It’s a universal truth that we are born free and die untethered, our minds and souls unconfined in those moments. We can be physically enslaved, but our minds can never be chained. Core to our belief is Allah created us with free will and with the purpose of serving Him alone. Hence why some seemingly oppressed people seem satisfied and positive and can withstand abuses while exuding inner peace and moving forward. Their resilience may even inspire strength in others. Who then is free, and who is enslaved?
The common denominator among enslavers
Slavery has existed for thousands of years. The earliest documented evidence can be found in ancient Mesopotamia dating to around 3500 BC, coinciding with the rise of the first civilizations. Documentation depicts slavery as prevalent across different cultures and times. Many factors led to the enslavement of others, such as greed for free labor, the belief that other races are inferior, and the idea there would be increased political security by suppressing potential opposition, among others.
It’s likely the perpetrators acted from a sense of entitlement or God-given right to expansion while also believing labor should fall to others, at little or no cost, and for maximum profit. The United States’ 19th century mantra of manifest destiny to expand the nation from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean via occupation and settlement is an example of some white Americans’ belief that they were divinely ordained not only to eliminate anyone who would hinder that goal and but to use others to advance that goal, as well.
A widespread evil
The current impact of past slavery is evident through observation and research. I’ve noted as such in my travels to Nassau, Bahamas, where slavery was practiced from the 17th century until 1834. There, the wealthy elite vacation lavishly, but the locals, many who are descendants of West African slaves, seem to live on a separate island entirely. These people bear the effects of slavery, such as financial oppression, lack of education and subsequent opportunity, and loss of respectable societal status. Over time, the never-ending cycle becomes the status quo and remains a constraint. Therefore, outlawing slavery doesn’t always guarantee freedom and success, at least not in the immediate future. Freed slaves have written about the challenges they faced after gaining their freedom. “Narrative of the Life of John Quincy Adams, When in slavery and Now as a Freeman,” by John Quincy Adams in 1872 is a good example.
Evil takes various forms
Slavery manifests in many ways. There’s economic bondage where one can’t break free of their employment or contracts, hindering their advancement. Also, for some domestic workers, they’re promised entry into a new country, often at high cost, but remain at the mercy of employers who confiscate their important documents. Still others, fearing repercussions, are bound to remain quiet or compliant despite having opposing political views. Current events in Syria demonstrate how legions of citizens were silenced for decades and are only now free to speak after the oppressive regime was overthrown.
Unconstrained minds: Faith is the underlying power
Resilience is evident in many cases of slavery, and there are some common, underlying factors to consider. For example, some important American history highlights exemplary people who accomplished amazing things but who were, in fact, enslaved. In his book, former slave John Quincy Adams wrote about the harsh realities that existed in slaves’ daily lives. He detailed atrocities like families being separated and how slaves were forced to treat their masters’ families with utmost reverence. Adams questions how this could be justified. “I ask, could a man who believed that there was a just God do such outrageous crimes to human beings, and then say it was right, and have the face to go to church and come home and have the slaves out on the back end of the farm working on Sundays, and some of the ministers going around telling the slaves they must obey their master and mistress, and all would be right.” The faith in a higher power and assurance of that power holding man accountable for his actions is what causes some who are enslaved to question their situation, to understand it to be incorrect, and to have the wherewithal to be hopeful and have the bravery to protest.
Courage to trigger change and abolish injustice
To cure injustice, one courageous person can be the catalyst for change by defying the odds and standing strong in opposition. Though oppressed, his mind is free and his faith is strong, a strength used to inspire and help others.
Consider Spartacus’ (103-71BC) daring slave revolt against the Roman Republic. A gladiator and escaped slave leader, he displayed courage in the face of insurmountable odds, inspiring people to stand against authorities and to fight for their own freedom. Sojourner Truth, an advocate for abolition and civil rights in the 19th century, was known to be rooted in her faith. She understood her God-given rights as a woman and, despite her enslavement, showed great courage, often invoking religion in her passionate sermons. “If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down, all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it right, and make it answer the end for which it was made.”
Muhammad Ali, famous American boxer and direct descendant of slave Archer Alexander is another prime example. He boldly defied society’s expectations of him as a black man, even as he was discriminated against after converting to Islam, saying, “I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want.” Ali also faced inherent racism and was fined and jailed for refusing to fight in the Vietnam War in 1967. Though he wasn’t enslaved like his ancestors, Ali had to struggle against a different type of chains that could have limited his freedom, but he wielded his dedication to his faith and made it the backbone of his defiance.
As we move through life, who knows who is free and who is enslaved? We know we are born free and die free; yet even if we are chained in life, death releases people from worldly shackles, proving their enslavement was manmade rather than a natural state of being. Those oppressed can find strength in their conviction of faith, believing there is a power higher than their false masters, that there is a just ruler to whom their world and the war within it is known and seen, and from whom eventual justice will come.
