History Islam in Ethiopia

a mosque in jimma.

muslims arrived in axumite empire during hijarat disciples mecca, persecuted ruling quraysh tribe. received christian ruler of axum, whom arabic tradition has named ashama ibn abjar (king armah in ge ez , amharic), , settled them in negash. located in tigray region. on other hand, principal center of islamic culture, learning, , propagation has been harar in eastern ethiopia. quraysh sent emissaries bring them arabia, king of axum refused demands. prophet himself instructed followers came axumite empire, respect , protect axum live in peace native christians. while city of medina, north of mecca, became new home of of exiles mecca, 7th-century cemetery excavated inside boundaries of negash shows muslim community survived departure.

a traditional home in harar niche adorned islamic calligraphy.

islam developed more rapidly in eastern part of horn region, particularly among somali , harari. challenged christian northern people of abyssinia, including amhara, tigray , north western oromo. north , northeastern expansion of oromo, practiced mainstream traditional waaqa, affected growth of islam in days. historian ulrich braukamper says, expansion of non-muslim oromo people during subsequent centuries eliminated islam in areas. however, following centralization of oromo communities, of them adopted islam , today constitutes on 50% of population.

in 16th century, muslims adal sultanate embarked on conquest of abyssinia (futuh al-habash) under command of ahmad ibn ibrahim al-ghazi (referred gragn mohammed or mohammed left-handed in amharic).

under former emperor haile selassie, muslim communities bring matters of personal , family law , inheritance before islamic courts; many did , continued under revolutionary regime. however, many muslims dealt such matters in terms of customary law. example, somali , other pastoralists tended not follow requirement daughters inherit half property sons, particularly when livestock @ issue. in parts of eritrea, tendency treat land corporate property of descent group (lineage or clan) precluded following islamic principle of division of property among 1 s heirs.

the first hijrah


a mosque in degehabur.

when mohammed saw persecution followers subjected in mecca, told them find safe haven in northern ethiopia, abyssinia, find king there not wrong anyone. first hijra (migration) in islam history.

the fourth holiest muslim city

ethiopia home harar. according unesco, regarded fourth holy city of islam. has 82 mosques, 3 of date 10th century, 102 shrines.