|
|
|
The
Society of Muslim Union of Chile
|
The
origins of Islam in Chile are not very clear. It is known that in 1854 two
“Turks” resided in the country, a situation that was repeated in the
censuses of 1865 and 1875. Their country of origin is not known, just that they
were natives of some territory of the immense Ottoman Empire.
According
to the 1885 census, the number of “Turks” had risen to 29, but there is no
precise information on their origin and their faith, since religion was not
included in that census. However, the census of 1895 registered the presence of
76 “Turks”, 58 of them Muslims. They lived mainly in the north of Chile in
Tarapacá, Atacama, Valparaiso, and Santiago.
In
the census of 1907, the Muslims had risen to 1,498 people, all of them
foreigners. They were 1,183 men and 315 women, representing only 0.04 percent of
the population. This is the highest percentage of Muslims in Chile’s history.
In
1920 a new census showed that the number of Muslims had decreased to 402, with
343 men and 59 women. The greatest numbers were in Santiago and Antofagasta,
with 76 in each province.
In
Santiago, the first Islamic institution of Chile, the Society of Muslim Union of
Chile, was founded on 25 September 1926. Later, on 16 October 1927, the Society
of Mutual Aids and Islamic Charity was established.
With
the 1952 census, the number of Muslims had risen again to 956. The majority
lived in Santiago, with others in the provinces of Antofagasta, Coquimbo,
Valparaíso, O’Higgins, Concepción, Malleco, Cautín and
Valdivia, without much organization among them.
Their
numbers decreased again, so that by 1960 there were only 522, with the majority
of 209 living in Santiago. A decade later, the number of Muslims had increased
to 1,431. However, the census did not indicate whether they were men or women,
nationals or foreigners. Nevertheless, they were spread throughout the country.
First
Mosque Built
|
|
|
Al-Salam
Mosque in Santiago, Chile
|
Through
the 1970s and ‘80s, there were no religious leaders or centers for praying.
Muslims who maintained the faith met in the residence of Taufik Rumie’ Dalu, a
trader of Syrian origin.
In
1990 the construction of the Al-Salam Mosque began, the first of the country. In
1995 another mosque was inaugurated in Temuco, and 1998 a new one in Iquique.
Sources of the Islamic community indicate that at the moment, in Chile, there
are 3,000 Muslims. Many of those are Chileans who, as a result of their
conversion, have even changed their names. In spite of the small number of
believers, they are not a homogenous community. The majority are Sunnis, and the
rest are Shiites. Sufi groups have also arisen, but their members are mainly of
non-Arab origin.
“I’ll
never forget that day,” says the imam of Al-Salam Mosque, Sami Elmushtawi.
“The day of the mosque’s inauguration was a day where the dreams of the
Muslim community became true.” The Egyptian imam says further, “For us this
was a unique opportunity, because not every day we are visited by kings, nor
mosques are inaugurated either.” Apart from the fact that the King of Malaysia
inaugurated the mosque on 1 October 1995, the mosque is considered one of the
three best ones of Latin America, after those of Venezuela and Brazil.
The
mosque, built to welcome 500 people, consists of three floors. The first has
reading rooms, multipurpose hall, baths and cafeteria. The second contains the
prayer hall, and the third has the office of the imam and rooms for guests.
“There
are some people who come to pray during the day, but due to work the majority
come to the mosque in the evening,” indicated Sami Elmushtawi.
However,
Santiago is not the only place where Muslims can practice their faith. The
Islamic Chilean Corporation of Temuco, founded in October 2001 in the city of
Temuco, has the mission of spreading the Islamic culture and traditions. In
addition, today it tries to open more channels to spread the moral values of
Islam, overcoming the prejudices after 11 September 2001.
Muslim
Women in Chile
|
|
|
In
front
of Bilal Mosque Iquique, Chile
|
Muslim
women pray at the mosque and in their houses. Chileans converted to Islam
describe how they live as Muslims in a country which is dominantly Catholic, and
how they are perceived. The attack of 11 September generated insults and
practical jokes against them.
Karima
Alberto, a 35-year-old housewife married to a Syrian merchant, has two children.
She met her husband in his store. “He was the reason I converted to Islam, he
told me marvelous things about Islam so I began to go to the mosque and learned
more about Islam. It was like self-discovery,” she says.
Karima
says that some people started treating them differently because of the 11
September attack. Although she is yearning to go to Makkah, she has already met
her husband’s relatives in Damascus. “It was not difficult to stop eating
pork or drink alcohol. It’s God’s will, and it’s stated in the Qur’an.
Although some people think it’s a big sacrifice, I don’t look at it that way
at all. Islam has given me a new vision.”
Carla
Olivari, an 18-year-old student in a mixed school, says, “Now I do not feel
pressured to drink alcohol at parties or to lose my virginity.”
At
the age of 16, she used to pass by the mosque until one day she decided to
enter. She left the mosque as a Muslim. “I feel that Allah chose me.” Her
parents, who are Catholic, did not oppose, but her brother did. “When he sees
me praying in my room, he calls me a lunatic.” However, she not only fasts
during Ramadan, but on other days as well. “Above all, I pray for the victims
in Palestine and Iraq.”
Carla
wants to marry a Muslim. “My husband has to be a Muslim. I want my children to
grow up in a Muslim family that teaches them important family values. Then I
will get veiled permanently, not like now, when I only use it in the mosque.”
Habiba
Abdullah, 40 years old, is a doctor at Roberto Del Río Hospital. She
emphasizes that she carries the surname of her father, “Because Islam permits
us to conserve our surname and not to be Mrs. Somebody.”
A
member of a family of six brothers, she has a single son who is 18 years old.
All her family is Muslim. “I was born a Muslim, and I’m proud of it. I
remember my father taking us every weekend to the mosque. We would learn the
Qur’an, and we would study Arabic. Although it was difficult when I first wore
my veil at work, but little by little people started accepting me. Now people
are not very surprised to see me with veil.”
Still,
these women are a minority in Chile. “There are always people coming to the
mosque out of curiosity,” states Imam Sami Elmushtawi. “Nevertheless, it is
very satisfactory when I see their faces after leaving the mosque, or when they
return again. Some people come to learn Arabic, and some come to learn more
about Islam. But definitely it gives me greater joy that the Muslim community is
increasing in Chile.”
Salma Elhamalawy
contacted at: salma_elhamalawy@yahoo.com.
