Angola
, national_anthem = " Angola Avante"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capital = Luanda
, religion =
, religion_year = 2020
, religion_ref =
, coordina ...
is a predominantly
Christian country with
Islam being a minority
religion
Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...
. As of 2014 census, there are 195,000 muslims in Angola, representing 1% of total population. Most
Muslims
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
in
Angola
, national_anthem = " Angola Avante"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capital = Luanda
, religion =
, religion_year = 2020
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, coordina ...
are
Sunni. They are generally foreign migrants from
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, M ...
and the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
, although a few are local
converts. There exist several Islamic organizations that run mosques, schools and community centers. The Association of the Development of Islam in Angola is the primary proselytizing organization. Muslim Angolans are represented by the
Supreme Council of Angolan Muslims of
Luanda
Luanda () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city in Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major Angola#Economy, industrial, Angola#Culture, cultural and Angola#Demographics, urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atl ...
.
[Oyebade, Adebayo O. ''Culture And Customs of Angola'', 2006. Pages 45–46.] As of late 2013, the Angolan government does not legally recognize any Muslim organizations; as a result, mosques in the country have faced restrictions and many have been shut down by the government.
Legal status
The
2010 Angolan Constitution guarantees
freedom of religion
Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freed ...
to all of its citizens. In late 2016, however, messages spread that the Angolan government had banned Islam and closed down all mosques in the country, stating that it clashed with the state's
Christian values. The US State Department's 2013 report into global religious freedom counted 194 different religious groups that were denied legal recognition, the large majority of which were Christian organisations, and this included Islam. The US report does say a mosque was destroyed - including one in Luanda's Zango neighbourhood - though, while it says two mosques were shut down, 52 churches were closed in the same year.
The government requires religious groups to petition for legal status. Upon recognition, these groups are allowed to build schools and places of worship. In order to be recognized, a group must have more than 100,000 and be present in 12 out of 18 provinces.[ The population of Muslims, however, is estimated at only 90,000.][ While the government has given legal status to 83 religious groups (all of them Christian][), it has not given legal status to any Muslim groups.][ The president of the Islamic Community of Angola has criticized Angola's threshold for recognition by stating, "You need 100,000 to be recognised as a religion or officially you cannot pray".]
The US State Department
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nati ...
reports that the government often permits non-registered groups to exist and function, but notes of instances of Angolan authorities shutting down mosques (see section below).[
In November 2013, Angolan foreign minister Georges Chikoti said that there were eight Islamic denominations in Angola, but none met the legal requirements for registration, and "so they can't practice their faith until concluding the process". Chikoti states that some Muslim groups had not registered their mosques officially, but did not specify which legal requirements they had not met.
]
Demographics
Historically, Angola did not have a significant Muslim population. During the 21st century, Angola's Muslim community has grown. Most Muslims in Angola are businessmen and migrants from West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, M ...
and the Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
, especially Lebanon. Very few Angolans have converted to Islam as a result of Muslim missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
activity in Angola. Most of these conversions occurred during the Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War ( pt, Guerra Civil Angolana) was a civil war in Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with interludes, until 2002. The war immediately began after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. The war was ...
, when many Angolans fled to countries with a significant Muslim presence and came into contact with Islam there.
Adebayo Oyebade estimates that Muslims make up 1 to 2.5 percent of Angola's population. The US State Department
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nati ...
states that the estimated Muslim population is 80,000-90,000, but notes that some sources put the population size closer to 500,000.,[ which appears to be highly unrealistic. Around 1% of the Muslim population of Angola adheres to ]Shia Islam
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, m ...
.
Restrictions on mosques
The International Religious Freedom Report
The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (Public Law 105–292, as amended by Public Law 106–55, Public Law 106–113, Public Law 107–228, Public Law 108–332, and Public Law 108–458) was passed to promote religious freedom as a forei ...
stated that the Angolan government selectively shut down mosques, schools and community centres. Angolan officials denied that a government had a policy to close mosques, there were reports of local authorities closing mosques or preventing their construction on several occasions.
