Islamic Focus - Islam in Haiti

Article Menu

Biographies

Raising Kids

Get our Newsletter

Islam in Haiti

Haiti Flag

The estimated population of Haitian Muslims is about 3250, or 0.04 percent of the population, although local Muslims claim the actual number is nearer 5000 due to many Muslims that aren't counted due to inaccessibility.

The history of Islam on the island of Hispaniola (which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic) begins with slavery in Haïti. Many Muslims were imported as slaves to Haiti from Africa. Although many were forced to abandon Islam over time, their Islamic heritage has persisted in the culture of native Haitians.

A history of Dutty Boukman, whose death is largely considered the start of the Haitian Revolution, suggests that he was Muslim. In the early 20th century, a wave of Arab immigrants came to the Americas, in which a noticeable amount settled in Haiti. The first to arrive around 1920 was a man from Morocco along with 19 other families.

Today, the majority of the country's Muslims are indigenous Haitians, followed by the ethnic Moroccan. As a result of limited financial resources, the first Musjid was only built in 1985. In 2000, Nawoon Marcellus became the first Muslim elected to the Chamber of Deputies of Haïti.

Islamic organizations include the Bilal Mosque and Islamic Center in Cap-Haïtien, which offers programs in Islamic studies and daily prayers, Byllal miragoane Mosque in (Miragoane)and the Centre Spirituel Allah ou Akbar in Port au Prince. The foundation stone of the first Musjid in Gonaives is near completion, named Mosque-ul-Munawwar.

< Prev		Next >

Related Items

Home

Articles

Article Menu

Who's Online

Get our Newsletter

Related Items