The Malês According to ‘Abd Al-Raḥmān Al-Baghdādī, an Ottoman Imam in Nineteenth-Century Brazil

ABSTRACT

We use the account of ‘Abd al-Raḥmān al-Baghdādī, an Ottoman imam who visited Brazil (1866-69), as a guide to discuss his preaching to Afro-Muslim communities in the country. This account, known for nearly three decades by specialized historiography, provides an insider’s view of the African Muslim community in nineteenth-century Brazil, with details only surpassed by documents of the Malê Revolt in 1835. In addition to reviewing what the Imam perceived of the devotional life of the Malês in the three cities he visited (Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Recife), the article mobilizes other sources and bibliography to dissent or discuss some of his information and interpretations of the situation of Islam and its adherents in 19th century Brazil. Thus, we are interested not only in the tensions involved in the relationship between the imam and his disciples but also between the latter and the surrounding society, as defined by the traveler.

Keywords:
Al-Baghdādī; Islam; Malê; Slavery; Nineteenth century