Islam in Argentina: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 21:51, 11 November 2013

Islam in Argentina is represented by one of Latin America's largest Muslim minorities. Although accurate statistics on religion are not available (because the national census does not solicit religious data) the actual size of Argentina's Muslim community is estimated around 1% of the total population (400,000 to 500,000 members) according to the International Religious Freedom Report 2010.^[1] The Pew Research Centre estimates about 750,000 Muslims in Argentina.^[2]

Early Muslim immigration

Because of the strong legacy left by Moorish Muslims on the Iberian peninsula, there were Muslims of Moorish and Moroccan North African descent who explored the Americas with Spanish and Portuguese explorers.^[3]

The 20th century saw an influx of Arab migrants to the country, mostly from Syria and Lebanon. It is estimated that today there are about 3.5 million Argentinians of Arab descent.^[4] The majority of these Arab immigrants were Christians and Sephardic Jews, and though accurate information is unavailable, probably less than a quarter of Arab migrants were actually Muslim. The descendants of Arab Jews are more likely to identify themselves as Jewish rather than Arab today.

Shi`a Islam in Argentina

There is a small Shia community in Argentina that is mainly located in Buenos Aires, Tucuman, Rosario, and Mar del Plata. There are three Shia mosques in the country. The most representative religious authorities are: Hujjat al-islam Feisal Morhell, Hujjatulislam Abdulkarim Paz, sheikh Abdallah Madina, Sheikh Ali Abdurrahman Pohl and Sheikh Mahmud Aid, all native from Argentina.

Islamic institutions in Argentina

There is a prominent mosque on Alberti St. in Buenos Aires, in the city center, that was built in 1989 by local Argentine Muslims. There are also several mosques in other cities and regions throughout the country, most notably the Triple Frontier (the tri-border area along the junction of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay).

The King Fahd Islamic Cultural Centre, the largest mosque in South America, was completed in 1996 with the help of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the then King of Saudi Arabia, Fahd, on a piece of land measuring 20,000 m². The total land area granted by the Argentine government measures 34,000 m², and was offered by President Carlos Menem following his visit to Saudi Arabia in 1992. The project cost around US$30 million, and includes a mosque, library, two schools, a park, is located in the middle-class district of Palermo, Buenos Aires.

The Islamic Organization of Latin America (IOLA), headquartered in Argentina, is considered the most active organization in Latin America in promoting Islamic affiliated endeavors. The IOLA holds events to promote the unification of Muslims living in Latin America, as well as the propagation of Islam.

References

^ International Religious Freedom Report 2010 - Argentina
^ http://features.pewforum.org/muslim-population/?sort=Pop2010
^ Muslims in American History: A Forgotten Legacy by Jerald Dirks.
^ September 2001 Executive Summary, Racial Discrimination: The Record of Argentina, Human Rights Documentation Center

External links

Islam in the Americas by Florida International University research-led team

[1] International Religious Freedom Report 2010 - Argentina

[2] ttp://features.pewforum.org/muslim-population/?sort=Pop2010

[3] Muslims in American History: A Forgotten Legacy by Jerald Dirks.

[4] September 2001 Executive Summary, Racial Discrimination: The Record of Argentina, Human Rights Documentation Center

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[Image:Centro Cultural Islámico Rey Fahd, Buenos Aires.jpg|thumb|right|200px|King Fahd Islamic Centre, Buenos Aires. This is the largest mosque in Latin America.]]
+[[Image:Centro Cultural Islámico Rey Fahd, Buenos Aires.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[King Fahd Islamic Cultural Center]], [[Buenos Aires]], the largest mosque in Latin America.]]
 {{Islam by country}}
 '''[[Islam]] in Argentina''' is represented by one of Latin America's largest [[Muslim]] minorities. Although accurate statistics on religion are not available (because the national census does not solicit religious data) the actual size of [[Argentina]]'s Muslim community is estimated around 1% of the total population (400,000 to 500,000 members) according to the [[International Religious Freedom Report]] 2010.<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2010/148731.htm International Religious Freedom Report 2010 - Argentina]</ref> The Pew Research Centre estimates about 750,000 Muslims in Argentina.<ref>http://features.pewforum.org/muslim-population/?sort=Pop2010</ref>
 == Early Muslim immigration ==
-Because of the strong legacy left by Moorish Muslims on the Iberian peninsula, there were Muslims of Moorish and Moroccan North African descent who explored the Americas with Spanish and Portuguese explorers.<ref>''Muslims in American History: A Forgotten Legacy'' by Jerald Dirks.</ref>  Arab and Moorish immigration came hand in hand with Spanish immigration, and the Argentine gaucho—who might otherwise be called a cowboy—is the specimen in whom these cultural influences crystallize (Spanish, and Arab/Berber)
+Because of the strong legacy left by Moorish Muslims on the Iberian peninsula, there were Muslims of Moorish and Moroccan North African descent who explored the Americas with Spanish and Portuguese explorers.<ref>''Muslims in American History: A Forgotten Legacy'' by Jerald Dirks.</ref>
 The 20th century saw an influx of [[Arab]] migrants to the country, mostly from [[Syria]] and [[Lebanon]]. It is estimated that today there are about 3.5 million Argentinians of Arab descent.<ref>[http://academic.udayton.edu/race/06hrights/GeoRegions/SouthAmerica/argentina01.htm September 2001 Executive Summary, Racial Discrimination: The Record of Argentina, Human Rights Documentation Center]</ref> The majority of these Arab immigrants were Christians and Sephardic Jews, and though accurate information is unavailable, probably less than a quarter of Arab migrants were actually Muslim. The descendants of Arab Jews are more likely to identify themselves as Jewish rather than Arab today.

v t e Islam in the Americas
United States and Canada Latin America and the Caribbean
Regions	Latin America Hispanic North America Northern Caribbean Central America South America
Sovereign states	Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Bahamas Barbados Belize Bolivia Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago United States Uruguay Venezuela
Dependencies and other territories	Anguilla Aruba Bermuda Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Curaçao Falkland Islands French Guiana Greenland Guadeloupe Martinique Montserrat Puerto Rico Saba Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands U.S. Virgin Islands