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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

Sunday 4 December 2022

Islam in Haiti


In our series of posts on Islam and life of Muslims in non-Muslim countries, today we have chosen Haiti, the Caribbean nation which has been otherwise closely associated with the African-derived faith of voodoo, has a small yet growing community of Muslims. Islam made inroads to Haiti from Africa in the 16th century during the slave trade period. But by the passage of time, Islam started to fade until recently it was revived by Moroccan immigrants.

As of now there is a small minority of 4,000-5,000 Muslims forming between 0.034 and 0.042% out of the total population of 11.7 million, composed mainly of foreign immigrants with some local converts. But reports say that Islam is gaining foothold on the Island. There has been no official tally on how many Haitians have converted to Islam, a religion still not recognized by the Haitian government.  However, Muslims are free to proselytize and build places of worship in the country. Therefore, a number of mosques and Islamic organizations are present in the country.
"After the earthquake we had a lot of people join," said Robert Dupuy, an imam or Islamic spiritual leader in the capital. "We were organized. We had space in the mosques to receive people and food to feed them."
According to some estimates there are at least 5,000 Haitians who have converted to Islam in the past 20 years in Haiti. In 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship officially listed 36 mosques and around 50 Koranic schools.
The At-Tawheed Mosque in downtown Port-au-Prince [Photo]
 
There has been a noticeable increase in followers since the 2010 earthquake that killed more than 300,000 people and left more than 1 million others homeless. People of many religions arrived in Haiti following the earthquake to lend assistance. But Muslim convert Kishner Billy, who hosts a nightly TV program, said that Muslims appear to have had the most lingering impact.
As per a report published on the VOA news, School teacher Darlene Derosier, a mother of two, helped build one of the mosques in her neighborhood. She said she converted to Islam after losing her home in the earthquake and the death of her husband a month later.
Muslims can practice their religion freely and Islamic studies are available. Haitian Muslim |Bilal Mosque and Islamic Center in Cap-Haïtien, which offers programs in Islamic studies and daily prayers. Other notable organizations include Masjid Shaheed Haiti Miragoâne Mosque in Miragoâne in Port-au-Prince. Masjid Al-fatiha masjid Annour & Masjid Tawhid Haiti laid] and is near completion. Listening to Adhan, the Muslim call for prayer is a common sign. "Among the market women haggling over prices while portable radios blare popular Haitian “compas” music, the muezzin’s call to prayer goes forth from a new Islamic masjeed, or prayer center."

While looking for references and information on Islam in Haiti, being from Pakistan, one piece of information specially caught my eye - a great tribute to the selfless effort of an individual, indeed:
In Gonaives, Mosque-al-Munawwar is the first mosque built by a Pakistani army officer, Major Saifullah while serving in MINUSTAH and named after his father Munawar Sultan Randhawa (a veteran Pakistani athlete) in 2008. This mosque has since been serving as a hub for charity works and was handed over to newly-converted Muslim locals. After the 2010 earthquake a number of Islamic organizations and relief groups visited the country with the purposes of rendering aid.
Mosquee Al-Fatiha, Haiti [Photo]

Muslims take active part in the affairs of local communities and representation in government offices. Nawoon Marcellus, who comes from the northern city of San Raphael, recently became the first Muslim elected to the Chamber of Deputies, Haiti’s lower house of Parliament, quotes a report published in the Arab News in 26 January 2013.
Muslim Haitian women offering prayer [Photo]

As mentioned before, the Haitian government does not recognize Islam as a religion, nor does it honor Muslim marriages. Wearing the skullcaps or flowing head scarves typical of the religion can draw stares and finger-pointing. Derosier said her neighbors' gossip that she's evil.

Muslims can be easily spotted in the communities. Muslim men distinctive in their kufi headwear and finely groomed beards, and women in traditional scarves, are now seen on the streets of several cities.

You may watch a short video on Islam in Haiti:

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 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 22 August 2022

Islam in Fiji - A Tribute to Muslims Community, which is role model for all Muslim Communities in non Muslim countries

Republic of Fiji is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about 110 are permanently inhabited. The most outlying island group is Ono-i-Lau. About 87% of the total population of 924,610 live on the two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. 

