Ecuador´s brief religious aspects and culture
http://www.centroislamico.org.ec/d32.htm
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
Thirty to fifty centuries ago, the native
Ecuadorian Indian cultures were known as: "Chordeleg, Machalilla and Chorrera"
they were to believe sun worshippers. Their Indian chief was to believe sent by
their "Sun god". They practiced religious ceremonies offering young virgin women
for sacrifice as sign of thankfulness for the goods harvesting.
Indian
tribes believed in physical resurrection after dead. Therefore, they used to be
buried with lots of food, drinks, spears, gold, ect. to survive for a big
journey they thought they were going to face after death.
Later on , the
Inca Empire that conquered the southern tribes of Ecuador, used to have almost
the same practices and beliefs.
When Spaniards came to conquer the new
Continent, the change was not that big, because they only switch the "sun god"
for the pathetic statue of the "Son of God", half necked on the cross. Idol for
idol replacing (sun god for son of god) of course, not any big change!. The
Theology of god rendered by the Catholic conquerors showed the classic naive
primitive mind as the people of "Dunia", who only believe what is in front of
their eyes.
The Inca king, named "Atahualpa" was burned alive because he
rejected the Christianity. It is well known the passage when He threw the Bible
to the ground, due to Spaniards wanted to force him to believe in it as the
"word of God". This was the cause to dictate his execution as a
blasphemer.
Ever since then (around five hundred years ago), Roman
Christian Catholic religion is the predominant and official religion in
Ecuadorian land.
A little bit over a hundred years ago, Christian
Protestants from the Evangelic sect are working in Ecuador. They are to believe
the second largest religious group after Catholics.
Adventists, Mormons,
Gnostics, Anglicans, Bahais and some other Protestant sects and cults are
working hard in the last two to three decades bringing people to their own
sides.
Philosophies from India and Far East were seeking followers about twenty to thirty years ago.
Jews had no visible head until 2001 were someone was appointed from the Argentinian jewish community.
BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT MUSLIMS IN ECUADOR.
The first Muslims settlers were primarily Arabs
from what is known to us now as Lebanon, Palestine, Syria (Bilad Sham) and
Egypt.
They emigrated to Ecuador by the same reasons they came to the
rest of the Latin world, escaping from World War I and II. These Arab Muslims
entered to these lands under Turk passports from the Ottoman Empire; therefore
these first Arab Muslims were known as "Turks".
The settlements were basically in the Capital
city Quito, also in Guayaquil the largest seaport by the Pacific Ocean. However,
some went to the coast side by Manab?, Los Ríos and Esmeraldas
provinces.
Ecuador's peace environment attracted them very much.
Family wise oriented society of these new Continent perhaps reminded them home
Arab societies.
The big majority of these first Muslims were traders.
Ecuadorian economy at the beginning of the century was most likely based on
interchanging products.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the first
two to three decades were very rough for the settlers. They used to walk long
distances, following the post service done at that time on the back of mules,
trying to reach the nearest village to start up business.
These
first Muslims settlers now in Latin America experienced different type of
customs, fashion and food. They had to exchange their "Tamar" (dates), "maiy
zahar" (rose water), "falafel" (mashed fried peas), "basbusa and baklawa"
(laborious sweets) for banana, panela (dark sugar cane), agua arom?tica (herb
water), and pinol (wheat flour).
MUSLIM IDENTITY AND FAMILY
Due to these Muslims came seeking the "dunia",
worldy life and their religious background was very poor, the Muslim identity
melted very easily with the strong predominant Roman Christian Catholic
religion.
Few of them brought later on their own spouses from their
motherlands. The majority got married in the new world with native
women.
Among these pioneers Arab Muslims settlers were Dassum
family, Soloh family, Shayyeb, A'riz, Becdach, Jairala, Elmer families and
others.
Unfortunately some Muslim descendants had to take Christianity as
their only option in religion, just few Muslim families could sent their
children to Muslim countries, to get Arabic and Islamic education. Inshallah
Allah will pay their effort.
GROUPING &
ORGANIZING
By the late forties Arab Christians and Muslims
were grouping on the same ethnical background bases. "Lecla" was the name of
their first organization. Nothing about religion was touch
dawn.
Another social organization came out by the mid eighties. They
were "The Arab club".
By mid eighties, migrating trends were going on in
Ecuador. Around twenty men from Egypt were trying to reach United States ports
at any price. Their dishonest travel agents were using Ecuador as pass by point
to aim their goal in the States. Lather on, almost all of them left Ecuador
except a few, who decided to search for the life living in this
country.
