Translation of the Life of Omar ibn Said: Manuscript No. 1

A solemn voice opens with a reverent prayer, invoking God’s mercy and the guidance of the Prophet. The narrator, an educated man from West Africa, begins to explain his yearning to record his own story despite the loss of his native language and the limits of his pen. He describes his early years of study under respected teachers, the peaceful life he once knew, and the sudden, brutal arrival of a foreign army that tore him from his home.

From there, the narrative shifts to the harrowing journey across the Atlantic, the shock of being sold to a Christian owner, and his first steps onto American soil. In the midst of this displacement, he seeks solace in prayer and the familiar cadence of his faith, offering listeners a rare glimpse of a enslaved scholar’s inner world and his struggle to preserve identity amid unimaginable upheaval.