Islam in Rwanda

Islam is a minority religion in Rwanda, practiced by 2% of the total population according to the 2022 census. Virtually all Muslims in Rwanda are Sunni Muslim. Islam was first introduced into Rwanda by Muslim traders from the East Coast of Africa in the 20th century. Since its introduction, Muslims have been a minority in the territory, while Christianity was introduced to Rwandans during the colonial period in the beginning of the 20th century and is now the largest religion in the country.

Muslims in Rwanda have only been accorded the same rights and freedoms as Christians since 2003, with the signing of the Rwanda Constitution, protecting freedom of religion and prohibiting religious discrimination. Estimates show that there are equal numbers of Muslims among the Hutus as there are among the Tutsis. The estimates cannot be verified in the wake of the genocide, as the government has since banned all discussion of ethnicity in Rwanda. Following the Rwandan genocide, conversions to Islam grew due to dissatisfaction with some church officials' participation in the genocide.

Compared to East African countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, the history of Islam in Rwanda is relatively modern. While a few written sources are available regarding its origins, it is claimed that Islam came through Arab traders from Zanzibar who first entered the country in 1901. Alternatively, it has been argued that Islam arrived during the colonial period when Muslim clerks, administrative assistants, and merchants from the Swahili-speaking coast of Tanganyika were brought to the country. Islam was also bolstered by Muslim merchants from the Indian subcontinent, who married local Rwandans. Rwandans built their first mosque in 1913. This mosque is known as Al-Fatah Mosque.

During its history, many efforts were made to impede the spread of Islam in Rwanda. These efforts generally exploited anti-Arab sentiment, and presented Muslims as foreigners. Catholic missionaries often went to great lengths to counter what they perceived influence of rival religions, such as Islam and Protestantism.

Muslims were further marginalized by the fact that most Muslims settled in urban areas, whereas 90 percent of the population was rural. As neither Arab nor Indian merchants ever attempted to further their faith, there was little spirit of preaching among Muslims. Only a few conversions took place, mostly among the marginalized urban population: women who had married foreigners, illegitimate children and orphans. Even these conversion were sometimes superficial, motivated by desire for social and economic security that Muslims provided, than for religious conviction in the Islamic faith.

Under the Belgian administration, Muslims in Rwanda were to some extent marginalized. Since Muslims had no place in the Catholic Church, which maintained great influence over the state, Muslims were often excluded from education and important jobs in the government. As a result, Muslim employment was largely confined to engaging in petty trade, and taking up jobs as drivers.

In 1960, the former government minister Isidore Sebazungu ordered the burning of the Muslim quarter and the mosque in Rwamagana. Following this event, Muslims were terrified and many of them fled to neighbouring countries. It is alleged that the Catholic Church was involved in these events, which aggravated the bitterness between Muslims and Christians.

Before the Rwandan genocide of 1994, Muslims were held in low regard, because they were seen as traders, in a land where farmers are highly regarded. The Muslim population before the genocide was 4%, which was unusually low compared to that of neighbouring countries. Muslims were also affected by the genocide. There were only a few incidents in which Tutsis in mosques were attacked. The most widely known example occurred at Nyamirambo Main Mosque, where hundreds of Tutsi had gathered to take refuge. The refugees in the mosque fought off Hutu militias with stones, bows and arrows, putting up stiff resistance against the soldiers and militia of the Interahamwe. Only once the soldiers attacked with machine gun fire were the Interahamwe able to enter the mosque and kill the refugees.