Angola's Islamic Faith: Banned Or Restricted?

Rumours that Angola has banned Islam have been circulating since 2013, with reports of mosques being destroyed and Muslims being persecuted. However, these claims are unfounded and have been repeatedly denied by the Angolan government. While it is true that some mosques have been closed and destroyed, the government states that this is due to a lack of necessary land titles, building licenses, or other official documents. Angola's Muslim community faces challenges due to tough government requirements for legal recognition, but local leaders are optimistic that the tide is turning with current political reforms. Despite the lack of official recognition, Muslims in Angola continue to practise their religion, and there are around 60 mosques in the country as of 2019.

Angola's constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all citizens

The 2010 Angolan Constitution provides for freedom of religion and conscience, and the government generally respects this right in practice. The constitution requires the state to protect churches and religious groups as long as they comply with the law. It also increases the penalties for crimes committed due to religious beliefs and sets criminal penalties for hate speech or incitement of hate based on religion.

The government requires religious groups to petition for legal status with the Ministries of Justice and Culture. This legal status allows religious groups to act as juridical persons in court, secures their standing as officially registered religious groups, and permits them to construct schools and places of worship. However, groups must meet stringent requirements to qualify for registration, including providing general background information and having at least 100,000 adult adherents.

While the constitution guarantees freedom of religion, there have been press accounts claiming that the Muslim community in Angola is particularly targeted by the government. As of 2020, the Angolan government does not legally recognize any Muslim organizations, and mosques in the country have faced restrictions and closures. The government has denied these allegations, stating that there is no war against Islam or any other religion in the country.

The lack of official recognition of Muslim organizations has resulted in restrictions on mosques, with the government selectively shutting down, preventing the construction of, or even destroying mosque buildings. These actions have contributed to the perception that Islam is banned in Angola, which is not accurate. However, it is clear that the Muslim community in Angola faces challenges and difficulties due to the lack of official recognition and the resulting restrictions on their religious practices.

In summary, while Angolas's constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all citizens, the government's stringent criteria for official recognition and its actions towards the Muslim community have led to perceptions of religious intolerance and discrimination. The situation highlights the complex relationship between religious freedom and state control in Angola, and it remains to be seen if the government will take steps to improve relations with the Muslim community and officially recognize their religious organizations.

The government has shut down mosques and prevented the construction of new ones

Angola is a predominantly Christian country, with Islam being a minority religion. As of the 2014 census, there are 195,000 Muslims in Angola, representing 1% of the total population. Most Muslims in Angola are Sunni, and they are generally foreign migrants from West Africa and the Middle East, although a few are local converts. There are several Islamic organisations that run mosques, schools, and community centres.

The 2010 Angolan Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all citizens. However, in late 2016, messages spread that the government had banned Islam and closed down all mosques in the country, stating that it clashed with the state's Christian values. This was not true, but the government has shut down mosques and prevented the construction of new ones.

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 recognised, a group must have more than 100,000 members and be present in 12 out of 18 provinces. The population of Muslims 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 US State Department reports that the government often permits non-registered groups to exist and function, but notes instances of Angolan authorities shutting down mosques. In November 2013, the 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 stated that some Muslim groups had not registered their mosques officially, but did not specify which legal requirements they had not met.

The International Religious Freedom Report stated that the Angolan government selectively shut down mosques, schools, and community centres. Angolan officials denied that the government had a policy to close mosques, but 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, 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 4 September 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 without notice and without a written order of violation. In December 2011, a Muslim group in the Malanje Province 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 group began construction, Angolan authorities arrived and destroyed the mosque foundation without providing either a denial of the application or a citation for the offence.

In January 2012, the Angolan government prevented Muslims from building a mosque in 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, were shut down in 2013. Voice of America reported seeing a video that showed the demolition of a mosque in Saurimo. Muslims are currently de facto denied the permit to pray in or build mosques.

The 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.

Muslims in Angola are mostly foreign migrants and a few local converts

Angola is a predominantly Christian country, with Islam being a minority religion. As of the 2014 census, there were 195,000 Muslims in Angola, representing 1% of the total population. Most Muslims in Angola are Sunni. They are generally foreign migrants from West Africa and the Middle East, although a few are local converts.

Historically, Angola did not have a significant Muslim population. However, during the 21st century, Angola's Muslim community has grown. Most Muslims in Angola are businessmen and migrants from West Africa and the Middle East, especially Lebanon. Very few Angolans have converted to Islam as a result of Muslim missionary activity in Angola. Most of these conversions occurred during the Angolan Civil War, when many Angolans fled to countries with a significant Muslim presence and came into contact with Islam there.

There are several Islamic organizations in Angola 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. However, as of 2020, the Angolan government does not legally recognize any Muslim organizations. This has resulted in restrictions on mosques, with many being shut down by the government.