Humans have lived in Fiji since the second millennium BC. The present population of Fiji is 926,276 (2018 estimates) of which There are about 60,000 Muslims. that is about 6.3% of the total population. Muslims in Fiji are mostly Sunni Muslim. The Muslims migrated to Fiji from South Asia in the early 19th century. Later Muslim migrants from Arab Countries such as Sudan, Yemen and Egypt have also settled in Fiji forming a Fijian-Arab Population, with other migrants from other country's around the Islamic World. Islamic holy days such as Mawlid are also given as a holiday by the Fijian government.

The affairs of Muslims is managed by  the Fiji Muslim League, which was formed at the Jamia Masjid in Toorak on October 31, 1926. The Fiji Muslim League has contributed in the education in Fiji. Their first school, the Suva Muslim Primary School, was launched in the founding year 1926. Today, the Fiji Muslim League owns and operates 17 primary and 5 secondary schools, plus a tertiary institution known as the Islamic Institute of the South Pacific. The Fiji Muslim League, represents all other Sunni Muslims in Fiji who are mostly followers of Imam Hanafi. another organization by the name of Maunatul Islam Association of Fiji (MIAF) represents approximately 30% of the Sunni Muslims in Fiji who are mostly followers of Imam Shafi. The followers of Imam Shafi in Fiji are the descendants of Muslims of Malyalam origin who came to Fiji. [2,3]


The Fiji Muslim League also is the main pivot for organizing various social gatherings and assist the Muslims in the social needs of the Muslim community. Its involvement in social welfare is both at national and branch levels. In times of natural disasters or turmoil, the Fiji Muslim League directly helps Muslims and non-Muslims alike whose homes and lives have been disrupted. Its charity work ensures many families are fed, clothed, housed, and children sent to school.

The Muslim community enjoys equal citizenship and are prominent businessmen, ministers in the government, senior civil servants and community leaders. They live in a harmonious relationship with all ethnicities. Every major town in Fiji has a mosque, majority of which are managed by the Fiji Muslim League. Besides Eids, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is celebrated as a public holiday. The success of the spread of Islam in Fiji is owed to many devoted and learned Muslims, some of them were born during the initial period of arrival of Muslims from South Asia. The Muslim community is reaping the benefits from the sacrifices made by our pious predecessors. [4]
While looking for substance to add for my post, I came across a page "Fiji Muslim Youth Movement - Suva Central Sisters Branch" on Facebook which is maintained by the sisters of Fijian Muslim community and report their activates.

Please view a video about managing of affairs of Muslims in Fiji. I  was amazed to find a working model of use of Zakat (The Obligatory charity in Islam) and its disbursement to poor Muslim families. This is something I have not found such an excellent system of Zakat disbursement in any other non Muslim country:

Besides disbursement of Zakat, another commendable feat of Fijian Muslims is the establishment of an orphanage - a $1.2 million project to construct a vocational centre.
Officials of the Darul Uloom Darul Yatama in Drasa, Lautoka, at the site of the $1.2 million vocational centre which is under construction. Photo: Avinesh Gopal

The Darul Uloom Darul Yatama (Islamic Institute and Orphans Home) in Drasa, Lautoka, has 110 students attending various schools in the district. As of 2019, of the 110 students, about 60 per cent are orphans while some are said to be from good families and others from overseas. [5]

Viewing the way Muslims in Fiji live, one is simple amazed as for such a small community, the efforts to take along the poor and orphans is really commendable.
" Muslims living in Fiji are an example to Islamic faiths around the world of how the world should be." This was the message from Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister Faiyaz Koya as he spoke at the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday celebrations organized by the Ma’unatul Islam Association held at the Maruru Mosque in Ba yesterday. “We are showing the world the way to be and how Fiji Muslims living side by side with people of other faiths can produce great things,” Mr Koya said. [6]

I am really impressed by the efforts of Muslim community of Fiji to really work for their community as is ordained by Qur'an and Sunnah. To my reockoning, this should serve as a role model for all Muslim communities in other non Muslim countries. 

