Panama
The first exposure of today's Panama to Islam was through African Muslim slaves brought to the region by the Spaniards in the mid-16th century. In 1552, when the ship carrying the slaves to the region sank on the coast of Panama, the survivors fought against the Spanish and managed to establish territories under their control. The Muslims formed independent assemblies and built mosques under the leadership of Bayano, whom they chose as their leader, and signed an agreement with the colonial governor, but the Spaniards, who were not loyal to the agreement, poisoned and killed some of the Muslims at a dinner they organized, and either executed or imprisoned the survivors. Bayano was exiled first to Peru and then to Spain. Today, a river in the region, formerly known as the Chepo River, is named after Bayano.
The second Muslim community in Panama was composed mostly of adult males from India and the Middle East in the early 20th century. In the second quarter of the century, migration from these regions continued and Muslims began to establish organizations to represent themselves in Panama and to build mosques. This organized movement continued with the purchase of the first burial ground in 1963.
Today, an estimated 40,000 Muslims live in Panama, which is 1% of the population. There are four mosques open for worship in the country. On the other hand, cultural centers and civil society organizations, most of which are located in the capital Panama City, also operate in line with the needs of the Muslim community. The main ones are the Islamic Cultural Center (Centro Cultural Islamico), the Islamic Foundation of Panama (Fundacion Islamica de Panama), the Madina Masjid in Panama City, and the Islamic Association of Changuinola (Asociacion Islamica De Changuinola).