The Malé Revolt is perhaps the most significant slave rebellion in Brazilian history. On a Sunday during Ramadan in January 1835 some 600 enslaved Africans and freed men, inspired by Muslim teachers (Muslims were called malés in Bahia at this time), and bearing talismans containing texts from the Qur’an, rose up against the Portuguese-Brazilian government. The 1835 rebellion in Bahia was led primarily by well learned Muslims from the Yoruba West African ethnic group. The Yoruba Muslims managed to unify the enslaved Africans based on racial and religious solidarity. The uprising was ultimately quelled by the Portuguese but the rebellion left a lasting impression upon the other enslaved Africans who created fear in the hearts of the Europeans and eventually led to the abolishment of slavery in 1888.