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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 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 14 July 2022

Islam in Uruguay

Uruguay is a country in South America and Montevideo is the largest city of the country and also its capital. As per 2019 estimate, it has a population of 3,518,552,mainly Christian dominant. Of this Muslims are a very tiny fraction, 0.02% or merely 1,000.  A significant Muslim population lives in Chuy, near the Brazilian border, as well as Rivera, Artigas and Montevideo.

There are three Islamic centers in Montevideo:
  • 1) Musallah Al Haazimi
  • 2) Egyptian Cultural Islamic Center
  • 3) Islamic Center Uruguay

Not very much information is available about life of Muslims living in Uruguay, may be because of its small number. I will appreciate if Muslims living in Uruguay add more information by entering their input in the comment column given at the end of the post.


Uruguay has no official religion; church and state are officially separated, and religious freedom is guaranteed. Due to secular nature of the Uruguay's constitution, Muslims are free to proselytize and build places of worship in the country. The Egyptian embassy in Monteviedeo provides a room for Friday prayers.
A news appeared some seven years ago that dAdel bin Muhammad El Ouerghi, a 50-year-old Tunisian, married Roma Blanco, a 24-year-old Uruguayan (photo above). The news was siginificant becasue the Tnisian was a former Guantanamo Bay detainee. He was married to Roma Blanco, a 24-year-old Uruguayan who converted to Islam. The union was the first of two weddings being organized by men resettled in the South American country. She said she converted to Islam four months ago and planned to take the name Samira. She and El Ouerghi met a month ago at a mosque. Blanco wore a light purple scarf and a violet jacket with gold-colored lacing. She also had henna designs on her hands, customary for Muslim women for the marriage ceremony.

Please watch a documentary on Islam in Uruguay:
Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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 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.

Monday 23 May 2022

Islam in Vietnam

We have been sharing spread  of Islam and life of Muslims in countries with non Muslim majority around the glob. So far we have covered 68 countries non Muslim countries, Iceland being the last entry. Today we move to South east Asia to Vietnam. Vietnamese are known for their loyalty, hardship and devotion to their work to raise their nation after over two decades of war with the USA. And despite the massive devastation of their country, their resilience never waned and they ultimately forced the intruders to not only regain their honour, their country, but also ensured unification of two Vietnams into one.

About 74%  of the people of the Vietnam either follow folk re3ligious traditions or have no religion at all. Of the remaining 14% are Buddhists. Muslims form part of other religions that constitute 0.25 of the total population, of which (as per Wikipedia and Vietnam's April 1999 census) there were some 63,146 Muslims. Over 77% lived in the South Central Coast, with 34% in Ninh Thuận Province, 24% in Bình Thuận Province, and 9% in Ho Chi Minh City; another 22% lived in the Mekong Delta region, primarily in An Giang Province. Only 1% of Muslims lived in other regions of the country. 
The earliest Muslim that came to this part of the world were in the times of Uthman ibn Affan, the third Caliph of Islam, who sent the first official Muslim envoy to Vietnam and Tang Dynasty China in 650. This was followed by seafaring Muslim traders who are known to have made stops at ports in the Champa Kingdom en route to China. During the 9th and 12th century, various medieval Arabic geographical works had identified modern-day eastern Indochina as lands of the Qimar (Khmer, Cambodians), the Sanf (Cham) and the Luqin (Vietnamese). However, the earliest material evidence of the transmission of Islam consists of Song Dynasty-era documents from China, which record that the Cham familiarized themselves with Islam in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. The number of followers began to increase as contacts with Sultanate of Malacca broadened in the wake of the 1471 collapse of the Champa Kingdom, but Islam would not become widespread among the Cham until the mid-17th century.

