101 years ago today, Islam reemerged in modern America with…

The presence of Islam in America dates back to the 13 colonies, when West Africans were enslaved and brought to the new world against their will. Many were Muslim and continued to practice their faith even as it was impossible for them to live freely. (2/16)
#BlackHistoryMonth

But by the end of the 19th century, Islam as a religion in the U.S. started to wane. The descendants of Muslim slaves had little connection to their forefathers, though some had inherited relics such as prayer mats and copies of the Holy Quran. (3/16)

Around the same time Islam was fading in America, a new spiritual movement was awakening halfway across the world.

It was known as the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, founded in 1889 by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, India. (4/16)
#PromisedMessiah

Ahmad claimed to be the awaited latter day reformer and Messiah for all religions, who came to revive the true and essential teachings taught by the Holy Prophet of Islam. His movement began as a small group in an Indian village and has grown to millions worldwide today. (5/16)

In Dec. 1919, the 2nd Caliph (successor) to the Promised Messiah and the global leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, instructed Mufti Sadiq—one of the community’s learned missionaries and a companion of the Promised Messiah—to take the message of Islam to America. (6/16)

Mufti Sadiq set sail from England on Jan. 26, 1920, aboard the SS Haverford. During his sea voyage to America, he preached the message of the Holy Prophet of Islam and the Promised Messiah, converting men from Bosnia, England, Syria and China. (7/16)

Mufti Sadiq landed on the shores of the United States on Feb. 15, 1920—exactly 101 years ago today. But his entry into America was not without trials. In fact, he was arrested and detained for two months before being allowed to enter Philadelphia. (8/16)

During his imprisonment, he wasted no time in his mission, sharing the message of Islam with his fellow detainees—19 of whom converted as Muslims by the time he was released. (9/16)

After being released, Mufti Sadiq spread the teachings of Islam around the US, delivering more than 50 public lectures and earning favorable coverage from newspapers in more than 25 states. One paper noted his success in spreading Islam “without the sword.” (10/16)

Mufti Sadiq was tireless in traveling around the country and corresponding with Americans of all stripes, including President Warren Harding, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. He befriended Marcus Garvey and converted many of his followers. (11/16)

In Oct. 1920, Mufti Sadiq moved the US headquarters of the community to Chicago, establishing the first Ahmadiyya mosque on Wabash Avenue. Now known as the Al-Sadiq Mosque, it is one of the earliest mosques in the US and the oldest standing mosque in the country. (12/16)

The construction of the Chicago mosque was funded predominantly by donations from African American converts, who were drawn to Islam’s message of social and racial harmony. (13/16)
#BlackHistoryMonth

In Highland Park, Mich., he opened a mosque that welcomed “believers of all religions.” He explained it was a Muslim’s duty to be a good citizen and learn the country’s language. The Detroit Free Press headline of the inauguration read “Moslems Avow Loyalty to US.” (14/16)

Within 13 years of Mufti Muhammad Sadiq’s arrival in the United States, 20,000 Americans had become Ahmadi Muslims. His legacy lives on today.
Read more about his life and work here (15/16): https://t.co/hLJOxc9LoC

Stay tuned for more on the history of Ahmadi Muslims in the US and the message of the #PromisedMessiah this week. (16/16)
#100YearMovement