Islam is, as of 2007, the largest religion (or may be the second after Christianity^[1]) in Tanzania with 35% of the population of the mainland (Tanganyika) being Muslim and more than 99% of the population in Zanzibar are Muslims too. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya Tanganyika is the name of an East African territory lying between the largest of the African great lakes Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Zanzibar ( is part of the East African republic of Tanzania. It consists of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the ^[2]

History

Tanzania, the country consists of the mainland called Tanganyika and the islands of Zanzibar

The earliest concrete evidence of Muslim presence in East Africa is the foundation of a mosque in Shanga on Pate Island where gold, silver and copper coins dated from 830 were found during an excavation in the 1980s. East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger Events By Place Europe Earliest date of composition for the Historia Brittonum, attributed to Nennius, and known for The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. The oldest intact building in East Africa is the Kizimkazi Mosque in southern Zanzibar dated from 1007. East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent. The Kizimkazi Mosque is a Mosque situated on the southern tip of the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania and is one of the oldest Islamic buildings Zanzibar ( is part of the East African republic of Tanzania. It consists of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the It appears that Islam was widespread in the Indian Ocean area by the 14th century. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface When Ibn Battuta visited the East African littoral in 1332 he reported that he felt at home because of Islam in the area. Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Al Lawati Al Tanji Ibn Battuta (أبو عبد الله محمد ابن عبد الله اللواتي الطنجي بن بطوطة (born February East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent. The coastal population was largely Muslim, and Arabic was the language of literature and trade. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The whole of the Indian Ocean seemed to be a "Muslim sea". Muslims controlled the trade and established coastal settlements in Southeast Asia, India and East Africa. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent.

Islam was spread mainly through trade activities along the East African coast, not through conquest and territorial expansion as was partly the case in North Africa, but remained an urban littoral phenomenon for a long time. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan When the violent Portuguese intrusions in the coastal areas occurred in the 16th century, Islam was already well established there and almost all the ruling families had ties of kinship with Arabia, Persia, India and even Southeast Asia owing to their maritime contacts and political connections with the northern and eastern parts of the Indian Ocean. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia In the end of the 17th century and beginning of the 18th century the coastal Muslims managed to oust the Portuguese with the help of Oman. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast The Omanis gradually increased their political influence until the end of the 19th century when Europeans arrived at the coast of East Africa. Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The European peoples are the various Nations and Ethnic groups of Europe. East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent.

During the time when Oman dominated the coast politically, the spread of Islam intensified also in the interior of East Africa. Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent. Trade contacts with peoples in the interior, especially the Nyamwezi, gained importance and places like Tabora in Nyamwezi territory and Ujiji at Lake Tanganyika became important centers in the ever-increasing trade in slaves and ivory. The Nyamwezi (originally and also Wanyamwezi) are the second-largest of over 120 ethnic groups in Tanzania. The Nyamwezi (originally and also Wanyamwezi) are the second-largest of over 120 ethnic groups in Tanzania. Lake Tanganyika is a large Lake in central Africa (3° 20' to 8° 48' South and from 29° 5' to 31° 15' East Many chiefs, even in parts of Uganda, converted to Islam and cooperated with the coastal Muslims. The Republic of Uganda is a Landlocked country in East Africa. Trade served to spread not only Islam, but also the Swahili language and culture. Swahili (called Kiswahili in the language itself is the First language of the Swahili people (Waswahili who inhabit several large stretches Before the establishment of German East Africa in the 1880s the influence of the Swahilis was mainly limited to the areas along the caravan routes and around their destinations. German East Africa (Deutsch-Ostafrika was a German Colony in East Africa, including what is now Burundi, Rwanda and Tanganyika Events and Trends Technology Development and commercial production of Electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered The Swahili are a people and culture found on the coast of East Africa, mainly the coastal regions and the islands of Kenya and Tanzania, and north

References

1. ^ Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia: Tanzania -Population
2. ^ The World Factbook - Tanzania

See also

• Islam by country
• Tanzania
• Islam in Zanzibar

External links

• Islamic family law in Tanzania