Ahmed Daadoush-Victoria

Although they are the smallest minority, Muslims in the Indian Ocean Seychelles are trying to face difficult challenges to prove their existence, providing a model that combines demands for coexistence with the imperatives of privacy.

This archipelago has become famous in recent years as an attractive tourist destination in the tropical region.While the population of the emerging Republic is about only one hundred thousand people, it is now present on the world tourism map strongly, making tourism one of the most important sources of income.

Abdul Rahman Mikael converted to Islam at the age of sixteen (Al Jazeera)

A small minority
To find out about the conditions of life and challenges of Muslims there, we met with the Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Seychelles, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Mikael, who speaks Arabic, where we talked about his conversion to Islam at the age of sixteen despite the lack of conviction of his father, and then travel in the late nineties to Medina to learn the sciences of religion and language in Islamic University.

Sheikh Abdul Rahman says only about 1.5 percent of the population is Muslim, although the islands were first discovered by Arabs in the ninth century.

The National Museum in Seychelles confirms this saying, where the first painting facing visitors states that the historian and geographer Masoudi was the first to indicate the existence of these islands in the historical documents known today, and then began the migration of some Indians to it.

In the 17th century, Portuguese pirates made these islands a haven for them. Beginning in the eighteenth century, the region became attractive to the colonists because of its tropical crops, the French first occupied it and gave it the name of Seychelles, and then ceded it to the English, and its capital is still the name of the British Queen Victoria, the proportion of Muslims declined with the proliferation of Christian and Hindu settlers.

The English from Seychelles exiled the leaders of the resistance against British occupation around the world, for example, the Egyptian leader Saad Zaghloul, and left some Muslim exiles from Malaysia, Egypt and others their mark there even after their return to their country.

Seychelles gained its independence and began to form the nucleus of the state until 1976, and is now run by a republican system that tries to form a spectrum of religions, sects and multiple nationalities.

Hundreds of worshipers gather at Victoria Mosque for Friday prayers

Challenges
In the 1980s, the first Muslim mosque in Victoria was established, forming the nucleus of da'wa work, a charity, an institute for the memorization of the Koran, religious sciences and language for young people, and an official council to document Islamic slaughter.

Sheikh Abdul-Rahman says the biggest challenge they face is raising their children in a non-Muslim environment. They do not have their own school, although the association is trying to fill some of the shortage after classes in government schools.

The Institute of the Islamic Society tries to fill the lack of education (Al-Jazeera)

The director of the Islamic Society adds that most Muslims in Seychelles converted to Islam themselves, as he did at an early age. "A Muslim needs hospital-like care. Once a young man embraces Islam, he will face challenges in his family and environment. He must be nurtured by his brothers in Religion to teach, stabilize and provide for its needs. "

The Sheikh compares the situation of the new Muslims in Seychelles to what was experienced by the first companions who believed in the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in Mecca between Dhahrani Quraish. .

Library of the mosque receives some support from Islamic publishing houses (Al Jazeera)

He says he does not grieve for the victims who are "martyred" in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere, because he is optimistic about entering Paradise, but he is deeply saddened by the young Seychelles who leave Islam shortly after converting because they do not find the activities, programs and care that proves them.

Sheikh Abdul Rahman stresses the hoped-for role of governments, institutions and people in the Muslim world towards the Muslim minority in Seychelles, especially with the arrival of many Muslim tourists to the islands to enjoy its charming nature, and the stability of some migrants and Muslim workers in recent years.

Despite all the above challenges and difficulties, the Director of the Islamic Society concludes with optimism that Islam will spread, and that its impact must reach every home in his country.