After the 1976 establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, some of the 55,000 Muslim Chams emigrated to Malaysia. 1,750 were also accepted as immigrants by Yemen; most settled in Ta'izz. Those who remained did not suffer violent persecution, although some writers claim that their mosques were closed by the government. In 1981, foreign visitors to Vietnam were still permitted to speak to indigenous Muslims and pray alongside them, and a 1985 account described Ho Chi Minh City's Muslim community as being especially ethnically diverse: aside from Cham people, there were also Indonesians, Malays, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Yemenis, Omanis, and North Africans; their total numbers were roughly 10,000 at the time. 

There are two Muslim groups in Vietnam: Sunni Muslims and Bani Cham Muslims. The Sunni community has a wider in term of ethnicity (Cham, Viet, Malay, Khmer, Chinese, and Arab). Their population in 2006 was 25,000; mostly inhabiting in the southwest of the Mekong Delta, along with urban areas such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. The Bani branch is considered unorthodox because its practices are different from mainstream Islam, and heavily influenced by Cham folk and Hindu religion. Bani Muslims consisted entirely of ethnic Chams living particularly in the provinces of Ninh Thuận and Bình Thuận. 
Cham Musloms (Photo)
Cham Muslims are heavily depending on support from the outside. Most contributions come from Malaysia and Indonesia, and it is also there scholars in Vietnam get their teachings and degrees. Copying and distributing the Holy Quran and Islamic Scriptures are unofficially prohibited in Vietnam, and has from time to time resulted in merges between Buddhist rituals and Islamic teachings. The Muslim majority are the Cham Muslims. The second largest group are ethnical Vietnamese converts, and though Islam is slowly rising in the country, the Cham Muslims feel disconnected with the ethnical Vietnamese, as fragments of resentment between the once ruler and then conquer is still felt on both sides. [2]

Dring Communist regimes, the tiny Muslim population suffered from communist oppression. However, today, the Vietnamese regard the Muslim community with a favorable opinion due to its tolerance approach. It's notable that religious worshipping locations, whenever located, can be found easily and get less harassment despite the communist's atheist policy. Ho Chi Minh City already has five major mosques and a Muslim district.
Vu Thi Vui - reverted Muslim, now named Khadija (Photo)
There are revrsions to Islam among Vietnamese as most do not follow any prescribed religion. Vu Thi Vui (pictured above) is one such reverted Muslim. Vui’s conversion has helped her business, because many Muslim restaurants in the capital city that can only use halal meat buy it from her. After her reversion to Islam, she has been named Khadija (after the name of first wife of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ). Her family members were shocked by Vui's change in religion because it would upturn long-standing Vietnamese traditions. Under Islam, believers are not allowed to light incense for ancestors and parents, the argument being that a living person or a dead person cannot have a higher position than the Creator. Her father was aghast: "Who will pay respect to me after I die?" However, lately husband and children have also followed Islam.

As for the honesty and trust of Muslims, Khadija confides:
"At times for Muslim prayers, people just leave their shop (where they sell and work) and go to pray. Even the gold shop is not carefully locked and there was no fear of thieves. This made me curious and I started to learn about their religion."
The Muslim were praying on the yard of Al-Noor mosque on a holy Friday noon. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Trung/e.vnexpress

The Muslim meal is typical of that of most Vietnamese families, comprising vegetables, chicken and lamb, a favorite meat in the Middle East. Halal is permissible meat under Islamic Law, which involves slaughtering animals and poultry by cutting the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe. Visitors from Muslim countries all over the world, including regional ones like Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, will only eat halal food, which bans consumption of pork. [3]

As for living in Vietnam, Muslims have to make adjustments in their lifestyle to deal with differences in Islamic regulations and Vietnamese laws. For example they cannot have the right to some actions acceptable under Islamic laws. "Vietnamese followers of Islam abide by two sets of rules: Islamic rules and Vietnam’s laws," said Hussein, 27, an Imam (priest) who leads prayers at the Al-Noor mosque, adding that certain Islamic rules are not compatible with Vietnamese law. Interestingly, Muslims cannot practice polygamy in Vietnam.

