Exploring Bolivia: A Muslim-Majority Country?

Bolivia is a secular nation that guarantees freedom of religion. While the country is heavily dominated by Roman Catholicism, with around 77% of the population identifying as Catholic, there are a small number of Muslims in the country. There are estimated to be around 1,000-2,000 Muslims in Bolivia, representing less than 0.1% of the total population. The Muslim community is served by a handful of Islamic centres and mosques, including the As-Salam mosque in La Paz and the Mezquita Yebel An-Nur in La Paz, the first recognised Sunni mosque in the country.

Islam is a minority religion in Bolivia

The Bolivian Islamic Center, led by Mahmud Amer Abusharar, a Palestinian refugee, was created in 1986. The center is one of a handful of Islamic centers in the country, serving a small but growing community of Bolivian Muslims. The majority of Muslims in Bolivia are Bolivian converts, with Arab Muslims from different countries also practicing Islam in the South American country.

There are two official Sunni mosques in Bolivia, with the As-Salam mosque in La Paz being the most prominent. The mosque serves as an informal center where Muslims can gather to read the Quran and learn about Islamic traditions. The imam of the mosque, Ayman Altaramsi, a doctor by profession, volunteers as a mentor for the Islamic Association of Bolivia and leads prayer ceremonies and Quran lessons.

The Muslim community in Bolivia faces challenges such as the unavailability of halal food. To address this, the As-Salam mosque started producing its own halal meat. During Ramadan, about a hundred people gather at the mosque to share meals and their spiritual experiences. The Islamic Association of Bolivia also organizes sessions for women to discuss Islam and connect with each other.

While Islam is a minority religion in Bolivia, the country's constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits religious discrimination. The constitution stipulates that the state is independent of religion and provides for "freedom of thought, spirituality, religion, and worship," expressed individually or collectively, in public and in private.

There are around 2,000 Muslims in Bolivia

Bolivia is a secular nation that guarantees freedom of religion. The predominant religion in the country is Christianity, with Roman Catholicism as its largest denomination. However, there is a small but notable Muslim presence in the country.

According to various sources, there are around 2,000 Muslims in Bolivia, representing less than 0.1% of the total population. This includes both indigenous Bolivians who have converted to Islam and Arab Muslims from different countries. The exact number of Muslims in Bolivia may vary, as some sources put the figure at 1,500 or even 1,000.

The Muslim community in Bolivia is served by several Islamic organizations and centres spread across the country, including the Centro Islamico Boliviano in Santa Cruz, which was created in 1986 by Imam Mahmud Amer Abusharar, a Palestinian refugee. Abusharar also founded the first mosque in Bolivia, located in the city of Santa Cruz, which was completed in 1994. There are also two official Sunni mosques in the country, including the As-Salam mosque in La Paz, which has been in existence for 11 years.

The As-Salam mosque serves as an informal centre for the Muslim community in La Paz. It teaches the values and principles of Islam and offers Arabic and Quran lessons. The mosque also functions as a gathering place for the community during Ramadan, with about 100 people coming together to share halal meat and their spiritual experiences.

While the Muslim community in Bolivia is small, it has attracted attention and interest, particularly in terms of its relations with other countries. There have been media reports and intelligence studies examining the potential influence of Bolivian Muslims on the country's foreign relations, including its budding ties with Iran. However, official reports have generally concluded that Bolivian foreign relations are not a result of Muslim influence.

There are two official Sunni mosques in the country

Bolivia is a predominantly Christian country, with adherents of Islam representing a very small minority. The country's secular constitution guarantees freedom of religion, allowing Muslims to proselytize and build places of worship. There are an estimated 2,000 Muslims in Bolivia, comprising 0.017% of the total population.

The Yebel An Nur Mosque in La Paz, founded in 2004, is the first official Sunni mosque in the country. It maintains self-funding with close ties to the Sunni Bolivian Islamic Center of Santa Cruz. The mosque was established through collaboration between Bolivian Muslims and local residents, with the latter often visiting the homes of the former.

