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Showing posts with label Islam in non-Muslim countries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islam in non-Muslim countries. Show all posts

Wednesday 27 March 2024

Resurgence of Islam in Spain

Islam was the dominating religion of Spain and Muslims ruled Spain for almost eight hundred years. The country saw immense development in the architecture and education. It was a tragedy that the Muslim rule came to a sorry and tragic end after the glory it had seen in Al-Andalus, as was Spain called under the Muslim rule. 

The Muslim period in Spain is often described as a 'golden age' of learning where libraries, colleges, public baths were established and literature, poetry and architecture flourished. Both Muslims and non-Muslims made major contributions to this flowering of culture. The work of its most important philosophers and scientists, such as Abulcasis and Averroes, had a major influence on the intellectual life of medieval Europe.

Ibn Rushd (Abū l-Walīd Muḥammad Ibn ʾAḥmad Ibn Rušd), often Latinized as Averroes, was an Andalusian polymath and jurist who wrote about many subjects, including philosophy, theology, medicine, astronomy, physics, psychology, mathematics, Islamic jurisprudence and law, and linguistics. [1]

Abū al-Qāsim Khalaf ibn al-'Abbās al-Zahrāwī al-Ansari (936–1013) Latinised as Albucasis or Abulcasis (from Arabic Abū al-Qāsim), was a physician, surgeon and chemist from al-Andalus. He is considered one of the greatest surgeons of the Middle Ages. [2] 

In fact, Spain under Islam was the time of religious and ethnic tolerance and interfaith harmony between Muslims, Christians and Jews. Many Christians in Spain assimilated parts of the Muslim culture. Impressed by the Muslim culture, many learnt Arabic, some even adopted the same clothes as their rulers (some Christian women even started wearing the veil); some took Arabic names. Christians who did this were known as Mozarabs. Although, Muslims did not explicitly hate or persecute the non-Muslims, some writers of the view that the natives lived a like of second class citizens and that the Muslim attitude toward non-Muslims is one not of hate or fear or envy but simply of contempt. 

Despite the notion that Islam spread by sword, Muslims respected people of other faith and respected their places of worship and there never was an effort to subdue the non-Muslims and force them to convert to Islam. And Muslims have to pay dearly for their softer approach and respect for other religions. And the end of Muslim rule over Spain came after a glorious history of rule spread over 800 years came with a tragic end, as Christians regained power. The take over was ruthless and barbaric. 'Edicts of Expulsion' for the expulsion of the Moriscos was finally issued by Philip III in 1609 against the Muslims in Spain. The last mass prosecution against Moriscos for crypto-Islamic practices occurred in Granada in 1727, and the indigenous Islam was finally extinguished from Spanish soil.

Recalling the grim days of expulsion of Muslims from Spain, Matthew Carr, the author of Blood and Faith, explains the harrowing details of the plight of the Moriscos, driven from their home country as detested aliens.:

Poignant and often tragic scenes unfolded as the Moriscos were brought to the waiting ships. One old man arrived in Valencia declaring his wish to be buried on Muslim soil but dropped dead while boarding his ship. Other Moriscos died of hunger and exhaustion before leaving the shore. Muslim babies were snatched and even kidnapped for their spiritual salvation and later were raised as Christians. [3]

The Muslim places of worship were completely destroyed, leaving no trace of Muslim rule of Spain. Only a few landmarks like Alhambra were saved as cultural heritage not to project Islam, but to attract tourism in the country. It is the same way of preserving Taj Mahal in India, built by the Muslim rulers, to  attract tourism, while the Muslims in general are treated worse than third rate citizens at large. 


However, Islam could never be taken out off the hearts of the  few remaining Muslims in Spain and their number continued to grow over time. The Arabic names distorted into Spanish and English can still be felt of their Arabic heritage like Gibraltar from Jabal al Tariq (the present Rock of Gibraltar named after the Muslim commander Tariq bin Zayyad who brought his army on ships which was a cue to Muslim occupation of Hispania), Cordoba from Qurtaba and Grenada from Gharnata. The world famous architecture of Alhambra in Grenada continues till today with its original name.

Today, nearly three million Muslims in Spain make up over 4% of the population. The majority are from Morocco; other sizable Muslim communities include Pakistanis, Algerians, Senegalese and Nigerians. The Autonomous Communities with a higher Muslim population are Catalonia, Andalusia, Madrid and the Valencian Community. 

We share today a beautiful video of resurgence of Islam in Spain as more and more Spaniards are reverting to Islam for Islam is in their blood and Allah SWT is calling them back to return.. And after some 500 years of silence, Adhan is heard and masjids being flocked by the Muslims:
Let us continue to watch over the growth of Muslims in Spain and a day will come, God Willing / In sha Allah, when Muslim presence will be overwhelming in all parts of once Mighty Al-Andalus.

