Essay Questions

What tone does Said employ? What is the import of the tone?

Said writes, “In the name of God, the merciful the gracious.— God grant his blessing upon our Prophet Mohammed Blessed be He in whose hands is the Kingdom and who is Almighty; who created death and life that he might test you; for he is exalted; he is the forgiver (of sins), who created seven heavens one above the other.” Said utilizes a pious tone which accentuates his spirituality. Said asserts his conviction about the existence of God through the tone. His enslavement does not reduce his firm conviction about God’s actuality.

Explain the irony of Said’s conversion. What is the repercussion of the irony?

According to the foreword, “Perhaps ten percent of the enslaved Africans transported to the Americas were Muslim. Although Omar converted to Christianity in 1821, his Presbyterian pastor and later scholars, conclude that he maintained his Muslim faith throughout his life. For while he encouraged other Muslim Africans to convert, he also included Muslim prayers and texts in his writings, as in his 1831 autobiography, written in Arabic and translated into English, which begins with memorized passages from the Koran.” After the conversion, Said would have been anticipated to discard all his Muslim faith. However, he retains his Muslim teachings based on how he invokes Mohamed in the text. Said demonstrates that religion is inherent and transcendental. Consequently, Christian and Muslim teachings co-exist in his heart. He believes in the singularity of the Muslims’ and Christians’ God.