Prof lectures students on Islam

Few people probably know that the oldest American ever was Yarrow Mamout, a 134-year-old Maryland Muslim slave who lived during colonial times. But Mamout was only part of the history discussed Monday in Vance Hall by Sulayman Nyang, professor and former chairperson of the African Studies Department at Howard University. Sponsored by the Muslim Student Association, the professor lectured to a small group of students, concentrating on the history of Islam, Christianity and African identity. "It is a quest of ideology and a quest for identity," said Nyang, a native of Gambia, Africa. Focusing on the connection between Africans and the Islamic religion, Nyang said that unlike the Roman Empire, Islam has endured and become part of North African society. "For 1400 years, people from Egypt to Morocco were Islamisized and Arabicized," Nyang said. According to Nyang, there are two different doctrines of Christianity in Africa, one affiliated directly with the Roman Empire and the other brought to Africa by the 15th century European mariners. The Christian principle of the Holy Trinity was first introduced by Aristachius, a North African Bishop in the 4th century, Nyang said. Nyang also said that being an Arab is not an "ethnic thing," it is the language and the culture that distinguishes Arabs. "We are human beings first, then everything else comes later," said Nyang. "You live with your values and you live in your culture." Nyang also said Islam and Christianity present challenges to African Americans today. "Who am I? Why are we here?" Nyang asked the audience. "These are fundamental questions for all of us, if we are serious about life." Several people attending the lecture were Nyang's former students. "I wish there were more people here to hear him," said Khalilullah Nasir, the executive director of the Muslim Student Alumni Association of Community College of Philadelphia. Students agreed that Nyang was very informative and knowledgeable about African history. "It was interesting how he connected black American diaspora with Christianity, Islam and the African identity," said College senior Sena Browner. "I liked that he said that the main source of Islam is the Koran since all religions including Islam become impure with the people following cultural practices instead of the religion," said College sophomore Ali Parnian. "It was like a good history lesson."