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

You may also read our previous post "Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Spain - Once the Mighty Al-Andalus" which we published sometime back on the life of Muslims in Spain. To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our Reference Page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim CountriesYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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Wednesday 24 May 2023

Islam in Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Kinshasa and formerly known as Zaire, is a country in Central Africa. With a population of around 112 million, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is dominated by with various Christian denominations and sects. Islam was first introduced to the Congo basin from the East African coast during 19th century and remains largely concentrated in parts of Eastern Congo, notably in Maniema Province. Though estimates vary, it is generally believed that between one and 10 percent of the country's population identify as Muslim. [1] However, other estimates put the ratio of Muslims about 10-15%. [2]

Until the 1920s the Muslim presence was not felt strongly in the country which, since the 19th century, had been a Belgian colony. Since then, the Muslim presence in the country has been manifesting itself through the NGOs and Quranic schools that have been founded. But this time the domination of the educational system by Christian and colonial powers acted as a disincentive to Muslim involvement in public life and has always kept them away. Years of Belgian colonial rule not only saw restrictions on Muslim worship, but Muslim children were expelled from schools, force-fed pork, and people were forced to eat and drink during Ramadan. [2]

The independence in 1960 resulted into more oppression for and discrimination against Muslims instead of more freedom. The existing political and military conflicts in the areas where they lived contributed to the further marginalization of the Muslim minority. 

The Muslim minority has been in dire straits since the uprising affecting the eastern parts of the country, especially since 2010. Having been targeted by the government on account of accusations of collaborating with armed opposition groups, some Muslims have had to flee their homes and migrate to other regions. The existence of armed groups from the Muslim minority, such as the Allied Democratic Forces of Islam(ADF-Nalu), who have been involved in the events, has brought misery upon ordinary Muslims, despite their disengagement from the conflict. While mosques in the country have become a target for attacks, the problem of security still waits to be solved. [2] 


Muslims today form a sizeable minority in Congo of today. The highest concentration of Muslims is in Maniema Province and especially its cities of Kasongo and Kindu where they represent 80–90 percent and 25 percent of the population respectively. Besides indigenous Muslims, the population also includes immigrants from Lebanon, India, Pakistan and other parts of the African continent. The vast majority of Muslims in the country identify themselves as Sunni, following the Maliki school of jurisprudence (fiqh). Congolese Muslims are frequently divided between conservative Sufis and Reformists (Salafists) as well as along local ethnic, geographical, and generational lines.

Congolese Muslims are represented at a national level by the Islamic Community of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Communauté islamique du République démocratique du Congo, or Comico) which succeeded the Islamic Community of Zaire (Communauté islamique du Zaïre, Comiza) founded in the 1970s. However, Muslims have little political influence in national politics and are underrepresented in its institutions. Of the 450 MPs in parliament, only three are there to represent the Muslim minority. However, if representation was given in proportion relation to their numbers, there would need to be at least 65-70 Muslim MPs. [2]

As of today, while the majority of Muslims in the warn-torn areas is low to miserable, while Muslim minority living in the capital city of Kinshasa and in other urban centers seems unaffected that of the war-torn areas. Urban centers, where the central authority is powerful, are the primary destinations of migrants.

The religious education of Muslim children is almost non-existant as most Muslim schools are not Qur’anic and are open to children of other faiths. One of the few academic studies of Congolese Muslim schools noted that they may employ non-Muslim teachers and apart from religious teaching were not noticeably different from any other Congolese school. Muslims parents who want a more rigorous Qur’anic education for their children tend to arrange it as an extra-curricular activity. All of which seems to indicate that Islam in the Democratic Republic of Congo is neither orthodox nor closed, and despite their near invisibility in demographic and development studies, has a lot to offer in national reconstruction. [3]
The plight of Muslims is worse and threatening due to the civil war, syas Imam of Beni, Musa Angwandi, is the leader of approximately 35,000 Muslims in Beni Territory. He says the community is very stressed, they are accused of things they haven’t done and he is afraid that if they are further intimidated they may take things into their own hands. During one of my many forays into the bush I see an abandoned mosque near Eringeti and when I ask the reason why it is no longer used I am told that the worshippers were chased away and pigs heads were left on the steps. As is so often the case with Congo stories, deeper digging reveals that this was less a tale of religious scapegoating and was more likely a manifestation of local political skirmishes.[3]
To ease the sufferings of the Congolese Muslims, former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi financed proliferation of mosques in the greater North Kivu covering Butembo and Beni on to Ituri, regions which have seen growth of a Muslim community from the late 1980s and early 90s. It is here the UN Peace Keeping continegent from Pakistan has been based sine late 1990s and have had their influence on the growth of Islam. Pakistani contingent has built number of mosques in greater north Kivu and Ituri regions.
Pakistan troops in Bukavu, south Kivu [Photo]

