Islam in Suriname

Mosque Keizerstraat in Paramaribo According to the most recent census, the Muslim population of Suriname represents about 13 percent of the country's total population, but various unofficial sources cite a number as high as 20% giving the country the highest percentages of Muslims on the American continent. Muslims first came to Suriname as slaves from Africa , however a substantial portion of the African population has converted to Christianity through time, so they did not contribute to the current population in any significant way. The next group of Muslims to come to the country consisted of indentured laborers from South Asia and Indonesia , from whom today most Muslims in Suriname are descended. Islam in Suriname was strongly influenced by Indonesia and especially Pakistan. Apart from descent, most Surinamese Muslims also share the same culture and speak the same language. Suriname has a number of Afghan Muslims and their native-born children .

Mosque Keizerstraat in Paramaribo According to the official data, the Muslim population of Suriname represents about 13.9 percent of the country's total population as of 2012, which is the highest percentages of Muslims on the South American continent . Though the majority belong to the Sunni interpretation of Islam and some syncretic sects such as Sufism and Javanese Kejawèn . Some speculate that Muslims first came to Suriname as slaves from West Africa and then were converted to Christianity over time, even though there is little proof for these speculations. The ancestors of the actual Muslim population came to the country as indentured laborers from South Asia and Indonesia , from whom today most Muslims in Suriname are descended. Because Islam came to Suriname with immigrants from Indonesia ( Java ) and South Asia (today India , Pakistan and Bangladesh ), who brought their local form of Islam to Suriname, it is strongly influenced by these regions. Apart from descent, most Surinamese Muslims also share the same culture and speak the same languages . Suriname has a small number of Afghan Muslims and their native-born children. The Afghan muslims of Guyana and Suriname

Surinamese Muslims Mosque Keizerstraat in Paramaribo According to the official data, the Muslim population of Suriname represents about 13.9 percent of the country's total population as of 2012, which is the highest percentage of Muslims in the Americas . Though the majority belong to the Sunni sect of Islam, there are some Shi'a , and a small population of Ahmadiyyas . Some speculate that Muslims first came to Suriname as slaves from West Africa and then were converted to Christianity over time, even though there is little proof for these speculations. The ancestors of the actual Muslim population came to the country as indentured laborers from South Asia and Indonesia , from whom today most Muslims in Suriname are descended. Because Islam came to Suriname with immigrants from Indonesia ( Java ) and South Asia (today India , Pakistan and Bangladesh ), who brought their local form of Islam to Suriname, it is strongly influenced by these regions. Apart from descent, most Surinamese Muslims also share the same culture and speak the same languages . Suriname has a small number of Afghan Muslims and their native-born children. The Afghan muslims of Guyana and Suriname

Islam is the third-largest religion in Suriname , representing 13.9% of the country's total population as of 2012, which is the highest percentage of Muslims in the Americas . The majority of Surinamese Muslims belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. Some speculate that Muslims first came to Suriname as slaves from West Africa and then were converted to Christianity over time, even though there is little proof for these speculations. The ancestors of the actual Muslim population came to the country as indentured laborers from the British Raj and Dutch East Indies , from whom today most Muslims in Suriname are descended. The forms of Islam in Suriname are strongly influenced by the culture of the regions of origin: South Asia ( India , Pakistan and Afghanistan ) and Indonesia ( Java ). Apart from descent, most Surinamese Muslims also share the same culture and speak the same languages .