Islam in Ivory Coast

A mosque in Marcory According to the CIA factbook , Muslims make up about 35-40% of the population of Côte d'Ivoire . In Côte d'Ivoire, Muslims pray, fast, and give alms as required by tenets of Islam, and many perform the hajj being made compulsory. Most Ivoirian Muslims are Sunni , following the Maliki version of Islamic law. Sufism , involving the organization of mystical brotherhoods (tariqa) for the purification and spread of Islam, is also widespread, laced with indigenous beliefs and practices. The four major Sufi brotherhoods are all represented in Côte d'Ivoire, although the Qadiriya, founded in the eleventh century, and the Tidjaniya, founded in the eighteenth century, are most popular. The Qadiriya is prevalent in the west, and the Tidjaniya, in the east. The other two major Islamic brotherhoods have few adherents in Côte d'Ivoire. The Senoussiya is identified with Libya , where its influence is substantial. The significant religious authority is the marabout . He is believed to be a miracle worker, a physician, and a mystic, who exercises both magical and moral authority. He is also respected as a dispenser of amulets , which protect the wearer—Muslim or non-Muslim—against evil. The influence of marabouts has produced a number of reactions in Ivoirian society, among them a series of reformist movements inspired by Wahabist puritanism , which originated in nineteenth-century Saudi Arabia . These reform movements often condemn Sufism and marabouts as un-Islamic, but the poor see that marabouts often speak out on behalf of the downtrodden and that reform movements appear to support the interests of wealthier Muslims. Hamallism began as an Islamic reform movement in the French Sudan early in the twentieth century and has provided a channel for expressing political and religious discontent. Its founder, Hamallah , was exiled from the French Sudan to Côte d'Ivoire during the 1930s. He preached Islamic reform tempered by tolerance of many local practices, but he condemned many aspects of Sufism. Orthodox brotherhoods were able to convince the French authorities in Côte d'Ivoire that Hamallah had been responsible for earlier political uprisings in the French Sudan. Authorities then expelled Hamallah from Côte d'Ivoire and banned his teachings. The relative success of Islam may be related to its compatibility with many aspects of African culture—for example, plural marriage for men, which was opposed by Christian missionaries . Nonetheless, Islam was also embraced because it provided symbolic identification with successful traders and travelers throughout the world, and it was seen as an alternative to European religion. Its agents were black, and it preached on behalf of those who lacked the trappings of Western civilization. In the 1980s, about one-fourth of all Ivoirians, including most Juula and Malinké people, called themselves Muslims. There is Also a noticeable presence of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community , who believe that the Second Coming of Jesus has been fulfilled spiritually in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , who claimed to be the Messiah in the late 19th century.

Central mosque in Marcory . Muslims make up about 38.6% of the population of Ivory Coast . In Ivory Coast, Muslims pray, fast, and give alms as required by tenets of Islam, and many perform the hajj being made compulsory. Most Ivoirian Muslims are Sunni , following the Maliki version of Islamic law. Sufism , involving the organization of mystical brotherhoods (tariqa) for the purification and spread of Islam, is also widespread, laced with indigenous beliefs and practices. The four major Sufi brotherhoods are all represented in Ivory Coast, although the Qadiriya, founded in the eleventh century, and the Tidjaniya, founded in the eighteenth century, are most popular. The Qadiriya is prevalent in the west, and the Tidjaniya, in the east. The other two major Islamic brotherhoods have few adherents in Ivory Coast. The Senoussiya is identified with Libya , where its influence is substantial. Ahmadiyya movement is also present in Ivory Coast . The significant religious authority is the marabout . He is believed to be a miracle worker, a physician, and a mystic, who exercises both magical and moral authority . He is also respected as a dispenser of amulets , which protect the wearer—Muslim or non-Muslim—against evil. The influence of marabouts has produced a number of reactions in Ivoirian society, among them a series of reformist movements. These reform movements often condemn Sufism and marabouts as un-Islamic, but the poor see that marabouts often speak out on behalf of the downtrodden. Hamallism began as an Islamic reform movement in the French Sudan early in the twentieth century and has provided a channel for expressing political and religious discontent. Its founder, Hamallah , was exiled from the French Sudan to Ivory Coast during the 1930s. He preached Islamic reform tempered by tolerance of many local practices, but he condemned many aspects of Sufism. Orthodox brotherhoods were able to convince the French authorities in Ivory Coast that Hamallah had been responsible for earlier political uprisings in the French Sudan. Authorities then expelled Hamallah from Ivory Coast and banned his teachings. Dissertation Abstracts International: The humanities and social sciences .