The internal strife among the Muslim community is a bane for the community as a whole. The armed groups do not show mercy and many a killing has been reported. 
Muslims offering prayers [Photo: Getty Images/BBC]

In May 2021, a senior Muslim cleric in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo was shot dead while praying in the main mosque in Beni city. The cleric was a strong critic of Islamic militancy in the region, Reuters news agency reports. Eastern DR Congo has been badly hit by instability, including attacks claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group. Many armed groups operate in eastern DR Congo, a legacy of the conflicts that gripped the region in the 1990s.
However, despite being underrepresented in the media and politically, the Muslim community in the Congo seems to be expanding and shows a stronger desire to exist on the political and social scene. The fragile stability of the region pushes the inhabitants to organize themselves so as not to create misunderstandings. The association “ Islamic Dynamics for the Fight against Terrorism in the Great Lakes Region ” was created to respond to extremism and the stigmatization of Muslims. This structure pleads with the Congolese government, which is mainly non-Muslim. During our discussion, the Sheikh sighs and notes the lack of representativeness of the population of Muslim faith in the DRC: “Out of 26 provinces of the country, no governor is Muslim. In the general assembly, 540 deputies, only two Muslims ”. [4]
A study group as reported by alohanews Meeting with Muslims in a mosque in Goma

Muslims who, like elsewhere, are fighting against stigmatization following a painfully heavy global context to bear. Redefining themselves, asserting themselves, being represented, so many battles that Muslims are struggling to lead in Europe as well. A country historically weakened by the thirst for power, the slave trade, colonization... but which continues to believe in hope. The Congolese have in common a bloody history and present. However, various testimonies lean towards the desire to build together with a view to social peace. A slim hope that everyone dreams of. 

When would peace prevail in Congo, one is not very sure. But the effect of overall violence has permeated into the Muslim community as well and adversly affecting their lives.

PS: I could not find any video reflecting how Muslims celebrate their festivals and normal life in Congo. Will add as and when I find one. All videos on YouTube are about violence and conflicts.

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our Reference Page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Wednesday 3 May 2023

Islam in Gabon

Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic, is one of the smallest countries of the continent located in Western Africa. Its population is estimated at 2.3 million people. The High Council of Islamic Affairs estimates approximately 12 percent of the population is Muslim, including many noncitizen residents with origins in West Africa as of Jun 2020 estimates. The presence of non-Gabonese Muslims is due to the fact that Gabon attracted a large foreign labor force and investors, especially after the 1970s when oil was discovered in the area.

Despite being an overwhelming Christian country, Gabon has been a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) since 1974. This is mainly due to desired economic relations with rich Arabic countries on the one hand, and the then president Omar Bongo’s adoption of Islam in 1973 on the other. Following Omar Bongo's death, the office of the presidency is held by his son Ali Bongo Ondimba, also a Muslim. These relations developed along economic lines have borne fruit in the political arena as well, and Gabon has sided with Islamic countries in numerous matters, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The High Council of Islamic Affairs of Gabon, which represents the country’s Muslims, helps to bring different groups together, as well as engender relations between the state and the Muslim minority community. There is also a general secretariat which acts under the remit of the president as an adviser regarding policies relating to the Muslims. This general secretariat has direct power over the council. 


The socioeconomic situation of Muslims in the country presents a very inconsistent case. Muslims who belong to the civil and military elite have a high economic status along with their social status. However, Muslims living in the slums as unskilled workers or in rural areas live in very poor conditions.
The Hassan II Mosque in the city of Libreville, located behind the presidential palace of the Republic of Gabon (when viewed from the sea). This Moroccan-style mosque was indeed built by the Kingdom of Morocco in 1983. It is the largest mosque in Gabon with a capacity of up to 5000 worshipers at once. King of Morocco Muhammad VI once stopped to perform prayers at this mosque during his official visit to the Republic of Gabon, Burkina Faso and Senegal in 2005. [3] (Photo from panorama)

The state does not interfere in religious matters, rather it helps the minorities to live as per their faith and celebrate religious festivals. In fact, religious life in Gabon is quite good. The government gives freedom to its people to embrace their respective religions and beliefs. The first days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are official holidays in the country. 
Muslims of Gabon offering prayer [Photo]

