Islam and Blackness

Islam is often accused of being antiblack due to its scriptural foundations, law, spirituality, and theology. Jonathan A.C. Brown's book examines Islamic scripture, law, Sufism, and history to determine how and why this claim emerged, and identifies authoritative voices in Islam's past that are crucial for combatting antiblack racism today.

Format: Hardback
Length: 416 pages
Publication date: 03 November 2022
Publisher: Oneworld Publications

It is often asserted that Islam is inherently anti-black, with a deliberate intention to enslave Black Africans. Both Western and African critics have argued that antiblack racism is deeply rooted in the faith's scriptural foundations and traditions of law, spirituality, and theology. However, the basis for such accusations remains a subject of debate. In his groundbreaking work, bestselling scholar Jonathan A.C. Brown delves into Islamic scripture, law, Sufism, and history to examine this claim in depth and ascertain its origins and development. Brown traces the origins of antiblackness to conservative politics, modern Afrocentrism, and the historical trope of Barbary enslavement. He elucidates how antiblackness emerged within the Islamic world and intertwined with normative traditions. Through a comprehensive analysis, Brown highlights the imagery of "blackened faces in the Quran" and Shariah assessments of Black women as "undesirable." He also exposes the assertion that Islam and Muslims are foreign to Africa. This work offers a profound exploration of the contentious relationship between Islam and Blackness, shedding light on the historical and contemporary factors contributing to antiblack racism. By examining authoritative voices in Islam's past, Brown provides valuable insights into combating antiblack racism in the present.

Weight: 658g
Dimension: 244 x 165 x 41 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780861544844