Headscarves, long skirts and sleeves are common in Cham neighbourhoods but women leave their heads uncovered when they go to work, and may opt for jeans. They say this is partly out of a fear of discrimination by co-workers.
One of the many mosques in Vietnam (Photo)
Click here to see eight of the best masjids in Vietnam

Religious activity remains under state control in communist Vietnam but worship among a variety of faiths is flourishing. The scene of prayer time is unique in Vietnam. MV Media reports that the call to prayer from the minaret reaches out over tightly-packed alleys in a Ho Chi Minh City neighbourhood as men in white knitted skullcaps and colourful sarongs walk to their local mosque. The scene is more reminiscent of Malaysia, Indonesia or Brunei - not Vietnam and its Chinese-influenced culture where Muslims are a tiny fraction of the population. Ho Chi Minh City has more than a dozen imams, all trained in Vietnam. Foreign imams also visit, especially from Malaysia, and the Koran has been translated into Vietnamese. Reportedly, there are 16 mosques in Ho Chi Minh City, some of them built with assistance from Muslim nations. Many older Muslim residents make pilgrimages to Mecca, and most Cham have Arabic names on their government-issued identity cards. [4]


Watch a documentary on the life and religious activities of Cham Muslims in An Giang:
Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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 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 28 April 2022

Islam in Iceland

In our series of posts on "Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries" we today talk of Islam in Iceland. Iceland is a small Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Reykjavík, Iceland's capital,  is home to over 65% of the population. It has a population of about 372,000.

Islam in Iceland is a minority religion. The Pew Research Center estimated that the number of Muslims in Iceland was below its 10,000 minimum threshold, and official statistics put the figure at under 1,300, or approximately 0.4% of the total population. Some take the figure to around 2.500. This small Muslim population never attracted the attention of mainstream Muslim countries or social media. It was only in 2011 when Al Jazzera TV did a documentary on how Muslims of Iceland celebrate the most scared Muslim month: The month of Ramadan.

In early 1970s, Salmann (Suleiman) Tamimi (1 March 1955 – 2 December 2020) [who later became the founding member of the Association Iceland-Palestine (Icelandic: Félagið Ísland-Palestína) and the Association of Muslims in Iceland (Icelandic: Félag múslima á Íslandi)] when came to Icleand noted that  there were perhaps seven Muslims living there.

The life of Muslims, as in any other European country is similar with a reserved approach towards them by the locals, One of the main researchers on Icelandic attitudes to racial and religious groups, Kristín Loftsdóttir, has found that many Icelanders exhibit anti-immigrant discourses linked with Islamophobia. Opposition to Islam is often presented in terms of support for gender equality, a discourse which in Kristín's assessment is 'used as a way to dwell on the criticism of Muslims in general, and to the glory of European societies'. 


The Reykjavík Mosque (Icelandic: Moskan í Reykjavík), located in the Ármúli district, is main gathering area for Muslims in Iceland. The masjid provides a central point for  holding not only the five regular prayers daily, but also the Friday congregation. On Sundays the Qur'an classes are held for children. The masjid is also a venue for community meetings. Although the masjid was opened in 2009, it was in November 22, 2019 a minaret was installed for the mosque, which, despite its simplicity, is the first minaret of its kind in the history of Islam in Iceland.
Muslim countries also focus on the education of Muslims in Iceland in 2021 and their wellbeing. A scientific and academic delegation from the Holy Quran Academy (HQA) in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates visited the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, as part of the Academy’s efforts to spread and teach the Noble Quran and its sciences across the world.
Generally it is assumed that Muslim community is made up entirely of expatriates having moved to Iceland from elsewhere. It may indeed be the case that such individuals may make up the bulk of Iceland’s current Muslim community, but cases of native Icelanders converting to Islam are not unheard-of.

However in 2015, a YouTube channel ‘NewMan2015’ posted a video containing interviews with four Icelanders (including Agnes Ósk, Jóhannes Ari and Ibra­him Sverr­ir Agn­ars­son, who is now Director of the Ice­landic Mus­lim As­so­ci­a­tion) on their conversion to Islam and how it changed their lives. "Agnes Ósk reveals that she had been an atheist all her life, but that discovering Islam was a “relief, like coming home”."