The Muslim minority has the right to make religious broadcasts once a week on state television. This usually happens in the form of broadcasting the Friday khutbah (public preaching) from a mosque. There are no obstacles in the country to Muslims establishing their own educational institutions. One of the most important conditions that applies to Islamic schools is that the education they offer must not be below the standard of a public school. [2]

You may like to watch a short video clip in which Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba is seen attending the prayer of the Muslim feast of Tabaski (Eid) at the Hassan II Mosque in Libreville:

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our Reference Page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim CountriesYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
Resource References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 
If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Saturday 18 March 2023

Islam in Bahamas

The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. The archipelagic state consists of more than 3,000 islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, and is located north of Cuba and northwest of the island of Hispaniola (split between the Dominican Republic and Haiti) and the Turks and Caicos Islands, southeast of the U.S. state of Florida, and east of the Florida Keys. The capital is Nassau on the island of New Providence.

Bahamas is officially a predominately Christian country with a population of about 400,516 (2022 estimate). Of this, Muslims constitute a very marginal minority, something under 1,000. That is adherents of Islam represent even less than 1% of the population. The reason for this rather minuscule Muslim population is that Islam came to this part of the world until very recently. Although, Muslim presence in Bahamas can be noted during the Slave Period, but they could not establish a strong foothold on the Islands being literate and due to harshness and rigors of slavery.

The journey of Islam in the present times began somewhere in the 1960, a Bahamian named Bashan Saladin (formerly Charles Cleare) preached Islam and converted his home into a Mosque. In 1974, Dr. Munir Ahmad who returned from the US as a Dental Specialist and Mr. Mustafa khalil Khalfani joined hands to establish Islam in the country. They were later joined by Br. Faisal Abdurrahmaan Hepburn. After independence, more Bahamians converted to Islam while studying in the US. There are many Muslims here from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, as well as from Turkey and Guyana, who have helped develop the Muslim community in The Bahamas. Many of these work in the Bahamas as doctors, businessmen and teachers.


The development of Islam in the Bahamas since 1970’s constitutes a very important era. Muslims in Bahamas feel that their fore fathers, who were brought here as slaves, were unable to practice their faith and consequently Islam never flourished. Conditions now are much more conducive for the growth and development of this faith which emphasizes the worship of one God alone and the finality of Prophethood with Muhammad, who established Islaam 1430 years ago in Arabia.

The small percentage of Muslims poses a huge challenge to those Muslims who are mostly converts on the island and are striving into live by the tenets of Islam every single day. In the Bahamas, there is one Masjid which is still in the process of being built to completion and an effort is made to have the adhan called for each salat daily. In 1978 when Jamaat-Ul-Islam, the Revolutionary Islamic Movement, was formed and Br. Mustapha Khalil Khalafani was chosen as its leader, the Muslims established Jamaat- Ul-Islam Mosque in Nassau operated by Jamaat Management Consultancy Limited owned by Brother Faisal Abdurrahman Hepburn.
Jamaa' Ahlus Sunnah, Nassau, Bahamas [Photo]

The Mosque rests on two acres of land, white in color with three domes (one large and two small) and one tall minaret.  It is surrounded by newly planted trees, a colorful courtyard and a parking lot.  Women area is separated by a perforated wooden partisan. The five daily prayers are performed punctually in congregation. Over 60 people attend the Friday sermon and prayer.  Other activities include brothers and sisters study circle as well as children’s Sunday school.
On a question in Quora whether there are Muslims in Bahamas, there was an answer by Nan Bowe Hilaire which stated: Yes, there are Muslims in the Bahamas. It’s a good size community there are about 300 maybe more by now. I even went to school with a girl whose family was Muslim she was the only Muslim in the entire school and was well love and respected, in the Bahamas even though there are many religions and some, of course, are more popular than others (Baptist, Catholic) everyone is really open-minded about different religions.
Although, Islam in Nassau is growing with a strong foundation for increasing the Dawa work in the area. Muslims in The Bahamas are still being ignored or marginalized in many ways however primarily because they are still a very small minority. The Bahamas is an excellent travel destination for all people. Also, it welcomes Muslims by offering a wide range of halal food.

The Muslim community is actively involved in social work and other civic activities. The community has made its voice heard on a range of topics, from crime in society to correcting the negative image of Islam and Muslims in the media. The community has work in presenting Islam as a viable alternative to various social ills. The community has also joined hands with the government in socially oriented activities. When the Government established the National Social development council, the community immediately cashed the opportunity to make a contribution. The Council was an amalgamation of civic bodies coming together to tackle the social problems of the nation. The Council was expected to establish commissions to deal with issues such as crime in society, teenage pregnancies, domestic abuse.

