President of Islamic Council of Mozambique: More mosques, faithful in Angola is recognition of Islam

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President of Islamic Council of Mozambique: More mosques, faithful in Angola is recognition of Islam

2:11 CAT | 27 Nov 2023

Photo: Ampe Rogério / Lusa

The president of the Islamic Council of Mozambique (CISLAMO), Sheikh Aminuddin Muhammad, said on Friday in Luanda that Islam is recognised in practice in Angola, pointing to the growth in the number of mosques and worshippers throughout the country.

Speaking at the end of a service at the Ebad Al Rahman mosque in the urban district of Zango 0, in the municipality of Viana, Luanda, the official said that Islam may not be formally recognised in Angola, but there is practical recognition.

“Because just the fact that we see all these mosques, how many people attend them, is a sign that all of this is recognised in practice, what’s important is that citizens have that freedom to worship, to attend mosques, to study and not only that, to make their contribution to the development of morals and society in the country,” he told Lusa.

The CISLAMO leader, who is on his third day visiting Angola, where he last visited in 1986, emphasised the social development of the Portuguese-speaking country and also of Islam in this period, recalling that 37 years ago there was only one unfinished mosque in Angola.

“This is a sign of growth, because at the time, when I came, there was only one unfinished mosque, today, thanking God, I’ve been to so many mosques in the three days I’ve been here, so this is a sign of growth and it’s a good sign,” he emphasised.

The Islamic religion is still not recognised by the Angolan authorities, although the country has hundreds of mosques and thousands of believers, including Angolans and foreign residents.

In January 2019, the former Angolan minister of culture, Carolina Cerqueira, announced in parliament, during the committee stage debate of the Law on Freedom of Religion, Belief and Worship, that the government was “following the evolution of Islam in the country” and would “soon take a position”.

On Friday, Sheikh Aminuddin Muhammad emphasised that the lack of official recognition of Islam in Angola hinders the development of social actions in the country, “because there is no entity” with whom they can “deal officially”.

“I hope this phase is over so that we can take steps in this direction,” he said, noting that recognition by the authorities should help channel aid and other social actions.

Without any contact with the official Angolan authorities during these days of visits and meetings with Muslims in Luanda, the Islamic leader also considered that Islam’s challenges are similar to universal challenges.

“The challenges are the same, Islam is a universal religion, it’s a religion that defends peace, that fights for the moralisation of society and you all also know the challenges that we as a society face, the social problems,” he said, citing immobility, drugs, alcohol, lack of respect and dishonesty as social evils that also concern Muslims.

The president of CISLAMO led the service at the mosque, which was attended by dozens of worshippers, with a warm welcome and moments of “selfies” and dialogue with the young people at the end of the session.

Source: Lusa