Ex-drug addict Jóhannes Ari describes how Islam took him away from his former misery and brought him to a place in life where he could “think about how to make the best of each day”. Sverr­ir, the charismatic Director of the Ice­landic Mus­lim As­so­ci­a­tion, best describes his conversion as being “kidnapped by Allah”. 

Ramadan is celebrated wholeheartedly by the Muslims of Iceland. Though, the sun sets at midnight, only to come back in about two hours. That means the fasting time is as long as 22 hours, allowing for only one meal a day. Abdul-Aziz Ulvani, the imam at the Islamic Foundation of Iceland notes:
"Although the hours are long, the Muslims here do not feel it because they come together here, we are like family. They come in at early hours. We recite the Quran, have iftar and observe Tarawih prayers together. The first three days are most difficult. Then everything turns back to normal."

Hijab for women is looked upon as in parallel to any other non Muslim countries. However, for passport, a Muslim woman has to provide a proof of her faith duly acknowledged by the two main Muslim groups of the country. 

Watch herein under a documentary about the Reykjavík Mosque:

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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 page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim CountriesYou 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.

Tuesday 8 February 2022

Islam in Madagascar


Madagascar, officially Republic of Madagascar, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of East Africa. It is the world's second-largest island country. It is a predominately a Christian country with about 7% of its population being Muslims. The vast majority of Muslims in Madagascar practice Sunni Islam of the Shafi school of jurisprudence.

A peep in the history shows that the island of Madagascar had been frequented by Muslims throughout the early period. The most noteworthy of these were the Zafiraminia, traditional ancestors of the Antemoro, The last wave of Arab immigrants was the Antalaotra who immigrated from eastern African colonies. They settled the north-west of the island (Majunga area) and were the first to actually bring Islam to the island. They left their indelible marks on the culture of Madagascar, particularly through the adoption of Arabic script in local documents and in the customs and cultural practices of the people. Furthermore, the history and cultural influence of Malagasy Islam have been marked by the nature of Muslim contacts over the centuries.  


Muslims represent 3 to 7 percent of the population (or approximately 1.2 million Malagasy), or 15 to 25 percent according to local Muslim sources. The vast majority of Muslims in Madagascar practice Sunni Islam of the Shafi school of jurisprudence. The ethnic makeup of the Muslim community includes Indians, Pakistanis, Comorians, and native Malagasy.

The Church is worried about conversion of locals into Muslims. As per one report, Cardinal-designate Désiré Tzarahazana of Toamasina told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need in 2018:
“The rise of Islam is palpable,” he said, noting plans to build more than 2,600 mosques. “You can see it everywhere. It is an invasion, with money from the Gulf States and from Pakistan – they buy people. You see young men setting off to study in Saudi Arabia, and when they come back they are imams.

Bishop Georges Varkey Puthiyakulangara of Port-Bergé Diocese, in the North of Madagascar told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International in the February 20 2020 interview: In Madagascar, Muslims are going as far as paying women to wear the Burka, a Muslim outer garment that covers the body and the face and giving out scholarships to non-Muslims to attend Koran lessons  He added, “We have learned that in the universities the young, non-Muslim female students are being paid three Euros a day to wear the Burka.”

On the contrary, Muslims face many a problems in the country. Wikipedia reports:
Even after the passage of the nationality law in 2017, Muslims born in the country reported that members of the community have been unable to obtain Malagasy nationality despite generations of residence.[4]
Some Malagasy Muslims have also reported difficulty in obtaining official or governmental documents at public administration offices due to their non-Malagasy sounding names. Some Muslims have also reportedly faced ridicule and harassment for being perceived as foreigners despite possessing national identity cards.

The wearing of Burkas and hijab or learning Qur'an is taken as a sign of "radical Islam."  In 2017, some two dozens Muslim schools were closed for their students were being taught Qur'an for five long hours a day. Life is thus tough and under the garb of rise of radical Islam, a simple excuse by Non Muslims to arrest the spread of Islam not in Madagascar but world over. But despite all efforts, the message of peace that Islam actually spreads continue to enlighten the hearts of countless and every years thousands enter the fold of Islam.

