MosquesinRio

Islamized African - Mandinga people (Marabu Mandinga). Author: Father David Boilat, possibly in a French colony. Wikimedia Commons

Image description: This is a colored illustration, likely from an old book or magazine. The scene shows a figure seated on the ground, covered with a green and pink striped cloth cape. In the background, there is a fortress with towers and a French flag raised. To the left, there are green trees and a small wooden barrel on the ground. The sky is clear and blue.

Islam has been present in Rio de Janeiro since the colonial period, starting with the arrival of enslaved Africans who were Muslim. In the 19th century, there are records of booksellers in the Court who sold copies of the Quran mostly to Black people (enslaved, free, or freed), who saved up large sums of money to acquire the holy book, which was quite expensive at the time. This Islamic community in Rio was formed, in large part, by Africans and their descendants who migrated from Bahia to the capital of the empire.

Source: SILVA, Alberto C. Buying and Selling Qurans in Nineteenth-Century Rio de Janeiro

Image description: The image is a photograph of an old open book. The book's cover is closed on the left, revealing a strip of brown leather. On the right, the book is open, displaying yellowed pages with Arabic writing. An illustration of a rectangular structure, possibly a mosque, appears on the page. Below the book, there is a caption in Portuguese mentioning the location and year of the Malê uprising in Bahia in 1835.

With the prohibition of the slave trade (1850), Islamic followers in Rio de Janeiro became more isolated, and some of their descendants gradually joined other religions. However, at the end of the 19th century, it was still possible to find communities that kept up the study of the Quran, and after World War I, there was an increase in the number of Muslims due to the immigration of Lebanese and Syrians to Brazil.

Due to the increasing Muslim presence in Brazil, mosques began to officially emerge in the 20th century, the oldest one dating back to 1929 and inaugurated in São Paulo. In the city of Rio de Janeiro, the so-called Sociedade Beneficente Muçulmana do Rio de Janeiro (SBMRJ) was inaugurated in 1951, in a room in a commercial building downtown, on Rua Gomes Freire, and it was an initiative of Syrian and Lebanese immigrants who needed a place to gather.

In 1984, aiming for the comfort of its members, who at the time already numbered around 500, the SBMRJ opened a mosque in Jacarepaguá, which was shut down in the mid-1990s due to the difficulty of access for most of the members. In 2007, the Mesquita da Luz was opened on Rua Gonzaga Bastos, in Vila Isabel, with typically Arab architecture. The temple is still in operation today, welcoming worshippers daily and also open to anyone who wishes to visit it.

Mesquita da Luz (or Masjid El Nur) in Vila Isabel. Image taken from Foursquare City Guide

Image description: This is a photograph of a mosque. The image shows a religious building with two tall, pointed towers, both featuring domes and decorative details. The tower on the left is darker, while the tower on the right is lighter in color. The center of the building has a white dome with a small golden detail at the top. The windows are rounded and have decorative frames. In the background, there is a cloudy sky. On the right, there is a tree with green leaves.

Currently, the majority of followers of Islam in Rio de Janeiro are converts. According to research by the Muslim Benevolent Society of Rio de Janeiro, in 2015 there were around 2,000 Muslims in the state.

Faithful worshippers during prayers at the Mesquita da Luz. Photo: Words Heal the World - Brazil website

Image description: This is a photograph of a mosque. In the foreground, we see several people lying prostrate in prayer position, with their heads facing the same direction. Behind them, a person is standing, observing. In the background, there are windows with colorful stained glass and ceiling fans. On the left, there is a glass door and a shelf with organized objects. On the right, there is a closed glass door. The walls are white, and there are round decorations hanging on the sides.