I could not get a video on the life of Muslims and their way of life and cultural activities. However, am sharing the video below which gives an insight in the establishment of Islam in the Bahamas by the key figures mentioned earlier in the post:

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our Reference Page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
Flag Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Saturday 11 March 2023

Islam in Namibia

Namibia or the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa with an overwhelming Christian population of about 2.5 million (2020 estimate). The Muslims form part a tiny fraction of the total Namibian population, officially about 70,000 or a little more. Islam is not very new to this part of the world. It was only in 18th century that Muslims found inroad to this largely barren and deserted land. The initial Muslims were mainly from India when they were brought to lands what presently constitute Namibia by the British and Dutch colonists.

It was the port city of Luderitz where the Muslim traders of Indian traders and merchants settled in the late 1800s. These early Muslims built the first mosque in Namibia, which still stands today and serves as a hub of the Muslim community in Luderitz.  And it was from here that Islam started to spread to other parts of Namibia, particularly the capital city of Windhoek. Now there are several mosques and Islamic organizations in Windhoek. There is also a significant number of Muslims in the northern part of the country, particularly in the regions of Oshana and Ohangwena.

The Muslim community started to expand with lot of diversity as Muslims with various ethnicities of Indian, Pakistani, Arabs, and Africans origins. The Muslims are generally located in the urban areas. The majority of Muslims following the Hanafi school of thought. Apart from the original non-Namibian Muslims, there have been many local Namibians who have reverted to Islam. 
The first indigenous female Namibian is believed to have embraced Islam in the 1940s, while the first indigenous male is believed to have embraced Islam in 1979. 
However, due to very late presence of Muslims in this part of the world, Islam is still struggling to become a meaningful minority. Interestingly, Islam combined with Judaism, Buddhism, and the Baháʼí Faith, account for less than 1% of the population of Namibia.


As per one survey, Namibians are fairly open-minded towards Islam, however, due to the lack of cultural presence of Islam in Namibia, many people do not quite know much about Islam. In an interview, Dr. Armas Abdul Malik Shikongo, the Head of the Windhoek Islamic Centre based in Windhoek West. reveals his experience of reversion to Islam and said: 
Some Namibians do not even know that Muslims are a different religious community and separate from Christianity, for example referring to a place of worship in Islam as a 'Muslim or Islamic Church', which is quite inaccurate, since Islam is a separate religion, not a part of Christianity, though there are a number of similarities between the two Abrahamic faiths, just like Judaism. It seems more like many Namibians are [ignorant] about Islam, yet curious, as they tend to look at Muslims as resembling people described in the Bible, especially in terms of some behaviors such as their dress code, dietary habits and religious practices. [3]
There are about seven mosques in the capital city, Quba Mosque is one of the big ones as shown under
The Quba masjid draws many Muslims to it, especially on Friday congregational prayer.

The Quba masjid, which also the part of Windhoek Islamic Center, is the first masjid in the country. It has rightly been named as Quba, as the first ever masjid that was established in the early days of Islam in the city of the Medinah was named Quba by Prophet Muhammad. As of May 2009, there were twelve mosques in the country, six in Windhoek, two in Katima Mulilo, one in Walvis Bay, and three in the north of the country in the former Ovamboland.

Despite small Muslim population, the Adhan (call to prayer) has become a familiar sound and even non-Muslims know that Muslims are being called for their prayer.  The Imam of the masjid claims: "Despite Muslims being like apples hanging in a tree crowded with pears, but Islam has made a major impact here and our numbers are growing." [4]

The dominating Muslim tribe is that of Nama. Why mainly Muslims are from this tribe. Imam Ali tells the story of Jacobs Salmaan Dhameer, the country’s incumbent Electoral Commissioner. “Jacobs attended an Islamic Conference in Maseru (Lesotho) in 1980 and converted to Islam. He is the country’s first black Muslim,” he recalls. “When he returned from the conference he spread the word to his own people, the Nama. That is why many of them are practicing Muslims.”

