MEXICO: Mexican Muslims gather for prayers to mark the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.

Record ID: 305489

  • Title: MEXICO: Mexican Muslims gather for prayers to mark the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
  • Date: 21st July 2012
  • Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (JULY 20, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF MEXICO'S MUSLIM POPULATION GATHERING ISA ROJAS, DIRECTOR OF AL HIKMAH CENTRE VARIOUS OF MUSLIMS DURING PRAYER SERVICE
  • Embargoed: 5th August 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVAAXI45ERH391QQT95V572RY1KI
  • Story Text: As the world's 1.2 billion of Islamic faithful heralded in the start of the holy month of Ramadan on Friday (July 20), dozens of Muslims gathered at a small Islamic centre in largely Catholic Mexico for prayers and to break their fast.
    With an estimated 3,700 Muslims spread across Mexico and only two official mosques in its teeming capital of over 20 million, the Muslim community in the Latin American country is used to improvising in their quest to fulfil their religious rites in the conservative Roman Catholic country.
    Isa Rojas, a local imam and director of Mexico City's Al Hikmah Centre, said that Islam has spread in Mexico largely due to the internet and social networks.

    "Mexico is a new country for us. It has had Islam for 20 or 30 years, in comparison to some countries were it has existed for double that time. Even though it's so new, it has been well received," said Rojas.

    "Social networks have helped very much. Now people don't need someone to speak to them about Islam. You can go on the internet and find out whatever you want about this faith, and that helps people get close to us. Some 90 percent of the people we have here have come by themselves," he added.
    Haytham Abdo, a Jordanian expatriate living in Mexico, said Muslims were welcome in Mexico despite it being a predominantly Catholic country.

    "The majority here in Mexico are Catholics but any Muslim person will not face any problems living in Mexico," said Abdo.
    Al Hikmah Centre, although small, is a considerable improvement from last year, when worshippers in Mexico City were forced to deck out an underground parking lot with rugs to make a makeshift mosque.
    Mexico City's Muslim community began to expand in 1984 with the waves of immigrants fleeing violence and instability in the Middle East.
    Today, Islam is regarded as one of the fastest growing religions in the Latin American country and two mosques for worshippers are currently under construction in Mexico City.
    Although Halal meat is still hard to come by and Muslim communities in the country are spread as far afield as Chiapas and Tijuana, Muslims insist that their faith is a good fit for Mexico and that they have been welcomed by the society.
    The Islamic Community in Mexico and the rest of the world is observing the holy month of Ramadan throughout July and August, a period of fasting and religious reflection that is broken by a family feast and prayers in the evening.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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