In July 2010, unidentified arsonists set fire to a mosque in Huambo
Huambo, formerly Nova Lisboa (English: ''New Lisbon''), is the third-most populous city in Angola, after the capital city Luanda and Lubango, with a population of 595,304 in the city and a population of 713,134 in the municipality of Huambo (Cens ...
, causing extensive damage. A Muslim leader later said the mosque was burned "a day after authorities had warned us that we should not have built the mosque where we had and that it had to be built somewhere else."[
On September 4, 2010, authorities closed a mosque in Cazenga without prior notice or justification. The mosque reopened a month later.]
In November 2011, Angolan authorities tore down a structure being used as a mosque in Cacuaco
Cacuaco is a city and one of the nine municipalities that make up the province of Luanda. A suburb of the capital, Luanda, it has a population of 1,279,488 (2019).
Administrative divisions
The Municipality of Cacuaco is made up of three commun ...
without notice and without a written order of violation.[ In December 2011, a Muslim group in the ]Malanje Province
Malanje is a province of Angola. It has an area of 97,602 km² and a 2014 census population of 986,363. Malanje is the provincial capital.
Geography
The Malanje Province is located in the north of Angola, the provincial capital and larges ...
purchased some land, and applied to obtain permission to build a mosque. The Muslim group repeatedly asked the authorities to either grant or deny the application, but received no response. After waiting several months, when the Muslim group began construction, Angolan authorities arrived and destroyed the mosque foundation. The authorities did not provide either a denial of the application, or a citation for offense.
In January 2012, the Angolan government prevented Muslims from building a mosque in Dundo
Dundo, or Dundo-Chitato, is a former mining town, with a population of 177,604 (2014), now a city and the provincial capital of Lunda Norte in Angola. Established in the early part of the 20th century as a planned diamond mining community, Dundo ...
, Lunda Norte Province, even though the Muslim group had a license to do so. In May 2012, the police chained the doors of a building used by Muslims as a mosque and told them to cease praying there. Muslim leaders wrote letters in response, but received no response.[
According to the Islamic Community of Angola, a total of 60 mosques, mostly outside of ]Luanda
Luanda () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city in Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major Angola#Economy, industrial, Angola#Culture, cultural and Angola#Demographics, urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atl ...
, have been shut down in 2013. Voice of America reported seeing a video that showed the demolition of a mosque in Saurimo
Saurimo, formerly known as Henrique de Carvalho, is a city in Angola
, national_anthem = " Angola Avante"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capital = Luanda
, religion =
, ...
.[ Muslims are currently de facto are denied the permit to pray in or build mosques.
Angolan Minister of Culture said "The legalisation of Islam has not been approved...their mosques will be closed until further notice."] The Angolan Embassy in the United States said it was not aware of this remark.[ A spokesperson for the Angolan police said that he was unaware of any government order to shut down mosques. However, Voice of America found a government document telling an official to demolish the "Zango 1" mosque in Viana Luanda province.]
"Ban on Islam" controversy
In November 2013, some media sources reported that Islam and other belief systems deemed to be contrary to the country's culture had been outlawed in Angola.[
However, the reports were later denied by the government.] The Ministry of Culture stated, "There is no war in Angola against Islam or any other religion."
At the time, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
An organization or organisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is an entity—such as a company, an institution, or an association—comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose.
The word is derived from ...
(OIC), said that his organisation would send a fact-finding team to Angola.
Incidents
In 2004 Constantino Vitiaka, the head of information of Angola's national intelligence services, claimed in a radio interview that the extremist terror network al-Qaeda had tried to enter the country through Muslim Non-Governmental Organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...
s.
See also
* Religion in Angola
* Demographics of Angola
Demography () is the statistical study of populations, especially human beings.
Demographic analysis examines and measures the dimensions and dynamics of populations; it can cover whole societies or groups defined by criteria such as ed ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Islam In Angola
Angola
, national_anthem = " Angola Avante"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capital = Luanda
, religion =
, religion_year = 2020
, religion_ref =
, coordina ...
Religion in Angola