Having said that, we as Muslims never support the segment of Muslims who use tolls of terror to intimidate and spoil the peace of Non Muslim or even Muslim countries for their nefarious designs. And we should be watchful of teams that "recruit" rather than convert non Muslims to Islam.

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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 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 |
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 28 September 2020

Islam in Barbados


Barbados is a small island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of North America and located in the western area of the North Atlantic and  east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea. Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown.

Islam came to this part of the world when a few Bengali silk merchants from the West Bengal region of British India came here in 1913 and settled down for business. Most of these Bengalis married local Barbadian women and started families in Bridgetown.  Today many well-known Barbadians are the grandchildren of these unions. The Bengali merchants were followed by Muslims from Gujarat, the Western part of British India in 1929.  In fact these Muslims had set out for Brazil to cut timber but ended up in Guyana and stayed there for a while.  In Guyana they learnt that there was money in coal trading with Barbados.  They visited Bridgetown a couple of times by boat and then decided to make Barbados their home.

A few immigrants from Guyana, Trinidad, South Asia, and the Middle East, as well as about 200 native-born persons, constitute the rest of the growing Muslim community, representing 1.50 percent of the population. By and by the Muslim population grew and as of today there are more than 4,000 Muslims living in Barbados. Although it has been many decades since the arrival of first Muslims, the number of Muslims has not significantly increased in the predominant Christian country. However, from the late sixties and early seventies a number of Afro-Barbadians have become Muslims.  This trend continues until today with many persons expressing an interest in Islam and some actually entering the fold. 




The first Muslim place of worship, Mosque (pictured below), was built at Kensington New Road, Bridgetown, in 1950.  The second was built in Sobers Lane in 1957. Today, in all there are three mosques, a musallah, an Islamic Academy, an Islamic institute, one Muslim school and various other Islamic organizations. The Mosque at Kensington New Road was expanded in the late 80’s and can accommodate over 600 worshippers.  Prayers are held there and in Sobers Lane five times a day, with special congregational prayers on Fridays just after midday.
Jumma Masjid – Kensington New Road, Bridgetown [Photo: Barbados Muslim Association]

The Muslim community of Barbados is well organized. Each Masjid has its own administrative committee and is independently registered. A representative of each Masjid sits on the Board of the Barbados Muslim Association (BMA).  In addition five (5) Muslims are selected to the Board at Annual General Meetings at which the entire Muslim community is invited to take part.  The B.M.A was formed to represent the Muslim Community of Barbados.  It has made representation to the Government of Barbados on a number of issues relating to Muslims.  These issues include the wearing of Hijab by Muslim women.  The Association, as a representative body of Muslims has been invited by Government to various functions. At one of the Independence celebrations, BMA was invited to say a prayer. One of the well known names is Mr. Suleiman Bulbulia, born and raised in Barbados, who is also the Secretary of the Barbados Muslim Association.

Today the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of the first Muslims in Bridgetown are involved in all segments of society and make significant contributions to the development of Bridgetown and Barbados as a whole. Some are doctors, lawyers, engineers and public servants. Muslims enjoy their religious festivals like the Eids and the religious fervour is at peak during the month of Ramadan.
Muslims in Eid congregation [Photo]

There are media hypes showing concern about Islamophobia and trying to target the Muslims as agents of ISIS and other militant organization. But the Muslims of Barbados have stood united against any spread of militancy on the island and proving them to be peace lovers.

Barbados Association of Muslim Ladies is doing a wonderful job of introducing Islam and showing the Non Muslims how they can be and are part of the mainstream population. Watch the video below:
Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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 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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Monday 14 September 2020

Islam in Costa Rica


In a country of almost 5 million, Muslims form a very tiny fraction of the Costa Rico's total population. Various estimates indicate presence of around 1500-4000 Muslims in the country, or there are only 0.01% Muslims! Not even near the 1% scale. These Muslims are mostly immigrants from Algeria, India, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, Egypt , Somalia, Pakistan, Palestine and Syria. This estimate also include about 100 locals who have embraced the Islamic faith through conversion  The majority of Muslims are from Sunni faction of Islam with few Shias as well.

