Islam in Hawaii

Islam in Hawaii organised its first official body in 1979, with the incorporation of the Muslim Students' Association of Hawaii, though the organisation had been operational as early as 1968. The group initially prayed in a cottage, before purchasing the Manoa Mosque in the 1979–1980 period.[1] However, a 1992 study by the American Muslim Support group listed zero mosques in Hawaii in 1992.[2]

As of early 2001, the Manoa Mosque was mentioned as having a Friday Prayer attendance of 200 men, the end of Ramadan iftar meal as having 700 attendees, and the mosque itself as having 2,000 members.[3]

Population

According to a 2017 estimate, there are around 5,000 Muslims living in Hawaii. This correspond to 0.34% out of population of 1,455,271. Hawaiian Muslims are racially diverse, consisting of American-born converts and those with familial ties to many regions of the world like Asia and the Middle East. The first Muslims appeared in Hawaii as far back as the 19th century.[4]

Islam Day observance

In May 2009, Hawaiian legislators voted to create a state-designated day of recognition, Islam Day on 24 September of that year, in order to recognize "the rich religious, scientific, cultural and artistic contributions of the Islamic world." The resolution was approved in the State Senate by a 22–3 vote.[5]

Islamic art

The Shangri La mansion built by Doris Duke in 1937 serves as the repository for over 2,500 pieces of Islamic art, as well as the Islamic architecture embodied in the building itself. The building is now operated by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, with tours in cooperation with the Honolulu Museum of Art.[6][7]

Education

The Philosophy Departments of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where the state's main mosque is located, offers an Undergraduate Certificate in Islamic Studies.[8]

References

  1. ^ Muslim Association of Hawaii. The History of the Muslim Association of Hawai'i Archived 2010-06-24 at the Wayback Machine. Last Updated Sunday, July 20, 2008
  2. ^ Aminah Mohammad-Arif. Salaam America: South Asian Muslims in New York. Anthem Press, 2002. ISBN 1-84331-009-0, ISBN 978-1-84331-009-9
  3. ^ Mary Adamski. View from the Pew: Manoa mosque welcomes visitors of all faiths. March 24, 2001
  4. ^ Kelleher, Jennifer Sinco (2017-03-10). "Travel ban challenge puts Hawaii's few Muslims in spotlight". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  5. ^ Kelly Chernenkoff. Hawaii Lawmakers Pass Bill to Create 'Islam Day'. Fox News.com (Associated Press). May 06, 2009
  6. ^ "About Shangri La". Honolulu Museum of Art. Archived from the original on 1 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  7. ^ Hijazi, Abu Tariq (14 September 2012). "Vibrant Muslim community in Hawaii". Arab News. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  8. ^ "Philosophy". 2014-2015 Catalog. University of Hawaii at Manoa. Retrieved 1 October 2014.


Further reading