Islam in Fiji

Islam in Fiji (Fiji Hindi: فجی میں اسلام (Perso-Arabic script); फ़िजी में इस्लाम (Devanagari script)) is the third largest religion. There are about 60,000 Muslims in Fiji.[1][2] Muslims in Fiji are mostly Sunni Muslim with a Shia and Ahmadiyya minority.[3] In the 1966 Fiji elections, a Suva-based Muslim communal party, the Muslim Political Front, took part. Presently, Urdu and an Urduized/Arabized/Persianized form of Fiji Hindi is widely taught among Muslim schools for the Fijian Muslims all across Fiji.

In the early 19th century, Muslims migrated to Fiji from South Asia.[4] The Fiji Muslim League (FML) was formed in 1926.[5][6] The FML was vital in the growth of Islam as they contributed to the schooling system of Fiji with launching Muslims schools in the country.[7] In 1929, Fiji Muslim League sought to acquire discrete representation for Muslims in the Fiji Legislative Council.[4]

Some modern Muslim migrants from Arab Countries such as Sudan, Yemen and Egypt also have settled in Fiji forming a Fijian-Arab Population, with other migrants from other country's around the Islamic World. Islamic holy days such as Mawlid are also given as a holiday by the Fijian government.[8]

  1. ^ "Australia – Oceania :: Fiji — The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency". cia.gov. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Fiji military chief hits back at former PM's Muslim backlash claim". www.abc.net.au. 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  3. ^ Ali-Chand, Zakia; Buksh, Shazna; Anzeg, Afshana (2016). "Islam in Fiji: Continuity, Adaptation and Change during the Indenture and Post-Indenture Periods". Indentured Muslims in the Diaspora. pp. 275–302. doi:10.4324/9781315272030-8. ISBN 9781315272030.
  4. ^ a b "Islam in Fiji". www.muslimpopulation.com. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  5. ^ Maurits S. Hassankhan; Goolam Vahed; Lomarsh Roopnarine (10 November 2016). Indentured Muslims in the Diaspora: Identity and Belonging of Minority Groups in Plural Societies. Taylor & Francis. p. 290. ISBN 978-1-351-98687-8.
  6. ^ Jon Fraenkel; Stewart Firth; Brij V. Lal (April 2009). The 2006 Military Takeover in Fiji: A Coup to End All Coups?. ANU E Press. p. 226. ISBN 978-1-921536-51-9.
  7. ^ Richard B. Baldauf; Robert B. Kaplan (2006). Language Planning and Policy in the Pacific: Fiji, the Philippines and Vanuatu. Vol. 1. Multilingual Matters. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-85359-921-7.
  8. ^ "[PDF] The History of the Mawlid - Free Download PDF". silo.tips. Retrieved 2021-07-15.