Barbados
Barbados was introduced to Islam through African Muslims who were brought to the island as slaves during the colonial period. In the first quarter of the 20th century, the number of Muslims in the country increased even more, especially with the workers coming from Bangladesh. In the following years, Muslims from the Middle East, especially from Syria and Lebanon, also came to the island.
Today, an estimated 5,000 Muslims live in Barbados, which is approximately 1.5% of the general population. The vast majority of Muslims in the country are of Indian and Arab origin. There are also about 200 indigenous Muslims.
There are three mosques in the country. The Juma Mosque, which was opened for worship in 1950, is large enough for up to 600 Muslims to worship at the same time; the other two mosques are smaller. In addition, non-governmental organizations established by Muslims serve the needs of Muslims living in the country in terms of worship, education, and daily life, as well as non-Muslims. The most important of these organizations are the Islamic Teaching Center, the Barbados Muslim Association, the Medina Foundation, the Al-Falah School, and the Islamic Dawah Academy of Barbados. The majority of these mosques and organizations are located in the capital Bridgetown.
