Islam in Papua New Guinea

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Islam in Papua New Guinea is a minority religion, with over 5,000 followers.[1] The majority of the Muslims are Sunni, while a small number are Ahmadiyya.[2] Majority of Muslims in Papua New Guinea are indigenous Papua New Guineans.[3]

History[]

16th to 19th century[]

The history of Islam in New Guinea is obscure due to lack of any historical sources. However, Muslim trading networks operated in and around New Guinea from the 16th to 19th centuries. More direct contact with Muslims occurred somewhere between the 17th and late 18th century when Muslim merchants from Seram arrived in the Papua New Guinea area to conduct trade. During this period, there was much contact with the Seramese Muslims and the peoples of the Trans-Fly coastal region. Although trading contacts between the two came more infrequent as time passed, there was a continued presence of Muslim traders in the region as late as the 1870s.[4]

There was a presence of Muslim Makassar merchants and Muslim laborers in southern Papua New Guinea in the 19th and 20th centuries but little is known of their religious practices or impact on the natives of the area. Despite centuries of contact with Muslims, there seems to have been little Islamic influence in Papua New Guinea except in certain rituals or customs among some native tribes.[4]

20th century[]

In the 1970s, the Muslim population of Papua New Guinea was estimated to be only 120. Most were expatriate workers from Africa and South Asia.[5]

In 1982, Islam was officially recognized by the government.[5]

In 1988, Muslims in Papua New Guinea set up the first Islamic center, with the help of a Malaysia-based Islamic organization and the Saudi Ministry of Islamic affairs. In 1996, three more Islamic centers were established, with the help of the Muslim World League. There are now seven Islamic centers in the nation. The first mosque, known as the Baitul Kareem Mosque, was built in 1988 in Kimbe, New Britain, by the Ahmadiyya Muslims.[6]

Present-day[]

According to Isa Teine, the general secretary for Islamic Society of Papua New Guinea, many are drawn to Islam because of its similarities with Melanesian customs, and he predicts that "Once the religion itself spread I tell you, I'm just predicting in 20, 30 years' time, all Papua New Guinea will submit to Islam."[7] Similar opinions are voiced even by many of the non-Muslims of PNG, with a Seventh Day Adventist preacher from the highland Enga Province stating his belief that, "In the next 30 years all the PNG highlands will become Muslim because our culture is Islamic."[8]

According to research by Dr Scott Flower, a Melbourne University Islamic specialist, secondary reasons for conversion to Islam include the disillusionment and confusion at the competition between the many different Christian churches, and inconsistencies in their theology: “PNG people are quite fanatical about theology, they actually read the bible. They can quote chapter and verse. And the contradictions they find in the bible are another major reason why people told me they converted."[8]

There are pockets of Muslims around Port Moresby, in Baimuru, Daru, Marshall Lagoon, the Musa Valley and in the islands of New Britain and New Ireland. It is in the Highlands that Islam has seen the most growth.[9]

Population[]

In 2001, there were under 500 Muslims in PNG.[8] In 2007, the U.S. Department of State estimated that there were about 2,000 Muslims in the country.[10] In 2008, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation cited that were more than 4,000 Muslims in the country, with "reports of entire villages converting at the same time."[11] In 2012, Scott Flower estimated that there were over 5,000 Muslims, claiming a 500% increase since 2001.[1]

Issues[]

In the past, the Papuan government were opposed towards formally recognizing Islam and it's institutions. To the present day, the government has threatened to ban Islam. Muslims have experienced discrimination and even violence from the Christian majority.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "The growing muslim minority community in Papua New Guinea". Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  2. ^ "Islam in Papua New Guinea" (PDF). Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Flower, Scott (2015-05-01). "Conversion to Islam in Papua New Guinea". Nova Religio. 18 (4): 55–82. doi:10.1525/nr.2015.18.4.55. ISSN 1092-6690.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Flower, Scott (2016). Islam and Cultural Change in Papua New Guinea. Routledge. pp. 29–30. ISBN 978-1-317-68084-0.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Flower, Scott (2009-11-26). "The Struggle to Establish Islam in Papua New Guinea (1976–83)". The Journal of Pacific History. 44 (3): 241–260. doi:10.1080/00223340903356823. ISSN 0022-3344.
  6. ^ "Islam in Melanesia". Vlad Sokhin. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  7. ^ "Growing numbers convert to Islam in PNG". ABC. 18 Nov 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c Jo Chandler (August 8, 2013). "A Faith Grows In PNG". The Global Mail. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  9. ^ http://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=119 Archived 2011-05-26 at the Wayback Machine Events in Papua New Guinea
  10. ^ International Religious Freedom Report 2007
  11. ^ "Growing numbers convert to Islam in PNG". abc.net. 18 November 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2015.

Further reading[]

  • Flower, Scott (2016). Islam and Cultural Change in Papua New Guinea. Routledge.

External links[]

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