*Mohammed's religion finds a place in Haiti* June 13, 2002 Posted: 6:47 PM EDT (2247 GMT) http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/06/13/haiti.islam.reut/index.html http://www.islamawareness.net/Fastest/haiti.html * "As a result of limited financial resources, they were unable to build a ** mosque* <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque>* or school until 1985, when a residence was converted into a mosque and a **minaret*<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minaret> * was constructed. In 2000"*
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) -- Tucked away on a corner of the Haitian capital's dusty, congested Delmas Road, a modest white building bears a curious sign, painstakingly stenciled in green Western and Arabic script. "Mosquee Al-Fatiha," it reads. "Communaute Musulmane d'Haiti." An attendant splashing water on the ground greets a visitor who approaches the gate. "As-salaam aleikum [peace be upon you]," he says, breaking into a smile. "Welcome to the mosque." Haiti, the Caribbean nation closely associated with the African-derived faith of voodoo, is home to a small but growing community of Muslims. Two Islamic centers in the capital of Port-au-Prince are among nearly a dozen around the country started by those who have converted to the faith. Officials with the major Islamic groups estimate there are between 4,000 and 5,000 Muslims in Haiti, a nation of about 8 million people. In the lanes of the historic Carrefour-Feuilles quarter, a neighborhood that snakes up the mountains surrounding Port-au-Prince, a plangent, timeless sound echoes. Among the market women haggling over prices while portable radios blare popular Haitian "compas" music, the muezzin's call to prayer goes forth from a new Islamic masjeed, or prayer center. "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha ila Allah," -- "God is greater, God is greater, there is no god but God." Haiti is about 80 percent Catholic and 20 percent Protestant, according to State Department figures, while some 85 percent of its people regularly practice voodoo. Muslims noticeable in cities But followers of Islam have recently stepped into the public eye. Muslim men distinctive in their kufi headwear and finely groomed beards, and women in traditional scarves, are now seen on the streets of several cities. Nawoon Marcellus, who comes from the northern city of San Raphael, recently became the first Muslim elected to the Chamber of Deputies, Haiti's lower house of parliament. "I returned to Haiti in 1985 just to preach Islam," said Abdul Al-Ali, the Delmas mosque's white-bearded, commanding imam, or spiritual leader. "I converted while I was in Canada and we bought the space for the mosque in 1993." "Haitians would like to have the truth and Islam will bring it to them. If we follow Allah, peace be upon him, I think things can change." In impoverished Haiti, beset by a faltering economy, malnutrition, political violence and a two-year-old electoral dispute that has led to a freeze on $500 million of international aid, some converts find the attention Islam devotes to charity and social justice particularly appealing. "If you see someone who is in need, the ones who need help, whether it's education, money or what have you, we Haitians as a whole tend to be very generous in helping with one another," said Racin Ganga, the imam of the Carrefour Feuilles center, who attended college and was introduced to Islam in New York. "Those who don't have anything tend to help out. It is in some way inborn to us as Haitians, as well as Muslims, to help out. So that principle of responsibility, of helping those less fortunate, resonated very well." Yacine Khelladi, an Algerian economist who has conducted an informal survey of the religion in Haiti, said in its idealized form, Islam could address many of Haiti's needs, including social justice, literacy and a sense of community. "It even regulates business, land disputes, banking and other things -- all of which could be perceived as attractive in Haiti as an alternative model," Khelladi said. Inspiring revisionist history The study of Islam has also resulted in some provocative new theories about Haitian history, including a revisionist view of Boukman, a rebel slave who inspired other slaves to rise up against their colonial masters. "Boukman was never a voodoo priest, like they say; he was a Muslim," said Samaki Foussoyni, a worshiper at the Delmas mosque. "When they describe his name, Boukman, in English, as he was from Jamaica, they are really describing 'book man,' because of the book he was always reading, which the French here in Haiti always referred to as an "upside-down" book," Foussoyni said. "They described it as such because it was the Koran, which you read left to right. When they say they had a voodoo ceremony at Bois Cayman, where Boukman lived, it was in fact 'Bwa Kay Imam,' or 'the woods of the house of the imam' in Creole." Although the mosques are locally maintained and receive no assistance from Islamic charities abroad, the nascent faith got an international boost from the U.S.-led military force that entered Haiti in 1994 to restore exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power. "The Pakistani and Bangladeshi soldiers came to our mosque to pray and enjoy our faith and they encouraged us with this belief," Al-Ali said. Conscious of their status as outsiders in overtly voodoo and Catholic Haiti, a nation that endured decades of dictatorship and brutal military repression, Muslims are quick to stress the peaceful nature of their faith and to distance themselves from the September 11 attacks on the United States. "Allah says that if a man kills another man it is as if he has killed all humanity," said Racin Ganga. "The people who did what they did in New York, they are not even human. Islamic people should use the weapon of their love, because violence, as we've seen here in Haiti, will not take us anywhere." ^^^^^^^^^^^ Islam in Haiti - From *Wikipedia*, the free encyclopedia The estimated population of *Haitian<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha%C3%AFti> Muslims <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam>* is about 3250, representing approximately 0.04 percent of the population, although local Muslims claim the actual number is larger, nearing 5000 due to many Muslims that supposedly aren't counted due to inaccessibility or unavailability. Islamic organizations in Haiti include the Bilal Mosque and Islamic Center in Cap-Haïtien <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap-Ha%C3%AFtien>, which offers programs in Islamic studies <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_studies>and daily prayers <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salat>, and the Centre Spirituel Allah ou Akbar in Port au Prince <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_au_Prince>. The history of Islam on the island of Hispaniola<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispaniola>(which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Republic>) begins with the slavery in Haïti. Many Muslims were imported as slaves to Haiti. Although many were forced to abandon Islam over time, their Islamic heritage has persisted in the culture of native Haitians. Additionally, a revisionist history of Dutty Boukman <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutty_Boukman>, whose death is largely considered the start of the Haitian Revolution<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_Revolution>, suggests that he was Muslim. In the early portion of the 20th century, a wave of Arab <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab> immigrants came to the Americas <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americas>, in which a surprisingly noticeable amount settled in Haiti (and other countries as well). It is said that the first to arrive in Haiti around 1920 was a man hailing from the Palestinian <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_territories> village of Aizariya, near Jerusalem <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem>, along with 19 other families. Today, the majority of the country's Muslims are indigenous Haitians, followed by the ethnic Middle Easterners. As a result of limited financial resources, they were unable to build a mosque<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque>or school until 1985, when a residence was converted into a mosque and a minaret <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minaret> was constructed. In 2000, Nawoon Marcellus <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nawoon_Marcellus>, a member of Fanmi Lavalas <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanmi_Lavalas> from San Raphael, became the first Muslim elected to the Chamber of Deputies of Haïti<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamber_of_Deputies_of_Ha%C3%AFti> . ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ *Muslims Relieve Quake-hit Haiti* http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1262372351450&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout [image: Image] *An estimated 3 million people were affected by the quake, the worst in around 200 years. (Reuters)* CAIRO - Islamic relief organizations rushed to send immediate aid to quake-hit Haiti, as rescue efforts continued amid expectations that the death toll would reach 100,000. "The earthquake is really devastating and especially unbearable for a country that has suffered so much deprivation," Hamid Azad, acting CEO of Muslim Aid, said in a statement on the group's website. "It is clear that the Haitian people will need a prompt emergency response from the international community to address their basic needs." The Muslim group has launched an emergency appeal to raise £250,000 to support the victims. "We would like to send our deepest sympathy to the people of Haiti and urge our donors to come forward with generous donations to support the victims." Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, was rocked by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, the worst in around 200 years. Homes, schools, hospitals, even the National Palace where the president resides, were all destroyed. An estimated 3 million people were affected and an untold number of people are still trapped under rubble, with many desperate voices being heard crying for help. Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said the death toll could reach "well over 100,000," adding that the destruction was beyond imagination. There were no signs of organized operations to rescue those trapped or remove bodies. Residents tried to rescue people trapped under rubble, clawing at chunks of concrete with bare hands. Haiti one of the most densely populated and least developed countries with nearly 80 percent of its 9 million people living in poverty. *Scrambling* In an immediate response to the catastrophe, *Islamic Relief USA* <http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/home>launched a $1 million appeal to help the victims. "Victims are in desperate need for food, water, shelter and medicine, especially since Haiti’s infrastructure is already very modest and has now been brought to its knees by the quake," the group said on its website. Islamic Relief USA added that it was working with partners to ship urgently-needed aid to relieve the suffering. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said it was gearing up to help. The Red Cross launched a 10-million-dollar appeal for donations and the World Food Programme said it could quickly provide 15,000 tones of food. The World Bank promised $100 million in emergency funds for recovery and reconstruction. US President Barrack Obama has promised an all-out rescue and humanitarian effort to help Haiti. Canada readied two warships, helicopters and planes with supplies as well as a large relief and rescue force. Brazil said it was sending 10 million dollars in immediate aid while Cuba sent 30 doctors to add to its medical staff already in Haiti. Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Guatamala and Chile have also promised to extend a helping hand. The European Commission released three million euros in emergency assistance, while Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain all volunteered help. The World Health Organization deployed specialists to help handled mass casualties and corpses. *Related Links:* Italian Muslims Rush to Aid Quake Victims<http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1237705951949&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout> UK Muslims Rush to Aid Flood Victims<http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1184649305633&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout> Muslim Relief Groups Struggle to Help<http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2006-06/26/02.shtml> Muslim Relief Activities: Urgency and Obstacles<http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&pagename=Zone-English-Youth%2FYTELayout&cid=1163656984003> Islamic Reliet USA; Haiti Earthquake Emergency - *DONATE *Now<http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/emergencies/haiti-earthquake> CAIR: U.S. Muslim Charity to Fly $1 Million in Relief Supplies to Haiti<http://es-es.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=248305799441>
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