The Role of Muslims in the American War of Independence

 Ibrahim Safi – The Public Trust

On July 4th, as Americans, we celebrate Independence Day, an occasion to commemorate and express gratitude for the liberties we have as US citizens. As Muslim Americans, we often look at the US War of Independence from a foreign lens, as an event that occurred separately from our historic experience, but it is crucial to recognize that Muslims played a role in this event. Broadly, Muslim support during the American Revolution occurred on three levels: diplomacy, global support, and strategy, as well as individual service for the cause. Today’s essay will highlight instances in which Muslims contributed to the American cause of independence 250 years ago.

When the US declared independence on July 4, 1776, many countries were hesitant to recognize its independence. The British had the world’s strongest navy and controlled global trade; hence, recognizing the young American republic’s legitimacy would have jeopardized a nation’s standing with the British. 

So, which country was the first to recognize the American nation? France, the historic rival of Britain? 

Prussia? 

Spain? 

Russia? 

It was, in fact, the Sultanate of Morocco in 1777, under Sidi Muhammad ibn Abdullah, that signed a decree allowing American merchant ships to freely dock at Moroccan ports, independent of British agreements, thereby tacitly affirming American sovereignty. The Sultan did so to diversify commercial partners and increase trade with the young republic. In fact, once the War of Independence commenced, the two parties signed the American-Moroccan treaty of friendship, which guaranteed peace, commercial rights, safe navigation, and mutual diplomatic protection. To this day, that treaty of friendship remains the longest unbroken treaty in American history. This treaty also benefited the US, as Morocco was a key player in controlling traffic in the Western Mediterranean, providing protection against Barbary pirate raids and opening the US to Mediterranean markets (El Mansour, Mohamed; National Archives). 

One of the battles of the revolution, the Battle of Delaware Bay, was noteworthy for the capture of the British ship HMS General Monk, later renamed ‘George Washington’. Interestingly, amongst the three American sloops (a class of ships), one was named ‘Hyder Ally’, an unusual name amongst the American ships. This ship was named after Sultan Haydar Ali of Mysore, the father of the famous Tipu Sultan, also known as the Tiger of Mysore. Today, in the popular imagination, we often remember the US War of Independence as a strictly North American war, but it was indeed a global war involving both European and Asian powers. This was because many had grown resentful of the rapid expansion of the British Empire and hence sought partnerships with fellow rivals and enemies of the British. The best-known case of this is the French partnership with the Americans, later joined by the Spanish Empire and the Dutch Republic, all of whom sought the downfall of the British. One often-forgotten member of this global coalition was the Kingdom of Mysore, which was resisting British colonization of India under the skilled and renowned ruler Tipu Sultan. This brings us back to the earlier ship, Hyder Ally; the Americans named the ship as an homage to Sultan Haydar Ali, who was globally known as a freedom fighter against the British, along with his even more famous son, Tipu Sultan. Mysore was one of the most formidable opponents of the British Empire, possessing one of the most modernized militaries in the world, and in the Anglo-Mysore wars, entire British armies were captured or eliminated. This set of exhausting wars in India had global consequences, including the development of an alliance and a planned offensive with the French, as well as major disruptions to global trade and the allocation of British military units. British finances deteriorated in this time, as money was poured into putting down the American freedom fighters, the French and Spanish attacks, as well as the relentless defense of the Tiger of Mysore. As a result, the shared struggle for freedom and independence against the encroaching British Empire led the American Patriots to admire and draw inspiration from Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan (Dalrymple, William). 

One of the more overshadowed and underappreciated contributors to the American freedom struggle was the African American population, often indentured, who served diligently in the Continental Army. Many of the African Americans, roughly 10-15% according to modern academic estimates, were of Muslim background. One of the more famous examples was of an individual known as Bampett Muhammad, who enlisted in the Massachusetts army and served in the patriotic forces. Whilst we do not know much about his life, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, his example, alongside others, affirms the presence and contributions of Muslims in the independence struggle. Other examples they give are Joseph Benhaly, Yusuf ibn Ali, and Yusuf Saba (Diouf, Sylviane A; National Museum of African American History and Culture). 

This article makes clear the Muslim contribution to the American War of Independence and the appreciation of it by many contemporaries. Today, unfortunately, such a history is often forgotten, but it remains a key aspect of Muslim-American history and of the American Revolution as a whole. Let us use this festive occasion not only to celebrate our country’s 250th anniversary of independence but also to remember the contributions of Muslim Americans throughout history. With Moroccan diplomatic recognition, proving critical for the young republic; Mysorean military contributions, diverting British troops and money; and many Muslim African soldiers who laid down their lives for the cause of an independent America.

Works Cited

Dalrymple, William. The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019.

Diouf, Sylviane A. Servants of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved in the Americas. 2nd ed., New York University Press, 2013.

Founders Online. "Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Signed at Marrakesh July 15, 1786.". National Archives, Accessed 4 July 2026.

Weber, Michael J. The American Revolution: A World War. University Press of Kentucky, 1998.

National Museum of African American History and Culture. "African Muslims in Early America.". Smithsonian Institution, Accessed 4 July 2026.

El Mansour, Mohamed. "Moroccan Sultan Sidi Muhammad Ibn Abdallah's Diplomatic Initiatives toward the United States, 1777–1786." Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, vol. 139, no. 2, 1995, pp. 183–204.