101 Reasons Why We Left Islam – Chapter 4: Islamic History – Reason 46
I know this will surprise many uninformed people, and more so Westerners who convert to Islam 2.0, having no understanding of its history. Central to this are many books and historical accounts that provide detailed accounts of the practice of white slavery during the Islamic Khalifat. Suppose you travel to parts of Eastern Europe, such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, and Romania, and examine their history records. In that case, it is mentioned everywhere because they had to deal with the brunt of it – it is engraved into their history. Here, I present five key academic and historical accounts. If you wish to explore these further, all these books are available on Amazon.
White Gold by Giles Milton (2005) describe the enslavement of over one million Europeans by Barbary pirate ships that sailed the Mediterranean, with a particular emphasis on the story of Thomas Pellow, an English Cornish cabin boy captured in 1716. Pellow endured 23 years of brutal slavery under Sultan Moulay Ismail of Morocco. Thomas witnessed large-scale raids conducted by Barbary pirates on European coastal towns and ships, capturing men, women, and children to be sold in North African slave markets. White slaves were used for labour, including constructing grand imperial projects like Moulay Ismail’s palace, domestic servants, and sometimes military roles. Women were sold for house servants and sometimes used by their owners for sex under the concept of “right-hand possess” – see Reason 8 For leaving Islam. The book is available on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/bjmpUWR
The Forgotten Slave Trade: The White European Slaves of Islam by Simon Webb (2021). The book delves into the history of European slavery in North Africa, emphasizing the scale of the Barbary slave trade. He discusses how over a million Europeans were captured and sold into slavery, often enduring brutal treatment. Webb highlights the raids on coastal towns and the lack of intervention by European governments, leaving captives to suffer. The book also explores the cultural and economic dynamics that sustained this trade. The book on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/aSUUYk0
Christian Slaves, Muslim Masters by Robert Davis (2003): The book provides a detailed account of the Barbary slave trade. It furthermore confirms the estimation that over one million Europeans were enslaved between 1500 and 1800. He examines the methods of capturing slaves, their roles, and the harsh conditions they faced. Davis emphasizes the geopolitical implications of this trade and its enduring impact on European societies. The book also discusses the treatment of white slaves compared to other races, noting that white slaves were often valued for their rarity and perceived higher status. Available on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/4bkiNcG
The Barbary Slave Trade (Historical Overview) by Robert Evans (2013) research discusses the capture of Europeans by North African pirates, who raided coastal towns and ships. Captives were sold in slave markets in cities like Algiers, Tunis, and Sale. White slaves were used for labour, domestic workers, and military roles. They were often treated harshly, but their perceived value sometimes led to slightly better conditions compared to other enslaved groups. The trade was sustained by the geopolitical dynamics of the time, with European governments largely ignoring the plight of their citizens. Available on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/jfE3KrC
Barbary pirates targeted European coastal towns and ships, capturing men, women, and children. These raids extended as far as Iceland and Norway. Captives were transported to North Africa and sold in slave markets. White slaves were highly valued and often fetched higher prices than other captives.
For our American readers, you really need to read James Haley (2016): The Shores of Tripoli: Lieutenant Putnam and the Barbary Pirates https://amzn.eu/d/e26Vzmo – This historical event takes place when the Islamic pirates of Tripoli (Libya) took over USS Philadelphia and with it the 307 officers and sailors as slaves. Thomas Jefferson (then the U.S. ambassador to France), met with the Tripolitan ambassador Sidi Haji Abdrahaman Barbar in London in 1803 to argue for their release explaining that The United States (just over 10 years old) was never at war with Islam or the Arab world, never kidnapped or was involved in any of the wars with Muslims. But this is the response he got from the Tripolitan ambassador:
“It was written in the Quran that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority (of the Quran) were infidel; that it is our right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners; and that every Mussulman who should be slain in battle was sure to go to Paradise.”
Sound familiar? Because the wording closely resembles what you read in Quran 9:5 and 9:29 from one of the last chapters of the Quran (See Reason 1 for leaving Islam). This resulted in the USA sending Lieutenant Stephen Decatur and his men to destroy the ships in Tripoli’s harbour to prevent their use by the enemy. Some may argue this was the first time the USA got involved in direct confrontation with Islam. The story has a good ending: the USA smashed the Barbar Slavery network, and all the American slaves were freed.
In the next and final part, we discuss what finally ended slavery in Islam. Hint: It was not the Quran nor the Prophet, and it most definitely had nothing to do with Islam.