While the going is great for the Namibian Muslims, they face major challenges. Muslim voices are hardly heard while Christians have airtime on state radio, television and columns in newspapers. The resistance to Islam is not because of terrorism. Neither is it a tale of fundamentalism. Car bombs and jihad, the holy Muslim war, belong to a different theatre in the world thousands of kilometers from Windhoek and other Namibian towns. Here is a story of the attraction some Namibians experience when it comes to Islam, a religion taking hold in a basically overwhelmingly Christian country. [6]

Although there is no representation of Muslims in the state affairs, the matters related to Muslims are generally taken care of by the Namibia Islamic Judicial Council is based on Ondobe in the Ohangwena Region. NIHA (Namibia Islamic Halaal Association) is Namibia's oldest and most well-known Halaal Certifying body, recognized by the Halaal Certification body in South Africa and in many Islamic states. NIHA was established in 2001 and before known as the Namibia Halaal Slaughterers Association. It certifies food outlets in the country. [1]

I could not get a video on life of Muslims in Namibia and their customs and traditions to celebrate Islamic festivals. But got hold of a short video clip on extending Dawah (Invitation to Islam) to villagers in Namibia:
Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our Reference Page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Monday 13 February 2023

Islam in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is a country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and its offshore islands in Melanesia (a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean north of Australia). With an overwhelming Christian population, Islam is a rather new religious community that began its journey in the 1980s. From a few dozen in 1980s to 10,00 strong Muslim community (2012 estimates), the journey to Islam has been slow yet very encouraging. Although, Muslim traders have been visiting this part of the world since the 17th century, yet despite centuries of contact with Muslims, there seems to have been little Islamic influence in Papua New Guinea except in certain rituals or customs among some native tribes.

In recent times as early as 1970s, the Muslim population of Papua New Guinea was merely 120. Most were expatriate workers from Africa and South Asia. But then things started to improve when the government officially recognized Islam in 1982. In 1988, Muslims in Papua New Guinea set up the first Islamic center, with the help of a Malaysia-based Islamic organization and the Saudi Ministry of Islamic affairs. In 1996, three more Islamic centers were established, with the help of the Muslim World League. There are now seven Islamic centers in the nation. The Muslim population rose to 500 in 2001, but it surged to around 5000 in 2012, claiming a surge of over 500%. In some cases, the entire villages have embraced Islam when dawah teams visited the villages. Such conversions have been very interesting as the dawah teams had t disguise them as per the customs and culture of the indigenous people (watch the video below).
First Papua New Guinean Family to embrace Islam
Barrah Islam (Nuli) and Fatima (Margaret) - (Photo)

As for the rise of Muslim population, a report was published in "The Garamut" based on a survey by Steve Marshall about the growing number of Papua New Guineans converting to Islam in the country. His story raises a number of interesting points and questions concerning the religious future of PNG. The report quoting Isa Teine, the general secretary for PNG’s Islamic Society tells why many Christians are drawn to Islam is because of many similarities Islam has with Melanesian customs: [3]
“When we greet people, we hug them. This is Islam. We don’t shake hands and leave them, so most of our cultures are Islamic. Polygamy – this is Islam. Islam encourages four wives. Before Islam came in, people already had two, three, four wives. This is Islam.
“So, when the religion came in and said, ‘Oh we have to do this, our Islamic culture, we have to do this and that’, people fit in easily. So, it’s very easy for Papua New Guineans to embrace Islam. Once the religion itself spread I tell you, I’m just predicting in 20-30 years' time, all Papua New Guinea will submit to Islam”.


Papuan Muslims are largely concentrated Port Moresby and villages situated in the Highlands. despite having an overwhelming Christan population, Muslims are free to proselytize and build places of worship in the country, mainly due to the secular nature of the country's constitution. The majority of the Muslims are Sunni. Interestingly, unlike many other non-Muslim countries where a large number of Muslim percentages constitutes of foreign workers, the majority of Muslims in Papua New Guinea are indigenous Papua New Guineans. 
Beautiful masjid and community centre in the capital city of Ports Moresby (Photo)

The spread of Islamophobia around the world has also started to make its presence felt in this part of the world too. The present state of Muslim community viz a viz the dominating Christian population has not been very encouraging. Although, Islam was officially recognized as one of the religions, to the present day, the government has threatened to ban Islam. Muslims have experienced discrimination and even violence from the Christian majority.
The mosque in downtown Port Moresby has been fire-bombed, there is a bullet hole in one of the windows, and a senior PNG Government minister once said that Islam was dangerous and a serious threat to peace and unity here.
"There is not adequate understanding by the people of this country about Islam, because the more negative pictures are painted on the religion of Islam, the more people tend to believe what the other people say instead of coming and hearing from the Muslims," says Khalid, one of the Muslim imams.

Note: This post is our initial venture into how Islam spread in Papua New Guinea. we will add more in time, especially a firsthand account of how Islam came to this part of the country in 1970s.