There are three mosques in Costa Rica. The Omar Mosque (Sunni) located in the Montelimar district in the Goicoechea Canton is the main center for Muslim congregations. This was the first in the country and was founded in 2002. It is officiated by the Egyptian-born Sheikh Omar Abdel Aziz and affiliated with the Islamic Organization for Culture, Education and Sciences based in Rabat, Morocco. 
Omar Mosque, San Jose, Costa Rica [Photo]

The second mosque is the Light and Faith Mosque, also Sunni, is located in downtown San José. The third is a Shiite mosque, located also in San José. Before the foundation of the Shia mosque, the Shiites congregated to pray in a private house or attended the Sunni mosque without problems.




Life for Muslims in Costa Rica? Well I could not get much on it from the internet. However, I was amazed to find an account of a born Christian. She says, "I grew up in a Catholic community and had this religion set on me for so long, till I came upon Islam. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what country you’re in or what circumstance you are in, but there is never an excuse for God (saw). It’s never too late for Allah, and he is the Most Merciful, the most understanding of all."

She continues:
Despite my religious differences, I slowly started to understand the message of Islam. Don’t think I became Muslim in the blink of an eye, nor do I consider myself to be a well enough Muslim or better than anyone else. The one thing that Islam teaches us that makes it so different from the rest and that you can’t truly find in any other religions (given my experience) is that it shows you how to be humble. It   washes away your ego. When was I ever like this as a Catholic? Yes, I was humble and had very little ego towards myself, but I consider this to be more because of my upbringing than of the religion. Yes, I was pious to God, but only when I truly needed a favor from Him or when I felt guilty enough of my negligence to Him that I would pray. I was more conscious of my needs than of what Allah wanted from me as his creation.

She plainly observes that here in Latin America, Islam is viewed with the wrong perception. Thanks to what the US media has to publish on about what they consider to be true “Muslims”, we’ve agreed to their ideologies on what Muslims are in our perspective and I need not to name a few of those wrong ideas.

For those that are reading this and living in countries where Islam is not the main religion and where your family is probably Christian or not Muslim, I can relate to how difficult it can be to openly say to everyone that you are Muslim or considering the faith of Islam. But fear your Lord! Strengthen your taqwaa (fear of God, piety, God-conscious) to Him (saw), as HE should be the only one that you truly submit down to. 

Friday Congregation, Omar Mosque, San Jose, Costa Rica [Photo]

Since Costa Rica is a Christian dominated country, one can expect total rejection to Islam. Here is one comment from a blog: "Most Costa Ricans despise Islam, just like all other sensible nation citizens do. Islam will never rise in Costa Rica. People here have seen what Islam is about in the murdering, rioting, raping and terrorism that goes on all over the world wherever there is a Muslim."

But Muslims continue to make a space for themselves. One Naji Waheed observes: "Costa Rica is the perfect setting for the development and growth of Islam throughout the rest of Latin America. I am a resident now in Costa Rica (from Miami, Florida) and I am trying to network with other Muslims here in Costa Rica to initiate the development of an Islamic community here in Costa Rica for the purpose of reaching out to the rest of Latin America."

Since Muslims are a very tiny fraction of the predominant Christian country, most of the the populations do not understand Islam in its positive way and whatever perception the media plays, they are carried away with it. I came across a couple's experience of visiting Costa Rica and his wife's hijab (the head scarf) was something that was new to them and naturally drew lot of inquisitive stares for Costa Rica is generally an all year round summer country and wearing headscarf in the rather unusual temperature does not make sense to them.
On two occasions people came up to my wife and asked if she had been there before as they saw a hijabi (girl who wears a head covering) last year - which meant to us that the people there don't see many head covered Muslims at all.
Halal food is hard to find, specially for the Muslims tourists travelling to Costa Rica. Thus seafood and vegetables are the only alternatives. There are some Kosher shops (operated by Jews) which Muslims can buy meat from with caution.

Please watch a video below Costa Rica for Muslims and Travelers:
Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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 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 |
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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