Written by Yahya Juan Suquillo, May 2002
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
Thirty to fifty centuries ago, the native Ecuadorian Indian cultures
were known as: "Chordeleg, Machalilla and Chorrera." They are
believed to have been sun worshippers. Their Indian chief was
believed to have been sent by their "Sun God." They practiced
religious ceremonies offering young virgin women for sacrifice as a
sign of thankfulness for the goods harvested. These Indian tribes
believed in physical resurrection after dead. Therefore, they would
be buried with much food, drinks, spears, gold, etc. to prepare for a
big journey they thought they were going to face after death.
Later on, the Inca Empire, which conquered the southern tribes of
Ecuador, had almost the same practices and beliefs as other Indian
tribes. When Spaniards came to conquer the new continent, the change
to Catholicism was not that great. The Catholics only needed to
switch the "Sun God" with the statue of the "Son of God," half-naked
on the cross. A change of an 'idol for idol' by replacing by
replacing the 'sun god' for 'son of god', of course, is not any big
change! The theology of God rendered by the Catholic conquerors
showed the classic naive primitive mind as the people of "Dunia", who
believe only what is in front of their eyes.
The Inca king, named "Atahualpa," was burned alive because he
rejected Christianity. He threw the Bible to the ground when
Spaniards tried to force him to believe that the Bible was the "word
of God." His act of defiance would lead to his execution as a
blasphemer. Ever since then, the Roman Catholic Christian religion
has been the predominant and official religion in the Ecuadorian
land.
A little bit over a hundred years ago, Christian Protestants from the
Evangelistic sect have been working in Ecuador. They are believed to
be the second largest religious group after Catholics in Ecuador.
Adventists, Mormons, Gnostics, Anglicans, Bahais and some other
Protestant sects have all been working hard in the last two to three
decades to bring people to their own religion. Various philosophies
from India and from the Far East have been seeking followers since
about twenty to thirty years ago. Jews had no visible head until 2001
when someone was appointed from the Argentinean Jewish community.
BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT MUSLIMS IN ECUADOR.
The first Muslims settlers were primarily Arabs from what is known to
us now as Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Egypt. They emigrated to
Ecuador for the same reasons they came to the rest of the Latin
world, escaping from World War I and II. These Arab Muslims entered
these lands under Turkish passports from the Ottoman Empire.
Therefore, these first Arab Muslims were known as "Turks." The
settlements were basically in the capital city of Quito and in
Guayaquil, the largest seaport by the Pacific Ocean. However, some
Muslims went to the coastal side by the Manab, Los Ríos, and
Esmeraldas provinces. Ecuador's peaceful environment attracted them
very much. The family-oriented society of Ecuador perhaps reminded
them of home within an Arab society.
Most of these first Ecuadorian Muslims were traders. Ecuadorian
economy at the beginning of the century was largely based on
interchanging products. The first two to three decades were very
rough for the settlers. They would walk long distances, follow the
post service on the back of mules, and try to reach the nearest
village to start up business. These first Muslims settlers in Latin
America experienced different type of customs, fashion, and food.
They would exchange "Tamar" (dates), "maiy zahar" (rose
water), "falafel" (mashed fried peas), "basbusa and baklawa"
(laborious sweets) for banana, panela (dark sugar cane), agua
aromitica (herb water), and pinol (wheat flour).
MUSLIM IDENTITY AND FAMILY
Because most of these Muslims came to Ecuador seeking the "Dunia,"
their religious background was very poor, the Muslim identity melted
very easily within the strong predominant Roman Catholic religion.
Few Muslims brought their own spouses from their motherlands. The
majority got married in the new world with native women. Among Arab
Muslim settlers were the Dassum family, Soloh family, Shayyeb family,
A'riz family, Becdach family, Jairala family, and
others.Unfortunately, some Muslim descendants took Christianity as
their only option in religion. Few Muslim families would send their
children to Muslim countries to get Arabic and Islamic education.
Inshallah Allah will reward them for their effort.
GROUPING & ORGANIZING
By the late forties, Arab Christians and Muslims were grouping on the
same ethnical background bases. "Lecla" was the name of their first
organization. Nothing about religion was touched on. Another social
organization came out by the mid 1980s. They were "The Arab Club." By
mid 1980s, migration trends were occurring in Ecuador. Around twenty
men from Egypt were trying to reach United States ports at any price.
Their dishonest travel agents were using Ecuador as a pass by point
to reach the United States. Later on, almost all of them left Ecuador
except a few, who decided to live in this country.
A minor Indian Pakistani migration took place by the beginning of the
1990s. Many of them have already reached their migratory goals in US
or Canadian ports. In religious matters, they left almost no track to
follow. By the late 1990s, Ecuador experienced Muslim migration,
mainly from West African Countries, such as Liberia, Nigeria, and
Ghana, whose internal disruptions led them to search a place to live.
