Islam in Mozambique

Islam in Mozambique is the religion of approximately four million Mozambicans, or about 17.8% to 20% of the total population. This figure is disputed by some Muslim clerics, who say Islam is practiced by a much larger number of people. The vast majority of Mozambican Muslims are Sunni, although some Ismaili Muslims are also registered. The Muslims consists primarily of indigenous Mozambicans, citizens of South Asian(Indian and Pakistani) descent,and a very small number of North African and Middle Eastern immigrants.

Pre-colonial history

Mozambique has historic ties with the Muslim world, mostly by way of coastal trading cities, which served as the most southern part of the Indian Ocean trade. The former port city of Sofala, once famous for its trade in gold (by way of Great Zimbabwe) with the Islamic Middle East and India, was one such center of cultural exchange. It is believed that nearly all of the cities' inhabitants were Muslim before the arrival of the Portuguese in 1505. [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Sofala] . Sofala and much of the rest of coastal Mozambique was part of the Kilwa Sultanate from Arab arrival (believed to be the 12th century) until its conquest in the 16th century.

Colonial history

Islam faced serious challenges in Mozambique during the colonial era. During the "Estado Novo" period (1926-1974), Roman Catholicism became the dominant religion following a formal alliance (Concordat) between the Church and the government. Only with the start of the War of Liberation did the state lower its opposition to Islam and try to coopt the religion, in order to avoid an alliance between Muslims and the dissident liberation movement.

Modern Mozambique

Since the end of the socialist period (1989 onwards), Muslims have been able to proselytise freely and build new mosques - even in the capital city center. Muslims have also made their way into parliament. Several South African, Kuwaiti and other Muslim agencies are active in Mozambique, with one important one being the African Muslim Agency. An Islamic University has been set up in Nampula, with a branch in Inhambane. Mozambique is also an active member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

Prominent Mozambican Muslims

* Amade Camal, MP from Nampula Province
* Shaykh Aminuddin Mohamad, head of the Islamic Council

References

*Liazzat Bonate, « Dispute over Islamic funeral rites in Mozambique. A Demolidora dos Prazeres by Shaykh Aminuddin Mohamad », "LFM. Social sciences & missions", no.17, Dec.2005, pp.41-59
*Liazzat Bonate, « Matriliny, Islam and Gender in Northern Mozambique », "Journal of Religion in Africa", vol.36, no.2, pp.2006, pp.139-166
* Lorenzo, Macagno, "Outros muçulmanos : Islão e narrativas coloniais", Lisbon (Portugal) : Imprensa de Ciências Sociais, 2006
*Eric Morier-Genoud, « L’islam au Mozambique après l’indépendance. Histoire d’une montée en puissance », "L’Afrique Politique 2002", Paris: Karthala, 2002, pp.123-146
*Eric Morier-Genoud, « The 1996 ‘Muslim holiday’ affair. Religious competition and state mediation in contemporary Mozambique », "Journal of Southern African Studies", Oxford, vol.26, n°3, Sept. 2000, pp.409 – 427.
*Eric Morier-Genoud, “A Prospect of Secularization? Muslims and Political Power in Mozambique Today”, Journal for Islamic Studies (Cape Town), no. 27, 2007, pp.233-266

External links

* [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Sofala Sofala in the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica]
* [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/23742.htm 2003 Mozambique International Religious Freedom Report]
* [http://www2.unil.ch/lefaitmissionnaire/pages/resources-mozambique.html Religion in Mozambique]