Islam in Tanzania
Encyclopedia
Islam
is, as of 2007, the religion in Tanzania
with 35% of the population of the mainland (Tanganyika
) and more than 99% of the population in Zanzibar
being Muslim
.
The earliest concrete evidence of Muslim presence in East Africa
is the foundation of a mosque
in Shanga on Pate Island where gold, silver and copper coins dated from 830 were found during an excavation in the 1980s.
The story of Islam in Tanzania began around 960-1000 AD, when Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi was one of seven sons of a Shah
of Shiraz
, Persia, his mother an Abyssinian
slave. Upon his father's death, Ali was driven out of his inheritance by his brothers. Setting sail out of Hormuz
, Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi, and a small group of followers first made their way to Mogadishu, a commercial entrepot on the East African coast.
Steering down the African coast, Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi is said to have purchased the island of Kilwa from the local Bantu king 'Almuli' and connected by a small land bridge to the African mainland that appeared only in low tide. The king agreed to sell Kilwa to Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi for as much colored cloth and silk as could cover the circumference of the island. Immediately after purchasing Kilwa the Shirazi
's had dug up the land bridge, and Kilwa was now an island and later the capitol of the Kilwa Sultanate
.
At the zenith of its power in the 1300s-1400s, the Kilwa Sultanate
owned or claimed overlordship over the mainland cities of Malindi
, Sofala
and the island-states of Mombassa, Pemba
, Zanzibar
, Mafia
, Comoros
and Inhambane
- essentially ruling what is now often referred to as the Swahili Coast
.
The oldest intact building in East Africa
is the Kizimkazi Mosque
in southern Zanzibar
dated from 1107. It appears that Islam was widespread in the Indian Ocean
area by the 14th century. When Ibn Battuta
visited the East Africa
n littoral in 1332 he reported that he felt at home because of Islam in the area. The coastal population was largely Muslim, and Arabic
was the language of literature and trade. The whole of the Indian Ocean seemed to be a "Muslim sea". Muslims controlled the trade and established coastal settlements in Southeast Asia
, India
and East Africa
.
Islam was spread mainly through trade activities along the East African coast, not through violent conquest and territorial expansion as was mostly the case in North Africa
, but remained an urban littoral phenomenon for a long time. When the violent Portuguese
intrusions in the coastal areas occurred in the 16th century, Islam was already well established there and almost all the ruling families had ties of kinship with Arabia, Persia, India and even Southeast Asia
owing to their maritime contacts and political connections with the northern and eastern parts of the Indian Ocean. In the end of the 17th century and beginning of the 18th century the coastal Muslims managed to oust the Portuguese with the help of Oman
. The Oman
is gradually increased their political influence until the end of the 19th century when Europeans
arrived at the coast of East Africa
.
During the time when Oman
dominated the coast politically, the spread of Islam intensified also in the interior of East Africa
. Trade contacts with peoples in the interior, especially the Nyamwezi
, gained importance and places like Tabora in Nyamwezi
territory and Ujiji at Lake Tanganyika
became important centers in the ever-increasing trade in slaves and ivory. Many chiefs, even in parts of Uganda
, converted to Islam and cooperated with the coastal Muslims. Trade served to spread not only Islam, but also the Swahili language
and culture. Before the establishment of German East Africa
in the 1880s the influence of the Swahilis
was mainly limited to the areas along the caravan routes and around their destinations.
There is also a large number of people who adhere to the Ahmadiyya
Islam, who believe in the 19th century reformer, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
, originating in India who claimed to be the Messiah.
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
is, as of 2007, the religion in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
with 35% of the population of the mainland (Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
) and more than 99% of the population in Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
being 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...
.
History
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
is the foundation of a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in Shanga on Pate Island where gold, silver and copper coins dated from 830 were found during an excavation in the 1980s.
The story of Islam in Tanzania began around 960-1000 AD, when Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi was one of seven sons of a Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
of Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
, Persia, his mother an Abyssinian
Abyssinian
Abyssinian may refer to:* Abyssinian, Habesha people and things from parts of Ethiopia and Eritrea, formerly known as Abyssinia* Abyssinian , a cat breed* Abyssinian, a breed of guinea pig* The Abyssinians, a Jamaican roots reggae group...
slave. Upon his father's death, Ali was driven out of his inheritance by his brothers. Setting sail out of Hormuz
Hormuz
Hormuz is distorted from the Persian Ohrmuzd, meaning Ahura Mazda. It can refer to:* The Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf* Hormuz Island, an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf* Hormuz District, an administrative subdivision of Iran...
, Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi, and a small group of followers first made their way to Mogadishu, a commercial entrepot on the East African coast.
Steering down the African coast, Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi is said to have purchased the island of Kilwa from the local Bantu king 'Almuli' and connected by a small land bridge to the African mainland that appeared only in low tide. The king agreed to sell Kilwa to Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi for as much colored cloth and silk as could cover the circumference of the island. Immediately after purchasing Kilwa the Shirazi
Shirazi
- People :*Shirazi , a social group among the Swahili people of East Africa*Grand Ayatollah Mirza Hassan Shirazi, the leading marja of his time, and is widely known for his 1891 fatwa against the usage of tobacco...
