American Muslims-A forgetten History

American Muslims a powerful, often forgotten chapter in American history—the enduring faith and intellectual legacy of African Muslims enslaved in the American South. Through deeply researched and vividly written chapters, this book traces the lives of remarkable individuals like Bilali Mohammed, Salih Bilali, Omar Ibn Said, and Ayuba Suleiman Diallo, whose commitment to Islam withstood unimaginable trials.

Blending biography, cultural history, and spiritual reflection, the book explores how these men and women practiced their religion under slavery, preserved Arabic literacy, and quietly resisted cultural erasure. From plantation fields to isolated cabins, from secret prayers to handwritten manuscripts, their lives reflect extraordinary resilience, intellect, and dignity.

This richly illustrated volume includes original oil-style paintings that bring each figure and theme to life, capturing moments of worship, scholarship, and survival. It also connects past to present, highlighting the influence of these early Muslims on contemporary African American Islam and identity.

A compelling narrative of spiritual endurance, Faith Under Chains is both a tribute and a reclamation—a journey into the roots of American Islam and a reminder that belief, once planted, can survive even the harshest soil.