LOCAL ECUADORIAN RE-CONVERTED PIONEERS
By the mid 1980s, a handful of local native Ecuadorian people
embraced Islam overseas. They never heard the word 'Islam' in their
own Ecuador. They were highly influenced by pious Muslims while
studying at universities in Europe and United States. They came to
appreciate Islam as a universal religion, a brotherhood, capable of
bringing people from all spheres of life to harmoniously work
together in bringing peace. Islam also provided logic that many
Ecuadorians never found in Christian teachings. These new Muslims are
highly enthusiastic propagators, but swing against current is not
easy.
By the mid 1990s, more and more Ecuadorians began to embrace Islam.
Today, every single Friday, at least one "Shahada" that takes place.
Alhamdulilah! This trend was not easy due to criticism, and some
times rejection, coming even from inside their own blood relatives.
According to a rough estimate, our Muslim population in the whole
country is around five hundred people.
CREATION OF MASJID
A handful of Muslims attempted to create the first masjid by renting
an apartment to be used as a Mussala for Salat AlJumuah. Later on the
Egyptian Embassy facilitated an apartment for the same purpose, but
the Ecuadorian Muslims could not stay for long. Another attempt
occurred on October 1988. An organization, Asociacion Cultural Khaled
bin Al Walid, was founded with the purpose of establishing a masjid.
In Qur'an 9:108, Allah states "Verily, a mosque whose foundation was
laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand
therein (to pray)."
PRESENT TIME
"Let there be among you a community who invite unto all that is good,
enjoing what is right, and forbid what is wrong." Qur'an 3:104.
THE CENTRO ISLAMICO DEL ECUADOR - MASJID " ASSALAAM"
This is the first Muslim religious organization credited as such by
the Ecuadorian Government. The Centro Islamico del Ecuador is a non-
profit organization founded by the Grace and Mercy of ALLAH SWT on
October 15, 1994. The religious activities, as well as social,
cultural and educational are conducted according to Muslim Sunni
traditions. This center is organized into various committees to meet
the needs of Muslims and receives no financial support from any
foreign country.
WOMEN
Native Ecuadorian Muslimahs are a little bit over half of the entire
Muslim population. Their understanding of Islam is reflected in the
Islamic dress code. Almost all of them wear hijab and long dresses on
a daily basis. They constitute an example of a well-organized group
with their own committee, which holds religious classes.
WE ASK ALLAH (SWT) TO FORGIVE ALL THE BELIEVERS AND TO BESTOW HIS
PEACE AND PRAISE UPON OUR PROPHET MUHAMMAD.
Yours in Islam,
Yahya Juan Suquillo.
Director of Propagation.
http://centroislamico.org.ec
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
Thirty to fifty centuries ago, the native Ecuadorian Indian cultures
were known as: "Chordeleg, Machalilla and Chorrera." They are
believed to have been sun worshippers. Their Indian chief was
believed to have been sent by their "Sun God." They practiced
religious ceremonies offering young virgin women for sacrifice as a
sign of thankfulness for the goods harvested. These Indian tribes
believed in physical resurrection after dead. Therefore, they would
be buried with much food, drinks, spears, gold, etc. to prepare for a
big journey they thought they were going to face after death.
Later on, the Inca Empire, which conquered the southern tribes of
Ecuador, had almost the same practices and beliefs as other Indian
tribes. When Spaniards came to conquer the new continent, the change
to Catholicism was not that great. The Catholics only needed to
switch the "Sun God" with the statue of the "Son of God," half-naked
on the cross. A change of an 'idol for idol' by replacing by
replacing the 'sun god' for 'son of god', of course, is not any big
change! The theology of God rendered by the Catholic conquerors
showed the classic naive primitive mind as the people of "Dunia", who
believe only what is in front of their eyes.
The Inca king, named "Atahualpa," was burned alive because he
rejected Christianity. He threw the Bible to the ground when
Spaniards tried to force him to believe that the Bible was the "word
of God." His act of defiance would lead to his execution as a
blasphemer. Ever since then, the Roman Catholic Christian religion
has been the predominant and official religion in the Ecuadorian
land.
A little bit over a hundred years ago, Christian Protestants from the
Evangelistic sect have been working in Ecuador. They are believed to
be the second largest religious group after Catholics in Ecuador.
Adventists, Mormons, Gnostics, Anglicans, Bahais and some other
Protestant sects have all been working hard in the last two to three
decades to bring people to their own religion. Various philosophies
from India and from the Far East have been seeking followers since
about twenty to thirty years ago. Jews had no visible head until 2001
when someone was appointed from the Argentinean Jewish community.
BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT MUSLIMS IN ECUADOR.
The first Muslims settlers were primarily Arabs from what is known to
us now as Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Egypt. They emigrated to
Ecuador for the same reasons they came to the rest of the Latin
world, escaping from World War I and II. These Arab Muslims entered
these lands under Turkish passports from the Ottoman Empire.
Therefore, these first Arab Muslims were known as "Turks." The
settlements were basically in the capital city of Quito and in
Guayaquil, the largest seaport by the Pacific Ocean. However, some
Muslims went to the coastal side by the Manab, Los Ríos, and
Esmeraldas provinces. Ecuador's peaceful environment attracted them
very much. The family-oriented society of Ecuador perhaps reminded
them of home within an Arab society.
