Samuel Abdul-Rahman

A West African scholar who preserved Islamic scholarship during enslavement in the U.S., later becoming a revered community leader.

Samuel Abdul-Rahman (1814–1897) was a Fulani prince from Futa Jallon (modern Guinea) who became a symbol of intellectual resilience during the transatlantic slave trade. Captured in 1840 at age 26, he retained his Islamic knowledge despite being enslaved in Mississippi. His eloquence in Arabic and Arabic calligraphy skills attracted attention; a missionary documented his "Quranic recitation abilities" in 1853. After emancipation in 1863, he organized clandestine Islamic schools for formerly enslaved people, creating a network of literacy centers across the South. His teachings emphasized ijtihad (independent reasoning), empowering African Americans to reinterpret faith within their context. The Samuel Abdul-Rahman Foundation now preserves his manuscripts, including a unique Arabic-English prayer manual. Historians argue his work laid foundations for the Nation of Islam's intellectual framework. The documentary "The Prince Who Became a Prophet" explores his legacy.