Central mosque in Marcory . Muslims make up about 43% of the population of Côte-d'Ivoire . In Côte-d'Ivoire, Muslims pray, fast, and give alms as required by tenets of Islam, and many perform the hajj . Most Ivoirian Muslims are Sunni , following the Maliki version of Islamic law. Sufism , involving the organization of mystical brotherhoods ( Tariqa ) for the purification and spread of Islam, is also widespread, laced with indigenous beliefs and practices. The four major Sufi brotherhoods are all represented in Ivory Coast, although the Qadiriya, founded in the eleventh century, and the Tidjaniya, founded in the eighteenth century, are most popular. The Qadiriya is prevalent in the west, and the Tidjaniya, in the east. The other two major Islamic brotherhoods have few adherents in Ivory Coast. The Senoussiya is identified with Libya , where its influence is substantial. Ahmadiyya movement is also present in Ivory Coast. The significant religious authority is the marabout . He is believed to be a miracle worker, a physician, and a mystic, who exercises both magical and moral authority . He is also respected as a dispenser of amulets , which protect the wearer—Muslim or non-Muslim—against evil. The influence of marabouts has produced a number of reactions in Ivoirian society, among them a series of reformist movements. These reform movements often condemn Sufism and marabouts as un-Islamic, but the poor see that marabouts often speak out on behalf of the downtrodden. Hamallism began as an Islamic reform movement in the French Sudan early in the twentieth century and has provided a channel for expressing political and religious discontent. Its founder, Hamallah , was exiled from the French Sudan to Ivory Coast during the 1930s. He preached Islamic reform tempered by tolerance of many local practices, but he condemned many aspects of Sufism. Orthodox brotherhoods were able to convince the French authorities in Ivory Coast that Hamallah had been responsible for earlier political uprisings in the French Sudan. Authorities then expelled Hamallah from Ivory Coast and banned his teachings. The massive immigration of Muslims from the Muslim majority countries Burkina Faso and Mali helped to increase the number of Muslims substantially. Dissertation Abstracts International: The humanities and social sciences .

Religion in Ivory Coast Central mosque in Marcory . Islam was the first Abrahamic monotheistic religion to arrive in Ivory Coast . Today, it is the most widely professed religion in the country, representing 60 percent of the total population. As of the late 1980s, only the most devout Muslims in Ivory Coast prayed, fasted, and gave alms as required by strict tenets of Islam, and only the most wealthy performed the hajj . Most Ivoirian Muslims are Sunni , following the Maliki version of Islamic law. Sufism , involving the organization of mystical brotherhoods ( Tariqa ) for the purification and spread of Islam, is also widespread, laced with indigenous beliefs and practices. The four major Sufi brotherhoods are all represented in Ivory Coast, although the Qadiriya, founded in the eleventh century, and the Tidjaniya, founded in the eighteenth century, are most popular. The Qadiriya is prevalent in the west, and the Tidjaniya, in the east. The other two major Islamic brotherhoods have few adherents in Ivory Coast. The Senoussiya is identified with Libya , where its influence is substantial. Ahmadiyya movement is also present in Ivory Coast. The significant religious authority is the marabout . He is believed to be a miracle worker, a physician, and a mystic, who exercises both magical and moral authority . He is also respected as a dispenser of amulets , which protect the wearer—Muslim or non-Muslim—against evil. The influence of marabouts has produced a number of reactions in Ivoirian society, among them a series of reformist movements. These reform movements often condemn Sufism and marabouts as un-Islamic, but the poor see that marabouts often speak out on behalf of the downtrodden. Hamallism began as an Islamic reform movement in the French Sudan early in the twentieth century and has provided a channel for expressing political and religious discontent. Its founder, Hamallah , was exiled from the French Sudan to Ivory Coast during the 1930s. He preached Islamic reform tempered by tolerance of many local practices, but he condemned many aspects of Sufism. Orthodox brotherhoods were able to convince the French authorities in Ivory Coast that Hamallah had been responsible for earlier political uprisings in the French Sudan. Authorities then expelled Hamallah from Ivory Coast and banned his teachings. The massive immigration of Muslims from the Muslim majority countries Burkina Faso and Mali helped to increase the number of Muslims substantially. According to Pew Forum the population of Shia in Ivory Coast is less than one percent of the total Muslim population of Ivory Coast while as per Imam Husayn (as) Encyclopedia the population of Shia in Ivory Coast is around five percent of the total Muslim population of Ivory Coast. In Handloff, Robert Earl (ed.). Cote d'Ivoire: a country study .

Central mosque in Marcory . Islam is the first Abrahamic monotheistic religion to have reached present-day Ivory Coast , primarily through trans-Saharan trade routes and the influence of Muslim merchants and scholars from neighboring regions. As of the 2021 national census, 42.5% of the population identify as Muslim. By the late 1980s, levels of religious observance among Ivorian Muslims varied. While many engaged in core practices such as daily prayer , fasting during Ramadan, and almsgiving (zakat), the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) was generally accessible only to those with the necessary financial resources. The majority of Ivorian Muslims adhere to Sunni Islam , particularly the Maliki school of jurisprudence. Sufism also holds a notable presence in the country, particularly through organized tariqas (Sufi brotherhoods), which combine Islamic mysticism with localized cultural traditions. Among these, the Qadiriyya (widespread in the west) and Tijaniyya (prevalent in the east) are the most prominent. The Senoussiya and other smaller Sufi orders have fewer followers. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community maintains a small but visible presence in the country. A significant figure within Ivorian Islamic culture is the marabout—a religious leader often seen as a healer, spiritual guide, and provider of protective amulets. While many view marabouts with reverence, especially among poorer communities, some Islamic reform movements have criticized certain Sufi and marabout practices as being inconsistent with orthodox Islamic teachings. One such reformist current is Hamallism, which emerged in the early 20th century in French Sudan (present-day Mali). Its founder, Shaykh Hamallah, was exiled to Ivory Coast in the 1930s. While advocating for Islamic reform, he showed tolerance for select local customs but was critical of Sufism. His movement was eventually banned by colonial authorities under pressure from rival religious factions. The demographic growth of Islam in Ivory Coast was further reinforced by migration from neighboring Muslim-majority countries, especially Burkina Faso and Mali. Estimates regarding Shia Muslim representation in Ivory Coast vary. According to the Pew Research Center, Shia Muslims constitute less than 1% of the Muslim population, whereas the Imam Husayn (as) Encyclopedia suggests the figure may be closer to 5%.