The government requires religious groups to petition for legal status and allows them to build schools and places of worship upon recognition. In order to be recognized, a group must have more than 100,000 members and be present in 12 out of 18 provinces. The population of Muslims in Angola is estimated at only 90,000, falling short of the required number for recognition. While the government has given legal status to 83 religious groups, all of them Christian, it has not granted legal status to any Muslim groups.

The lack of recognition for Muslim organizations in Angola has led to challenges for the Muslim community. They face restrictions on their ability to build and operate mosques, with some mosques being shut down or prevented from being constructed. However, it is important to note that the government often permits non-registered groups to exist and function, even without legal recognition.

In conclusion, while Muslims in Angola are mostly foreign migrants with a few local converts, they face challenges due to the lack of legal recognition for their religious organizations. This has resulted in restrictions on their religious practices, particularly regarding the construction and operation of mosques. However, it is important to note that Angola's Constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all citizens, and the government generally permits unregistered groups to function.

The government has not recognised any Muslim organisations

Angola is a predominantly Christian country, with Islam being a minority religion. As of the 2014 census, there are 195,000 Muslims in Angola, representing 1% of the total population. Most Muslims in Angola are Sunni, and they are generally foreign migrants from West Africa and the Middle East, although a few are local converts. There are several Islamic organisations that run mosques, schools and community centres. The Association for the Development of Islam in Angola is the primary proselytising organisation, and Muslim Angolans are represented by the Supreme Council of Angolan Muslims of Luanda.

The 2010 Angolan Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all citizens. However, in 2013, rumours began to circulate 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. This rumour was false, but it was perpetuated by far-right fake news outlets, particularly in the context of the 2016 US presidential election. The rumour was based on the fact that the Angolan government had denied a Muslim group's application for legal recognition. While this is true, it does not appear to be specifically anti-Muslim, as a lot of other religious groups are also not recognised. 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.

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 recognised, a group must have more than 100,000 members and be present in 12 out of 18 provinces. The population of Muslims 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 criticised Angola's threshold for recognition, stating, "You need 100,000 to be recognised as a religion or officially you cannot pray".

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 stated that some Muslim groups had not registered their mosques officially, but did not specify which legal requirements they had not met. As a result of not being legally recognised, mosques in Angola have faced restrictions and many have been shut down by the government. According to the Islamic Community of Angola, a total of 60 mosques, mostly outside of Luanda, were shut down in 2013.

Despite the lack of official recognition, the Angolan government generally permits Muslim organisations to exist, function, and grow. In January 2019, Mohammed Saleh Jabu, head of Islamic Religious Guidance and Cooperation in Angola, told Turkey's state-run press agency Anadolu that Muslims have been freely practising their religion for many decades and that there are now 60 mosques in the country. David Alberto Ja, head of the Islamic Community of Angola, expressed optimism about improving relations with the state and society, saying, "We are free to exercise our religion, but the government has yet to recognise Islam as one of the official religions of the state, and that should change. We are in the process of legalising our religion."

The Muslim population in Angola is estimated to be between 80,000 and 500,000

Angola is a predominantly Christian country, with Islam being a minority religion. The Muslim population in Angola is estimated to be between 80,000 and 500,000, with most sources placing the figure at around 90,000. This represents approximately 1% of the total population.

Most Muslims in Angola are Sunni, and they are generally foreign migrants from West Africa and the Middle East, with a small number being local converts. The Muslim population in Angola has grown in recent years, particularly following the Angolan Civil War, when many Angolans fled to countries with a significant Muslim presence and were exposed to Islam.

Despite the small but growing Muslim population, Islam has not been officially recognised by the Angolan state. The law on recognising official religions requires that a religion be practised by more than 100,000 people and be present in at least two-thirds of the country. As the Muslim population falls short of this threshold, the Angolan government has not granted legal status to any Muslim groups.

This lack of official recognition has led to restrictions on Muslim religious practices and the closure of mosques. In 2013, there were reports 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. These reports were later denied by the government, which clarified that it respected Islam and other religious faiths. However, the government has imposed stringent registration requirements on religious communities, making it difficult for Muslim groups to attain legal status.

The situation regarding Islam in Angola is complex and characterised by misunderstandings and misinformation. While there have been instances of mosques being shut down or prevented from being constructed, this has also been the case for Christian churches. Additionally, there have been persistent rumours and false reports circulated by far-right media outlets claiming that Angola has banned Islam. These reports often use outdated or misleading photographs of destroyed mosques that are not located in Angola.

The relationship between the Angolan government and its Muslim citizens and migrants remains unclear and has been characterised by accusations of discrimination and human rights violations. However, it is important to note that Angola's Constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all citizens, and there are Muslim communities and organisations in the country that continue to practise their faith.

Frequently asked questions