Islam in Papua New Guinea

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]

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History

Islam has had a presence in New Guinea since the 13th–15th century. The Sultanate of Tidore had suzerainty over West Papua, which provoked Muslim settlements and conversion of indigenous locals to Islam. The locals of New Guinea also had relations and traded with Malaysia in the early 17th century,[3] which further endorsed Islam in the region.

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.[4]

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."[5] 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."[6]

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."[6]

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.[7]

Population

In 2001, there were under 500 Muslims in PNG.[6] In 2007, the U.S. Department of State estimated that there were about 2,000 Muslims in the country.[8] 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."[9] In 2012, Scott Flower estimated that there were over 5,000 Muslims, claiming a 500% increase since 2001.[1]

Notes
  1. "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. BBC News: Timeline: Papua New Guinea
  5. "Growing numbers convert to Islam in PNG". ABC. 18 Nov 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  6. Jo Chandler (August 8, 2013). "A Faith Grows In PNG". The Global Mail. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  7. http://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=119 Archived 2011-05-26 at the Wayback Machine Events in Papua New Guinea
  8. International Religious Freedom Report 2007
  9. "Growing numbers convert to Islam in PNG". abc.net. 18 November 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
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