Source: onislam.net
The Angolan 2010 Constitution states:
Freedom of conscience, religion and worship shall be inviolable. No-one shall be deprived of their rights, persecuted or exempted from obligations due to their religious beliefs or philosophical or political convictions.[…] No authority shall question anyone with regard to their convictions or religious practices, except in order to gather statistical data that cannot be individually identified.
The current President José Eduardo dos Santos has been in power for the last 30 years. (Reuters)
However, the Angolan government chose to take a different path through placing restrictions on the recognition of religious groups that ended up by having Islam, the world second largest religion, as an illegal religion whose mosques can be demolished at government’s will.
Such legal complications harm Angola’s global image, yet political and economic repercussions might by far exceed such harm. Angola might be creating hatred with about 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, which might impact its foreign relations and investments.
Did Islam Get “Banned” in Angola?
| The short answer to this question is that Islam did not get “banned” in Angola, simply because it was not officially approved in the first place. |
In light of the mentioned political and economic environment, the contended discussion of banning Islam in Angola can be discussed.
The short answer to this question is that Islam did not get “banned” in Angola, simply because it was not officially approved in the first place. Until this day, Angolan Muslims are not able to get government approval for their religion to be able to build mosques, secure their standing as an officially registered religious group, and gain legal religious rights, among others.
Angola is a home for hundreds of religious groups, including fiction-based ones and traditional African beliefs. More than 900 religious groups and… continue reading at onislam.net
Categories: Africa