Religion in Comoros
Encyclopedia
Religion
in Comoros
is dominated by those of the Islamic faith.
within the last half of the 1990s. Small groups of foreigners are Hindu
s or Christians. Following a 1999 military coup, the May 2000 constitution did not allow for freedom of religion
. The December 2001 Constitution of Comoros does provide for this freedom, however, it also makes Islam the state religion and the government tends to discourage the practice of other faiths. The practice of Christianity is particularly
restricted. There are two Roman Catholic churches and one Protestant church. Since before the 1999 coup, the government has restricted the use of these churches to noncitizens only. Harassment and social discrimination of Christians is widespread. Proselytizing of Christianity is prohibited. The Grand Mufti
, who is nominated by the president to serve in the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, serves as the government counsel on Islamic faith and law.
are Muslim
. Islam and its institutions have helped to integrate Comorian society and provide identification with a world beyond the islands' shores. Most adherents are Arab
-Swahili
or Persian
, but there are also people of Indian
descent.
Comorians follow religious observances conscientiously and strictly adhere to religious orthodoxy. During colonization, the French
did not attempt to supplant Islamic practices and were careful to respect the precedents of sharia
as interpreted by the Shafi'i
school of thought. All Muslim holidays are observed, including Id al-Adha, Muharram
, Ashura
, Mawlid
, Laylat al-Mi'raj and Ramadan
. Mawlid is marked by celebrations culminating in a feast prepared for the ulama. Many women wear the chirumani, a printed cloth worn around the body. Comorians often consult mwalimus or fundi
and marabouts for healing and protection from jinn. Mwalimus activate jinn
to determine propitious days for feasts, a successful marriage, conduct healing ceremonies and prepare amulets containing Quranic ayat.
is a minority religion. Roman Catholics in the Comoros
are about 4300 (0.5 % of the population).
Protestants are about 1,678 persons (about 0.25 % of the population). In 2006 four persons were detained in the town of Moroni in the Comoros. The constitution guarantees religious liberty.
Christians are not allowed to witness publicly. They are subject to the denial of many civil rights. Christians are subject to societal disadvantage. There are foreign religious groups, that give humanitarian action. They do not engage in prozeliytizing however. Religious groups do not have the duty to register. A law states that who preaches another religion to Muslims, is subject to both a prison sentence and a fine. On Ngazidja Christian liberty is greater than in other parts of the Comoros. There is a Roman Catholic church in Moroni
, on the island of Ngazidja. Another Roman Catholic church is in Mutsamudu
. There is a Protestant church in Moroni.
According to the World Christian Encyclopedia
(2nd edition), Volume 1, p. 208 there is at least one congregation of both Seventh Day Adventists, the Eglise de l'Africa Inland Mission and the reformed Eglise de Jésus Christ aux Comores.
by the India
n minority. Hinduism in both the independent Comoros and Mayotte
play a very small part in the island's culture, heavily based on Islamic principles. However, the Indian population have contributed to the economy of the islands, most of them employed as doctors, lawyers and teachers.
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
in Comoros
Comoros
The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
is dominated by those of the Islamic faith.
Overview
Islam is followed by about 99 percent of Comorians, almost all of whom are Sunni Muslims. Fewer than 400 citizens—approximately 1 percent of the population—are Christian, all of whom reportedly converted to ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
within the last half of the 1990s. Small groups of foreigners are Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s or Christians. Following a 1999 military coup, the May 2000 constitution did not allow for freedom of religion
Freedom of religion in Comoros
Freedom of religion in Comoros is addressed in the constitution. However, there are limitations to this right in practice. While government authorities continued to prohibit Christians from proselytizing, there were no known instances where the local authorities and population restricted the right...
. The December 2001 Constitution of Comoros does provide for this freedom, however, it also makes Islam the state religion and the government tends to discourage the practice of other faiths. The practice of Christianity is particularly
restricted. There are two Roman Catholic churches and one Protestant church. Since before the 1999 coup, the government has restricted the use of these churches to noncitizens only. Harassment and social discrimination of Christians is widespread. Proselytizing of Christianity is prohibited. The Grand Mufti
Grand Mufti
The title of Grand Mufti refers to the highest official of religious law in a Sunni or Ibadi Muslim country. The Grand Mufti issues legal opinions and edicts, fatwā, on interpretations of Islamic law for private clients or to assist judges in deciding cases...
