Dominica
The first Muslims in Dominica are believed to be Muslim Africans brought from West Africa such as Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Guinea through the slave trade since the early 16th century. However, these elements from different regions and cultures were not allowed to practice their religion and traditions, hence these first Muslims lost their identity during centuries of colonization.
Today, the majority of Muslims in the country are of African origin. In the second half of the 20th century, with the influence of the black Muslim movements in the US and especially Malcolm X, Islam began to revive in Dominica, as in other parts of the Caribbean as well. From the 1960s onwards, those who converted in the country sought to expand their knowledge and culture of Islam by traveling to Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and the United States, where Muslims were more densely populated and culturally close. However, due to the strict attitude of the country's administration in the 1980s, Muslims who traveled abroad were not allowed to enter the country.
Today, the overwhelming majority of the country's population is Christian. The number of Muslims - although not known exactly - is estimated to be limited to a few hundred. However, as in the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean region, there has been a growing interest in Islam in Dominica in recent years and this interest is solidified by the number of people converting to Islam among the local population every year. Muslim students are particularly active at the Ross Medical School, a US institution. The Muslim Community of Dominica, which represents the country's Muslims and today is an independent organization that supports itself, started its activities in 1995. There are three mosques open for worship in Dominica. These are the Roseau Mosque in the capital, the Al-Ensar Mosque in Portsmouth, and the Kalinago Regional Mosque. In recent years, the attitude of the country's administration towards Muslims has generally been moderate.