's had dug up the land bridge, and Kilwa was now an island and later the capitol of the Kilwa Sultanate
Kilwa Sultanate
The Kilwa Sultanate was a Medieval sultanate, centered at Kilwa , whose authority, at its height, stretched over the entire length of the Swahili Coast. It was founded in the 10th century by Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi...
.
At the zenith of its power in the 1300s-1400s, the Kilwa Sultanate
Kilwa Sultanate
The Kilwa Sultanate was a Medieval sultanate, centered at Kilwa , whose authority, at its height, stretched over the entire length of the Swahili Coast. It was founded in the 10th century by Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi...
owned or claimed overlordship over the mainland cities of Malindi
Malindi
Malindi is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Galana River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa. The population of Malindi is 117,735 . It is the capital of the Malindi District.Tourism is the major industry in Malindi. The city is...
, Sofala
Sofala
Sofala, at present known as Nova Sofala, used to be the chief seaport of the Monomotapa Kingdom, whose capital was at Mount Fura. It is located on the Sofala Bank in Sofala Province of Mozambique.-History:...
and the island-states of Mombassa, Pemba
Pemba
-Places in Africa:* Pemba Island, in Tanzania* Pemba, Mozambique, the capital of Cabo Delgado Province* Pemba, Zambia, a small town-Individuals:* Pemba, George, a South African painter .* Pemba , a famous red panda...
, Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
, Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
, 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...
and Inhambane
Inhambane
Inhambane, Terra de Boa Gente is a city located in southern Mozambique, lying on Inhambane Bay, 470 km northeast of Maputo. It is the capital of the Inhambane Province and according to the 2008 census has a population of 65,837, growing from the 1997 census of 54,157...
- essentially ruling what is now often referred to as the Swahili Coast
Swahili Coast
The Swahili Coast refers to the coast or coastal area of East Africa inhabited by the Swahili people, mainly Kenya, Tanzania, and north Mozambique...
.
The oldest intact building in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
is the Kizimkazi Mosque
Kizimkazi Mosque
The Kizimkazi Mosque is a mosque situated on the southern tip of the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania and is one of the oldest Islamic buildings on the East African coast. Despite its name, it is located in Dimbani, not Kizimkazi, which is three miles away...
in southern Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
dated from 1107. It appears that Islam was widespread in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
area by the 14th century. When Ibn Battuta
Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta , or simply Ibn Battuta, also known as Shams ad–Din , was a Muslim Moroccan Berber explorer, known for his extensive travels published in the Rihla...
visited the East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
n littoral in 1332 he reported that he felt at home because of Islam in the area. The coastal population was largely Muslim, and Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
was the language of literature and trade. The whole of the Indian Ocean seemed to be a "Muslim sea". Muslims controlled the trade and established coastal settlements in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, 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...
and East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
.
Islam was spread mainly through trade activities along the East African coast, not through violent conquest and territorial expansion as was mostly the case in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, but remained an urban littoral phenomenon for a long time. When the violent Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
intrusions in the coastal areas occurred in the 16th century, Islam was already well established there and almost all the ruling families had ties of kinship with Arabia, Persia, India and even Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
owing to their maritime contacts and political connections with the northern and eastern parts of the Indian Ocean. In the end of the 17th century and beginning of the 18th century the coastal Muslims managed to oust the Portuguese with the help of Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
. The Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
is gradually increased their political influence until the end of the 19th century when Europeans
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
arrived at the coast of East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
.
During the time when Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
dominated the coast politically, the spread of Islam intensified also in the interior of East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
. Trade contacts with peoples in the interior, especially the Nyamwezi
Nyamwezi
The Nyamwezi, or Wanyamwezi, are the second-largest of over 120 ethnic groups in Tanzania. They live in the northwest central area of the country, between Lake Victoria and Lake Rukwa...
, gained importance and places like Tabora in Nyamwezi
Nyamwezi
The Nyamwezi, or Wanyamwezi, are the second-largest of over 120 ethnic groups in Tanzania. They live in the northwest central area of the country, between Lake Victoria and Lake Rukwa...
territory and Ujiji at Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, after Lake Baikal in Siberia; it is also the world's longest freshwater lake...
became important centers in the ever-increasing trade in slaves and ivory. Many chiefs, even in parts of Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, converted to Islam and cooperated with the coastal Muslims. Trade served to spread not only Islam, but also the Swahili language
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
and culture. Before the establishment of German East Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
in the 1880s the influence of the Swahilis
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,...
was mainly limited to the areas along the caravan routes and around their destinations.
There is also a large number of people who adhere to the Ahmadiyya
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
Islam, who believe in the 19th century reformer, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Mīrzā Ghulām Aḥmad was a religious figure from India and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community. He claimed to be the Mujaddid of the 14th Islamic century, the promised Messiah , and the Mahdi awaited by the Muslims in the end days...
, originating in India who claimed to be the Messiah.