never be freed. Freedom comes only by conversion.
Bukhari 2517 “Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Whoever frees a Muslim slave, Allah will save all the parts of his body from the (Hell) Fire as he has freed the body-parts of the slave.”
Marriage to captive slaves, even if they were already married, is allowed as well as having sex with them unless they are pregnant or menstruating:
Muslim 1456a “It is permissible to have intercourse with a female captive after it is established that she is not pregnant, and if she has a husband, then her marriage is annulled when she is captured
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that at the Battle of Hanain Allah’s Messenger sent an army to Autas and encountered the enemy and fought with them. Having overcome them and taken them captives, the Companions of Allah’s Messenger seemed to refrain from having intercourse with captive women because of their husbands being polytheists. Then Allah, Most High, sent down regarding that:
“And women already married, except those whom your right hands possess (iv. 24)” (i. e. they were lawful for them when their ‘Idda period came to an end).” See also Koran 4:24
Islamic doctrine has a very detailed language with a vocabulary of many words (see the appendix) defining a complete and sophisticated system of slavery.
Mohammed: Slave Trader & Slave Master
Mohammed’s importance stretches far beyond his life into the 21st century. It says 89 times in the Koran that Muslims must imitate Mohammed, since he is a perfect role model and example for all humanity and every human being. Everything that Mohammed did, said or tacitly approved of is to be perceived as sacred, moral and ethical.
Here is what we know about Mohammed and his attitude towards slavery and slaves:
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Mohammed owned slaves [all references above and below]
Please, note that the references in this article are not complete. There are so many references to slavery in the Islamic primary doctrine that they cannot be listed here.
Special Category: Black Slaves
One of the strangest things which would be usually weird to mention, but is very important, especially in connection to this article is that Mohammed is described in the Hadith as a white man, a white man who owned both black as well as white slaves.
Islamic slave masters paid more for eunuch slaves as they could be used in their harems as guards. They were considered trustworthy because they could not conceive a child and have allegiance to a family. These slaves were usually castrated by removing not only their testicles, but by amputating their penises as well:
Muslim 2771 Anas reported that a person was charged with fornication with the slavegirl of Allah’s Messenger. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger said to ‘Ali: Go and strike his neck. ‘Ali came to him and he found him in a well making his body cool. ‘Ali said to him: Come out, and as he took hold of his hand and brought him out, he found that his sexual organ had been cut. Hadrat ‘Ali refrained from striking his neck. He came to Allah’s Apostle and said: Allah’s Messenger, he has not even the sexual organ with him.”
The hadith above suggests that the slave that was mentioned was a black African. There are also multiple racial remarks in the Islamic doctrine like this one:
Bukhari 7142 Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah’s Messenger said, “You should listen to and obey, your ruler even if he was an Ethiopian (black) slave whose head looks like a raisin.”
Aisha, Mohammed’s wife whom he married when she was 6 years old and consummated their marriage when she was 9, was allowed to watch black slaves in the mosque when they were disciplined:
Bukhari 987 Narrated ‘Urwa on the authority of’ Aisha: On the days of Mina, (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) Abu Bakr came to her while two young girls were beating the tambourine and the Prophet was lying covered with his clothes. Abu Bakr scolded them and the Prophet uncovered his face and said to Abu Bakr, “Leave them, for these days are the days of `Id and the days of Mina.” `Aisha further said, “Once the Prophet was screening me and I was watching the display of black slaves in the Mosque and (`Umar) scolded them. The Prophet said, ‘Leave them. O Bani Arfida! (carry on), you are safe (protected)’.”
So, if Malcolm X knew the information above, what would he say? If Black Americans knew, would they still follow Malcolm X’s example and become Muslims? Shouldn’t all Americans know that Islamic slavery is sacred, for eternity and immutable and there can never be an Emancipation Proclamation to change the doctrine?
Please, help us spread this information about slavery around the world, especially in the Black communities, so everyone can make an educated choice as to convert to Islam or not.
To have a complete picture of slavery in Islamic doctrine, we suggest reading:
The Doctrine of Slavery: An Islamic Institution by Bill Warner, PhD., can be purchased in our online bookstore or at on Amazon. One of the core messages of the book is that the black and white people alike have a common history of enslavement. Many sources state that the word slave is derived from “Slavs” in Europe taken captive by Islamic slave traders.
Appendix:
From the “The Doctrine of Slavery: An Islamic Institution” by Dr. Bill Warner
Islamic Slavery Lexicon
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abd — a slave, usually a black slave. Abd is also the word for any African or any black person.
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abiq — a fugitive slave.
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amah — a female slave.
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ghilman — a male sex slave, usually a boy.
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ghulam — a modern term for a slave.
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ghurrah — a slave worth 500 dirhams.
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ibaq — the freeing of slaves.
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ibnu baydailjabin — the son of a mother with a white forehead [a free mother].
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ibnu jurratin — the son of a free mother.
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istilad — a legal term signifying that a Muslim master has freed a female slave who has born his child.
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istibra — the waiting period for determining whether the slave is pregnant or not.
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itaq — freeing a slave.
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khaadim — a servant/slave.
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kinn — a slave who is not mukatab, nor mudabbar, nor umm walad, nor mubaad, but entirely unfree.
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kitaba — a form of a slave buying their freedom.
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madhun lahu — a slave who can make business agreements for his master.
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mamluk — a slave, usually a white slave.
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ma malakat aimanukum — that which your right hand (the sword hand) possesses, a slave taken in jihad. Used in the Koran.
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maula — a term used in Islamic law for a slave.
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mubaad — a slave with several owners.
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mudabbar — a slave who is freed on his master’s death.
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mukarkas — people having slaves mothers among their ancestors.
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mukatab — slaves who ransom themselves from their master.
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mustabad — slave.
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mutaq — a freed slave.
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mutiq — the master who frees a slave.
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qinn — a slave born from slave parents.
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raqabah — the term used for a captured slave.
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raqiiq — slave.
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surriyah — a Kafir woman slave used for sex. She may be bought, taken as a captive, or descended from a slave.
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tadbir — a legal term for freeing a slave after the death of the master.
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ubudiyah — slavery.
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ummu al walad — a legal term for a slave who has borne the master’s child.
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umm walad — the enslaved mother married to a slave, who gives birth to his child.
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wala — when freed slaves die, their estate goes to the one who freed them.
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walau l ataqah — the relationship between a master and the freed slave.
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zall — a fugitive child slave.
March 11, 2026