Islam arrived early in Ethiopia and majority of them are Sunnis, members of the largest sect of Islam. The Prophet himself taught his followers to respect and protect Ethiopians.
It was in 615 that Muhammed’s wife and cousin sought refuge at Axum with a number of other followers. This group was running away from Mecca’s leading tribe, the reactionary Kuraysh, who sent envoies to bring them back to Arabia, but the Negus Armah (a Christian king) protected them.
The arrival of immigrants and traders from Oman and Yemen during the following centuries enlarged the number of Muslims in Somalia, Eritrea and what is now Ethiopia.
In the boarder areas, Islamic law steadily took root, and by the 14th century it was the basis for the official juridical code of some regions. This mirrored political realities; most of the population of these eastern regions are now Muslims.
An imperial decree was issued in 1668 declaring that the Muslims and Jews of Gonder would henceforth have to live apart from Christians, but they were allowed to practice their religion freely in their own quarter.
Arguments over religious did not end there, but by the 19th century peaceful conditions were established which ultimately placed religious differences on a level secondary to peace and the popular interest.
Estimates vary, but from 25 to 32 percent of Ethiopia’s population is Muslim. Islam can no longer be measured a “minority” religion in Ethiopia.
7 responses so far ↓
1 The Agew state, (ca. 1100-1270 A.D.) // Nov 16, 2007 at 7:23 am
[...] in the regions of the Nile valley, the Red Sea, and the Middle East. And in the end the rise of Islam among the Arabs in the Middle East in the 7th century A.D. adversely affected the three Empire [...]
2 elyas // Apr 21, 2008 at 12:47 pm
it is 60% of ethiopans that are muslims not 25 to 32 and Muhammed wasnt the one that went to ethiopia but abu jafer and some followers that where sent by Muhammed to ask king nagsh who later on be came muslim is they can live there becouse of the hostleaty ofthe kurash
3 ziad // Apr 28, 2009 at 6:42 am
ya elyas is riight stop feeding people this bull crap man islam is number 1 and every1 will see
4 mohamed // May 19, 2009 at 4:18 pm
do you think your statistics is balance regarding to muslim popullation in ethiopia .the ethiopian muslim measures about 60% even if the ethiopian orthodos church beleave that the christia p &muslim popullatio in ethiopia is qual.be balance in you information.if you want let us make research to gether.
5 alex // Jul 14, 2009 at 10:22 am
the stastics about musillims is exagurated. The CSA report doesnot show the figure that you indicate. they are below 25million. Even if it is official, this also exadurated
6 hakimovic // Oct 29, 2009 at 3:31 pm
at least 50% of Ethiopian are muslim.i believe that the figure mr alex mentioned above ie 25million was the statistic before 1994.
7 SEHS // Nov 3, 2009 at 4:59 pm
yall argueing about the percentages r maken this hard to finish my project i need my stats strait so yall feed me sum real stuff
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