Most of these first Ecuadorian Muslims were traders. Ecuadorian
economy at the beginning of the century was largely based on
interchanging products. The first two to three decades were very
rough for the settlers. They would walk long distances, follow the
post service on the back of mules, and try to reach the nearest
village to start up business. These first Muslims settlers in Latin
America experienced different type of customs, fashion, and food.
They would exchange "Tamar" (dates), "maiy zahar" (rose
water), "falafel" (mashed fried peas), "basbusa and baklawa"
(laborious sweets) for banana, panela (dark sugar cane), agua
aromitica (herb water), and pinol (wheat flour).
MUSLIM IDENTITY AND FAMILY
Because most of these Muslims came to Ecuador seeking the "Dunia,"
their religious background was very poor, the Muslim identity melted
very easily within the strong predominant Roman Catholic religion.
Few Muslims brought their own spouses from their motherlands. The
majority got married in the new world with native women. Among Arab
Muslim settlers were the Dassum family, Soloh family, Shayyeb family,
A'riz family, Becdach family, Jairala family, and
others.Unfortunately, some Muslim descendants took Christianity as
their only option in religion. Few Muslim families would send their
children to Muslim countries to get Arabic and Islamic education.
Inshallah Allah will reward them for their effort.
GROUPING & ORGANIZING
By the late forties, Arab Christians and Muslims were grouping on the
same ethnical background bases. "Lecla" was the name of their first
organization. Nothing about religion was touched on. Another social
organization came out by the mid 1980s. They were "The Arab Club." By
mid 1980s, migration trends were occurring in Ecuador. Around twenty
men from Egypt were trying to reach United States ports at any price.
Their dishonest travel agents were using Ecuador as a pass by point
to reach the United States. Later on, almost all of them left Ecuador
except a few, who decided to live in this country.
A minor Indian Pakistani migration took place by the beginning of the
1990s. Many of them have already reached their migratory goals in US
or Canadian ports. In religious matters, they left almost no track to
follow. By the late 1990s, Ecuador experienced Muslim migration,
mainly from West African Countries, such as Liberia, Nigeria, and
Ghana, whose internal disruptions led them to search a place to live.
LOCAL ECUADORIAN RE-CONVERTED PIONEERS
By the mid 1980s, a handful of local native Ecuadorian people
embraced Islam overseas. They never heard the word 'Islam' in their
own Ecuador. They were highly influenced by pious Muslims while
studying at universities in Europe and United States. They came to
appreciate Islam as a universal religion, a brotherhood, capable of
bringing people from all spheres of life to harmoniously work
together in bringing peace. Islam also provided logic that many
Ecuadorians never found in Christian teachings. These new Muslims are
highly enthusiastic propagators, but swing against current is not
easy.
By the mid 1990s, more and more Ecuadorians began to embrace Islam.
Today, every single Friday, at least one "Shahada" that takes place.
Alhamdulilah! This trend was not easy due to criticism, and some
times rejection, coming even from inside their own blood relatives.
According to a rough estimate, our Muslim population in the whole
country is around five hundred people.
CREATION OF MASJID
A handful of Muslims attempted to create the first masjid by renting
an apartment to be used as a Mussala for Salat AlJumuah. Later on the
Egyptian Embassy facilitated an apartment for the same purpose, but
the Ecuadorian Muslims could not stay for long. Another attempt
occurred on October 1988. An organization, Asociacion Cultural Khaled
bin Al Walid, was founded with the purpose of establishing a masjid.
In Qur'an 9:108, Allah states "Verily, a mosque whose foundation was
laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand
therein (to pray)."
PRESENT TIME
"Let there be among you a community who invite unto all that is good,
enjoing what is right, and forbid what is wrong." Qur'an 3:104.
THE CENTRO ISLAMICO DEL ECUADOR - MASJID " ASSALAAM"
This is the first Muslim religious organization credited as such by
the Ecuadorian Government. The Centro Islamico del Ecuador is a non-
profit organization founded by the Grace and Mercy of ALLAH SWT on
October 15, 1994. The religious activities, as well as social,
cultural and educational are conducted according to Muslim Sunni
traditions. This center is organized into various committees to meet
the needs of Muslims and receives no financial support from any
foreign country.
WOMEN
Native Ecuadorian Muslimahs are a little bit over half of the entire
Muslim population. Their understanding of Islam is reflected in the
Islamic dress code. Almost all of them wear hijab and long dresses on
a daily basis. They constitute an example of a well-organized group
with their own committee, which holds religious classes.
WE ASK ALLAH (SWT) TO FORGIVE ALL THE BELIEVERS AND TO BESTOW HIS
PEACE AND PRAISE UPON OUR PROPHET MUHAMMAD.
Yours in Islam,
Yahya Juan Suquillo.
Director of Propagation.
http://centroislamico.org.ec
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