, who is nominated by the president to serve in the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, serves as the government counsel on Islamic faith and law.
Islam
According to the 2006 estimate by the U.S. Department of State, roughly 98% of the population in the ComorosComoros
The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
are Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. Islam and its institutions have helped to integrate Comorian society and provide identification with a world beyond the islands' shores. Most adherents are Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
-Swahili
Swahili people
The Swahili people are a Bantu ethnic group and culture found in East Africa, mainly in the coastal regions and the islands of Kenya, Tanzania and north Mozambique. According to JoshuaProject, the Swahili number in at around 1,328,000. The name Swahili is derived from the Arabic word Sawahil,...
or Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
, but there are also people of Indian
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
descent.
Comorians follow religious observances conscientiously and strictly adhere to religious orthodoxy. During colonization, the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
did not attempt to supplant Islamic practices and were careful to respect the precedents of sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
as interpreted by the Shafi'i
Shafi'i
The Shafi'i madhhab is one of the schools of fiqh, or religious law, within the Sunni branch of Islam. The Shafi'i school of fiqh is named after Imām ash-Shafi'i.-Principles:...
school of thought. All Muslim holidays are observed, including Id al-Adha, Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
, Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
, Mawlid
Mawlid
Mawlid or sometimes ميلاد , mīlād is a term used to refer to the observance of the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad which occurs in Rabi' al-awwal,...
, Laylat al-Mi'raj and Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
. Mawlid is marked by celebrations culminating in a feast prepared for the ulama. Many women wear the chirumani, a printed cloth worn around the body. Comorians often consult mwalimus or fundi
Fundi
Fundi can refer to:* The plural form of fundus in anatomy, referring to the bottom or the lowest part of a hollow organ; that part which is the farthest from the opening* Fundi in politics; fundamentalist greens, notably in Germany...
and marabouts for healing and protection from jinn. Mwalimus activate jinn
Jinn
Jinn are supernatural beings in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings.Jinn may also refer to:* Jinn , a Japanese band* Qui-Gon Jinn, a character in the Star Wars universe...
to determine propitious days for feasts, a successful marriage, conduct healing ceremonies and prepare amulets containing Quranic ayat.
Christianity
Christianity in the ComorosChristianity in the Comoros
Christianity in the Comoros is a minority religion. Roman Catholics in the Comoros are about 4300 .Protestants are about 1,678 persons . In 2006 four persons were detained in the town of Moroni in the Comoros. The constitution guarantees religious liberty. Christians are not allowed to witness...
is a minority religion. Roman Catholics in the Comoros
Comoros
The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
are about 4300 (0.5 % of the population).
Protestants are about 1,678 persons (about 0.25 % of the population). In 2006 four persons were detained in the town of Moroni in the Comoros. The constitution guarantees religious liberty.
Christians are not allowed to witness publicly. They are subject to the denial of many civil rights. Christians are subject to societal disadvantage. There are foreign religious groups, that give humanitarian action. They do not engage in prozeliytizing however. Religious groups do not have the duty to register. A law states that who preaches another religion to Muslims, is subject to both a prison sentence and a fine. On Ngazidja Christian liberty is greater than in other parts of the Comoros. There is a Roman Catholic church in Moroni
Moroni, Comoros
-References:...
, on the island of Ngazidja. Another Roman Catholic church is in Mutsamudu
Mutsamudu
Mutsamudu is the second largest city in the Comoros, founded in 1482. It is also the capital and largest city on the island of Anjouan as well the former home of the current Comoron Union president Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi...
. There is a Protestant church in Moroni.
According to the World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia is a reference work published by Oxford University Press, known for providing membership statistics for major and minor world religions in every country of the world, including historical data and projections of future populations.The first edition, by David B. Barrett,...
(2nd edition), Volume 1, p. 208 there is at least one congregation of both Seventh Day Adventists, the Eglise de l'Africa Inland Mission and the reformed Eglise de Jésus Christ aux Comores.
Hinduism
Hinduism was brought to the ComorosComoros
The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
by the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n minority. Hinduism in both the independent Comoros and Mayotte
Mayotte
Mayotte is an overseas department and region of France consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre , a smaller island, Petite-Terre , and several islets around these two. The archipelago is located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, namely between northwestern Madagascar and...
play a very small part in the island's culture, heavily based on Islamic principles. However, the Indian population have contributed to the economy of the islands, most of them employed as doctors, lawyers and teachers.