You may like to watch a short video clip on conversion of a village to Islam for which the dawah team had to "dress up" like the people they were visiting and despite initial hesitation, they embraced Islam

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our Reference Page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Saturday 11 February 2023

Islam in Italy (Islam e vita dei musulmani in Italia)

In our series of posts on Islam and Life of Muslims in non-Muslim countries, we present the status of Islam and challenges faced by Muslim community in Italy. There are about 1.6 million Muslims in Italy, almost one third of Italy's foreign population and the fourth largest Muslim population in Europe (another estimate claims Muslim population to be 2.6 million, just about 4% of total Italian population). Yet Islam is not officially recognized as a religion in Italy, unlike Christianity and Judaism. The majority of Muslims in Italy are Sunni, with a Shi'ite minority.

Muslims have a meaningful presence in this part of the world from 9th to 14th century. But many endeavours to gain a foothill in Italy, failed and gradually the Muslim population started to deplete. There was a revival of Muslim population in the 20th century, when Somali immigrants from Somalia began to arrive in Italy. In more recent years, there has been migration from Pakistan, Balkans, Bangladesh, India, Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia. There are also some converts to Islam in Italy (most notably on the island of Sicily). While in medieval times, the Muslim population was almost totally concentrated in Insular Sicily and in the city of Lucera, in Apulia, it is today more evenly distributed, with almost 60% of Muslims living in the North of Italy, 25% in the centre, and only 15% in the South. 

The life of Muslims isn't at all easy in Italy rather it is more challenging than most of other European countries. Islamophobia fever runs high in the country. The anti-Muslim sentiments soar following the September 11 attacks and 7 July 2005 London bombings. Survey published in 2019 by the Pew Research Center found that 55% of Italians had an unfavourable view of Muslims. Much of the local Italian media indirectly correlates Islam to terrorism as a whole. This contributes to these unfavorable opinions.


The diversity of Muslim sects has induced a lack of organization throughout the Italian Muslim community. As a result, the community also lacks cohesive leadership and thus no meaningful representation at the state level to present Muslim viewpoint and resolve many issues that are faced by the Muslim community.

One of the major issues that concerns Muslims is the lack of masjids in Italy. Imagine for a population fo about 1.6 million, there are ONLY EIGHT masjids intended as standalone structures, with an area solely dedicated to prayer, as well as recognizable architectural elements like a cupola dome or a minaret (the tower from which the muezzin calls to prayer). Since Islam is not officially recognized, mosques cannot receive public funds, Islamic weddings have no legal value and Muslim workers aren't entitled to take days off for religious holidays. Comparing the number of masjids with other European countries, France, which has a Muslim population three to four times bigger than Italy’s, has 2,200 mosques, while the UK, with a Muslim population about twice the size of Italy’s, has 1,500.
Roma, la Moschea (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/author: user:Lalupa)

Islamic Cultural Center of Italy Grand Mosque of Rome is the largest mosque in the western world ever built, in terms of land area. It has an area of 30,000 m2 and can accommodate more than 12,000 people. The building is in the Acqua Acetosa area, at the foot of the Monti Parioli, north of the city.

Watching a video just months after its release in October 2022, the new Italian prime minister is said to have given a big no to the new mosques in Italy. Thus, in order to compensate the scarcity of masjids in the country, about 800 cultural centers and musalla, have been locally developed which are in fact informal prayer rooms, often housed in garages, basements, and warehouses, as reported by Maria Bombardieri, a social science researcher at the University of Padua and the author of Mosques of Italy. They function as a place of worship, and a cultural and educational meeting place.
The main prayer hall in Palermo’s mosque (Photo: Francesco Malavolta for Quartz)

Even if there was an easier way to get public financing for mosques, permission to open mosques are hard to get from authorities, and construction is often opposed by local communities. When there is an opportunity to build one, Muslim communities tend to avoid distinctive architectural elements such as minarets and cupolas, so as not to generate tension with local communities.

Italy is in a unique position compared to other European countries: it’s pluralistic. Its Islamic community comprises of relatively recent immigrants from many nations, none of which in overwhelming majority. This makes it harder for a group—national, or transnational, like the Muslim Brothers—to become hegemonic and exercise extremist influence. However, putting the Muslim community in a position to depend on foreign funding to build mosques (Saudi Arabia financed Rome’s Mosque, and Qatar is a big funder of Muslim institutions in the country) puts it at a higher risk of external influence, increasing the chances of isolation, which is a risk factor for radicalization. [2]

The Muslims in Italy lack a cohesive and united leadership. Combined with Islam’ intrinsic lack of clerical hierarchy and a weak internal cohesion and a poor level of organization, there is no effective body to represent the community when dealing with the Italian state, particularly at the macro level. However, one of the oldest Muslim organizations in Italy is the Islamic Cultural Center in Rome, which is based out of Rome’ Grand Mosque, Europe’ largest. Rome’ Grand Mosque. But despite its ample means and ambitions, its geographic limitation to the Rome area and its close relation to foreign governments prevent the Grand Mosque from being a nationally representative Muslim organization. [3]

There have been many cases of attacks on the mosques in Italy by the non-Muslim fanatics (though they still call Muslims as terrorists).  

