The Cherokee Indians are one of the indigenous peoples of America. They have a long and rich history that spans centuries, from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States to their forced relocation to the west in the 19th century. But did you know that the Cherokee Indians also have a connection to Islam? In this article, we will explore the fascinating facts about the Cherokee Indians and their Muslim heritage.
The Origin of the Cherokee Muslims
The origin of the Cherokee Muslims is a matter of debate among historians and scholars. Some believe that they were descendants of Muslim explorers who arrived in America before Christopher Columbus in 1492.
One of them was Mansa Abubakari II, the ruler of the Mali Empire, who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1312 with a fleet of ships. He reportedly reached the shores of America and established trade and cultural ties with the natives.
Another possible source of the Cherokee Muslims was the Moorish slaves who were brought to America by Spanish colonizers. Some of these slaves escaped or were freed and joined the native tribes, such as the Cherokee, and shared their Islamic faith and practices with them.
The Evidence of the Cherokee Muslims
There are several pieces of evidence that suggest that the Cherokee Indians were influenced by Islam or practiced it themselves. One of them is the treaty that they signed with the United States government in 1787. The treaty was signed by two Cherokee leaders, Abdel Khak and Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, who had Arabic names and used Islamic terms in their signatures.
Another evidence is the clothing style of the Cherokee women, who wore long dresses that covered their bodies and heads, similar to the Muslim hijab. They also wore jewelry that had Islamic symbols, such as crescents and stars.
A third evidence is the language of the Cherokee Indians, which had some words that were derived from Arabic or similar to it. For example, they used the word "Allah" to refer to God, and "salam" to greet each other. They also had a writing system called Syllabary, which was invented by a Cherokee scholar named Sequoyah in 1821. The Syllabary had some characters that resembled Arabic letters.
The Fate of the Cherokee Muslims
The fate of the Cherokee Muslims is not clear, as they faced many challenges and hardships throughout their history. They suffered from wars, diseases, persecution, and displacement by the European settlers and the US government.
They were forced to leave their homelands and embark on a journey known as the Trail of Tears, which killed thousands of them. They were also assimilated into the dominant Christian culture and lost many aspects of their original identity and religion.
However, some of them managed to preserve their Islamic heritage and pass it on to their descendants. Today, there are still some Cherokee Muslims who practice Islam and identify with their native roots. They are part of a larger movement of Native American Muslims who seek to revive their ancestral faith and culture.
Conclusion
The Cherokee Indians are a remarkable example of how Islam has reached different parts of the world and influenced different peoples and cultures. They are also a testament to the diversity and resilience of the Muslim community in America. They deserve more recognition and respect for their contributions and struggles in shaping the history and society of this continent.
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