First Muslim elected to Congress (Part 2)

Wallbuilders
By David Barton

Is Keith Ellison actually the first Muslim to serve in the U. S. Congress? According to the national media, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” That may well be true; however, John Randolph of Virginia, who served in Congress from 1799-1834, expressed that in his early years, he held a position "in favor of Mahomedanism" and "rejoiced in all its triumphs over the cross [Christianity]." Randolph was not a Muslim in the same sense as Ellison, but he certainly cultivated what he described as a position of "natural repugnance to Christianity." Francis Scott Key, author of the "Star Spangled Banner," befriended Randolph and faithfully shared Christ with him. Randolph eventually converted to Christianity and became a strong personal advocate for his newfound faith. (Interestingly, Key reached out to Muslims, sharing Christianity with them and even purchasing for them copies of the Christian Bible printed in Arabic.

There were numerous Muslims living in America at the time of the American Founding. Islam had been introduced into America during the early 1600s with the entrance of slavery. It is estimated that ten percent of slaves were Muslim, many of whom became free and lived in America but retained their Islamic faith. There were therefore early Muslim communities in South Carolina and Florida; and there were enough Muslims that by 1806 the first Koran was published and sold in America.

Significantly, during the Founding Era, like today, there was great concern over the possibility of a Muslim being elected to Congress. That concern was heightened by the fact that at that time, like now, America was involved in a war on terror against Islamic terrorists. That war, called the Barbary Powers War, lasted thirty-two years, involved six years of active overseas warfare against Muslim terrorists, and spanned four U. S. presidencies: those of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.

Since few today have ever heard of that war, a brief review will provide useful background in addressing the issue of a Muslim being sworn into Congress.

Next installment: Part 3 The Barbary Powers conflict.