Do Italians reject Hijab? Well, there has been mixed news on the subject. As I googled the search, it gave the answer: Is Italy hijab friendly? Italian Muslims gather to pray in mosques across the country, particularly in Rome and Sicily, regardless of culture, and it's a heartwarming sight. Additionally, wearing modest dress and hijab is accepted and welcomed, so every Muslim will feel comfortable traveling around the country.

Author's Note: We are trying to collect more about Muslims in Italy, the celebrations of religious events like Eid and Ramadan and community network. We will keep updating the site. In the meanwhile  those Muslims from Italy reading this post are requested to add their views in the comment box below to make this post wholesome.

You may like to watch a short video clip on young Muslim Italians:

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our Reference Page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Thursday 22 December 2022

Islam in Macau

Macau, located in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a population of about 680,000, is a special administrative region of China, with executive, legislative, and judicial powers devolved from the national government. 

Islam has been present in Macau since the Yuan Dynasty. It is generally accepted that Islam were brought to Macau by traders from Middle East and Persia during that time until Qing Dynasty era. There around 10,000 Muslims in Macau, of which 400 are the local Macau Muslims, while others include workers from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Pakistan. The local Muslims call themselves as The Macau Islamic Society.
Macau Mosque [Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons / Author: Chongkian]

There is only one masjid in the city, located at 4 Ramal Dos Moros in Our Lady of Fatima Parish, which can accommodate about 100 people at a time. The mosque was built in the 1980s. It is mostly visited on Sundays as a holiday. There is also a cemetery in the vicinity for Muslims, which was built in 1854. It has about 120 graves. 
Muslim Cemetry [Photo credit: Yusof Husin/Facebook]

In view the growing needs of the Muslims, plan area foot to build a bigger mosque which could accommodate approximately 600 worshippers. The planned mosque will also house a hostel, halal restaurants, classrooms for religious instruction. Aside from the mosque, there are some hotels and establishments that maintain prayer rooms Muslims can use.


Halal food has recently been allowed to be sold in Macau. This not only makes it easier for the local Muslims to purchase Halal food or go to eateries that serve Halal food, this will greatly assist the Muslim tourists that visit the city.
There are many Pakistani families in Macau, Adnan Nasim is one of them (Pictured above with his family). Adnan Nasim moved to Macau 28 years ago to pursue university studies and now works for the University of Macau. He is making his best to expose lies about Islamophobia and presents spreads the peaceful message that Islam carries in his circles. They follow the religion’s main precepts, such as praying five times a day; not eating pork; not drinking alcohol; eating only ‘halal’ (the Muslim way of cutting) meat. They skip the noon prayer while they’re working but try to compensate once they get home. The couple says they do not face any hurdles daily and feel welcome here.

The Muslim community is growing steadily, believes the Islamic associations in Macau and Hong Kong, mainly due to an increase in the number of migrant workers coming from Indonesia. “It’s increasing. There are more and more people going to the mosque on Friday,” said imam Uthman Yang, who is part of the Islamic Union of Hong Kong but comes to Macau often to conduct religious rituals.

Muslims religiously observe the month of Ramadan, followed by the Eid festivities. Eid al-Fitr, which is the major festival of Muslims, is celebrated with great pomp and show at the mosque. Likewise, the Eid al-Adha is celebrated with fervour by the Muslim community of Macau. The celebrations are marked with prayers and animal slaughter for the poor and needy.

There are few Indian restaurants that serve Halal food. But if you’re not in the mood for Indian food, you’ll have more choices at Café Panorama at the Grand Coloane Resort. At Senado Square, there’s Loulan Islam Restaurant, which serves halal Chinese food. Loulan Islam restaurant serves halal food and you’ll notice the abundance of lamb included in their dishes, which is the cuisine’s signature meat.
For lovers of Naan (a specialty of Pakistani and Turkish cuisines) served at Loulan Islam Restaurant

You can also find Xinjiang’s elaborate hand-pulled noodles on their menu. Xinjiang is home to a unique culture. With so many influences from neighbouring countries like Russia, Pakistan and others, Xinjiang cuisine is distinct because of the large Muslim population in the region. 

You may like to watch a short video clip on Islam in Macau:

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our Reference Page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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