The Call of Bilal: Islam in the African Diaspora

Islamic Civilization and Muslim Networks

by Edward E. Curtis IV

How do people in the African diaspora practice Islam? While the term "Black Muslim" may conjure images of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, millions of African-descended Muslims around the globe have no connection to the American-based Nation of Islam. The Call of Bilal is a penetrating account of the rich diversity of Islamic religious practice among Africana Muslims worldwide. Covering North Africa and the Middle East, India and Pakistan, Europe, and the Americas, Edward E. Curtis IV reveals a fascinating range of religious activities--from the observance of the five pillars of Islam and the creation of transnational Sufi networks to the veneration of African saints and political struggles for racial justice.

Weaving together ethnographic fieldwork and historical perspectives, Curtis shows how Africana Muslims interpret not only their religious identities but also their attachments to the African diaspora. For some, the dispersal of African people across time and space has been understood as a mere physical scattering or perhaps an economic opportunity. For others, it has been a metaphysical and spiritual exile of the soul from its sacred land and eternal home.

Genres: Islam, History, Religion, Nonfiction

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2014

About the author

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Reviews

[Jaylani Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how this book was able to focus on all areas where there exist Black Muslim communities, but it didn't focus on the Black Muslims of Kuwait, Qatar, Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Yemen and their histories. Love it.

[Sahand Yazdanyar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating 7.5/10

It's an academic book. Normally, that is something that doesn't bother me at all (anyone who knows me/can see my Goodreads knows that I almost exclusively read nonfiction), but this one was a bit challenging.

I am chalking up part of the "difficulty" in reading this to the personal rut I've been in (work/life hectic-ness) and the other part to the odd flow of the narrative. The through line is clear, Islam in the African diaspora, and there is certainly much to learn and discuss there. My problem was with how it all seemed to jump around -- no sort of "East to West" geographical trajectory, no "section on art" followed by "section on politics," etc. There really was an "academic clutter" to the whole book which can be difficult to approach for a reader that is not familiar with academia (let alone someone who is).

That being said, I think the book raises some interesting points of conversation even if it tries to tackle a lot in a little space (under 200 pages with a focus on the entirety of Islam in the African diaspora...quite a task Dr. Curtis, quite a task).

Ultimately, I feel that this is a good book to "begin the conversation" for anyone interested in any of the topics covered.

[Sirad · Rating 4 out of 5]

The memory of Bilal definitely echoes throughout the African diaspora, especially as it is described in the different rituals and customs of various African migrant communities across the globe. In particular, I loved being able to read the different segments of this book that focused each of the continents had how migrants and refugees from African Countries (Sierra-Leone, Angola, Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria, etc) connected with those Blacks who had slavery in their ancestry. I would have appreciated if there was more stated about this relation in a specific section.

In addition, while the significance of Bilal on different ethnic groups was scattered throughout the book, the only through synthesis I was able to find was at the conclusion. Overall a good read though!