Burundi – Free Quran

Islam in Burundi is a minority religion but has a notable historical and cultural presence. Here’s a detailed overview:

Religion: Islam
Population: Muslims make up around 2–5% of Burundi’s total population (out of about 12 million people).
Majority Religion: Christianity (mainly Roman Catholic and Protestant).

Early Introduction: Islam arrived in the region of modern-day Burundi through Arab and Swahili traders from the East African coast, particularly Zanzibar, in the 18th and 19th centuries.
These traders settled in parts of Burundi, especially in Bujumbura, and established trade networks and religious communities.
Islam spread slowly, mostly in urban areas and along trade routes, but it never became dominant.

Islam in Burundi is not strongly associated with any specific ethnic group. Muslims can be found among both Hutu and Tutsi populations, as well as urban Swahili-speaking communities.
Many Muslims in Burundi have mixed African-Arab or Swahili heritage.
The Indian/Asian Muslim minority, mostly Ismailis and Sunnis of South Asian descent, also has a presence, particularly in commerce.

Most Burundian Muslims are Sunni Muslims, primarily of the Shafi’i school, which is common in East Africa.
There is a Muslim Supreme Council that oversees religious affairs, mosques, and Islamic education.
Bujumbura, the former capital and largest city, has the highest concentration of Muslims and mosques.

Islam has contributed to education through madrassas (Islamic schools), especially in urban areas.
Some Muslim students pursue religious education abroad in countries like Tanzania, Sudan, Egypt, or Saudi Arabia.
The Swahili language, associated with coastal Islamic culture, is also spoken among Muslims in Burundi, especially for religious and trade purposes.

Islam is recognized by the government as one of the official religions.
Muslims enjoy freedom of worship and can practice their religion publicly.
However, due to their minority status, Muslims sometimes face marginalization or underrepresentation in politics and public institutions.
Burundi’s civil conflicts (e.g., the civil war from 1993 to 2005) were largely ethnic, not religious, so Muslims were not specifically targeted, and they sometimes acted as mediators due to their neutral position.

Muslims generally maintain peaceful relations with Christians and other religious groups.
There are interfaith initiatives in urban areas that promote tolerance and cooperation, especially in education and humanitarian efforts.

Burundi
Country Code Top-Level Domain: .bi
Country Code: +673