The As-Salam Mosque, which receives both Sunni and Shia followers, is another place of worship for Muslims in Bolivia. Imam Ayman Altaramsi, the religious leader of the mosque, conducts prayer ceremonies and provides Arabic and Quran lessons. He also volunteers as a mentor for the Islamic Association of Bolivia.

According to Imam Ayman Altaramsi, there are two official Sunni mosques across Bolivia. The one in La Paz has been in existence for 11 years, and the majority of its visitors are Bolivian converts of all ages, typically between 20 and 40. The mosque functions as an informal centre where Islamic values and principles are taught, and people gather to read the Quran and learn about Islamic traditions.

Bolivian society is not structured around Islam

The majority of Bolivian citizens self-identify as Catholic, with the U.S. government estimating that 77% of the population identifies as such. The constitution of Bolivia guarantees freedom of religion and establishes a separation between church and state, prohibiting discrimination along religious lines. This religious freedom allows for the presence of Islamic communities and the practice of Islam in the country. However, the society itself is not structured around Islamic principles or values.

The Muslim community in Bolivia faces challenges in finding halal food, which is not widely available in the country. They have started producing their own halal meat to address this issue. Additionally, the Islamic Association of Bolivia serves as an informal center for teaching Islamic values and principles, with a focus on attracting newcomers and facilitating conversions. While there may be some suspicion or limited knowledge about Islam among Bolivians, the country's society is not structured around Islamic beliefs or practices.

The presence of Islam in Bolivia is a result of immigration from Middle Eastern countries such as Palestine, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon. The construction of mosques, such as the As-Salam mosque in La Paz, and the Mezquita Yebel An-Nur, the first recognized Sunni mosque in the country, has provided spaces for the Muslim community to gather and practice their faith. However, these mosques are relatively new, and the Muslim community in Bolivia is still small compared to the dominant Catholic population. Therefore, it is accurate to say that Bolivian society is not structured around Islam.

The Bolivian constitution guarantees freedom of religion

Bolivia is a secular nation, and its constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The constitution establishes the freedom of religion and a separation between church and state, prohibiting discrimination along religious lines. The constitution accords educational institutions the right to teach religion, including indigenous spiritual belief classes, with the aim of encouraging mutual respect among religious communities. While religion classes are optional, schools must teach ethics with curriculum materials that promote religious tolerance. The government does not restrict religious teaching in public or private schools, and it does not restrict a student from attending private, religiously affiliated schools. The law also requires all schools to accept students regardless of their religious affiliation.

The constitution defines a spiritual organization as a group of people who organize themselves to carry out practices that develop their spirituality according to their ancestral worldview. Most spiritual organizations are indigenous in their origins. A religious organization, on the other hand, is defined as a group of people who organize themselves to carry out practices of worship and/or belief around a Supreme Being to develop their spirituality and religiosity, without pursuing profit.

The constitution stipulates that the state respects and provides for "freedom of thought, spirituality, religion, and worship," expressed individually or collectively, in public and in private. The state is independent of all religion, according to the constitution. The constitution prohibits religious discrimination, including access to educational institutions, health services, and employment, and protects the right of access to public sport and recreational activities without regard to religion.

The law governing religious freedom and religious and spiritual organizations makes a clear distinction between NGOs and religious organizations. Religious organizations are constituted to practice, profess, and teach their specific faith or religion, while NGOs have no such faith-based ties. The religious freedom law requires all religious or spiritual organizations to inform the government of their financial, legal, social, and religious activities. The law regulates the finances and labour practices of religious organizations, requiring them to use funds exclusively to achieve the organization's objectives, banning the distribution of money among members, and subjecting all employees to national labour laws.

Religious organizations must submit 14 documentary requirements to register with the government, including notarized legal documents, rental agreements, utility invoices, and detailed information on board members and legal representatives. The constitution does not deny legal recognition to any organization based on its articles of faith. The government may revoke a spiritual or religious organization's operating license for non-compliance with registration requirements, failure to produce annual reports, non-compliance with stated objectives, or carrying out activities contrary to the country's constitution, laws, morality, or "good customs."

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