A minor Indian Pakistani migration took place by the beginning
of the nineties. Many of them have already reached their migratory goals in
U.S.A. or Canadian ports.
In religious matters, they left almost no
tracks to follow.
By late nineties Ecuador was experiencing Muslim
migration, mainly from West African Countries (Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana.) whose
internal disruptions led them to search a place to live.
LOCAL
ECUADOREAN RE-CONVERTED PIONEERS
By the mid eighties there were a handful of
local native Ecuadorian people who embraced Islam overseas. They never heard the
word Islam in their own Ecuador. They were highly influenced by pious Muslims
while doing University studies in Europe and United States. They realized that
all the teaching of Islam are harmoniously working, bringing peace and logic
they never found in Christian teachings. They were highly enthusiastic
propagators, but swing against current was not easy.
By middle nineties
there were more Ecuadorians who embraced Islam. Today every single friday, there
is at less one "Shahada" that takes place Alhamdulilah!.
This trend was
not easy due to criticisms, and some times rejection, coming even from inside
their own blood relatives.
According to a rough estimation, our Muslim
population in the whole country is around five hundred people.
MASJID
ATTEMPTINGS
The first masjid attempting was done from a
handful of Muslims who decided to rent an apartment to used as a "Mussala" on
"Salat Aljumuah". Lather on the Egyptian Embassy facilitated an apartment for
the same purpose, but could not stay for long.
The second attempting was
done on October 1988. A social organization was founded with the purpose of
being a masjid, they are: Asociacion Cultural Khaled bin Al
Walid.
PRESENT TIME
THE CENTRO ISlÁMICO DEL ECUADOR - MASJID " ASSALAAM"
<< Verily, mosque whose foundation was
laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand therein (to
pray)>> Qur'an 9:108.
This is the first Muslim religious
organization credited as such by the Ecuadorian Government
The Centro
Isl?mico del Ecuador is a non-profit organization founded by the Grace and Mercy
of ALLAH SWT on October 15, 1994.
The religious activities, as well
as social, cultural and educational are conducted according to Muslim Sunni
Traditions.
This Center alhamdulilah is organized in various committees
to attend the needs of the Muslims and it has no financial support from any
foreign Country.
<<Let there be among you a community who
invite unto all that is good, enjoing what is right, and forbid what is
wrong.>> Qur'an - Al Imran 3:104
WOMEN
Native
Ecuadorian Muslimas are a little bit over 50% of the entire Muslim
population.
Their understanding an attachment to Islam is reflected in
the Islamic dress code, almost all of them are using hijab and long dresses on
daily bases.
They constitute an example of a well organize group with
their own committee that holds religious classes.
ISLAMIC
LITERATURE
The Center is translating and publishing into
Spanish language some topics of Islamic literature such
as:
-Introducing Islam to non-Muslims
-comparative religion
studies.
-Sunni Islamic creed.
There are already translated into
Spanish five books:
1) What the Bible says about Muhammad? by Ahmad
Deedat. 2)Understanding Muslims and Islam. 3) Tawheed by Ibrahim Hussein. 4)
Muslim Christian Dialogue by Dr. H.Baagil. 5) The truth about Jesus by
Wamy.
The Center has lately published and printed fourteen different
themes in pamphlet forms, they are: (all them in Spanish) 1) Islam at glance, 2)
Mount Arafat Sermon, 3) Do you know that...(the Pope at the time of our Prophet
Muhammad SAAWS, embraced Islam?) 4) General aspects about fasting in Ramadan
5)Misconceptions about Jihad. 6) Danger in dancing. 7) Is Jesus really god?. 8)
You should know about this great man (Prophet Muhammad SAAWS). 9) Who invented
the trinity? 10) What is Islam?. 11) Islamic Fundamentalism?. 12) what Islam is
not about. 13)Muhammad in the Bible.14) Fire in your stomachs (about alcohol).
15) According to the Bible jews have no right on Palestinian
land.
RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES
Alhamdulilah the Center is able to
hold:
Friday Khotaba, marriages, tarawee, salat ul Eidain and salat ul
Janaza.
CONTACTS
The Islamic Center of Ecuador sends annually its
religious representative to the Latin Muslims Leaders gathering that usually
takes place in Argentina.
After September 2001 the increase of
presentations and contacts has increased a great deal.
Dawah work is going on
through presentations on Auditoriums, Universities, schools, radio news papers,
magazines and TV. There is no reason for not working openly in Da'wa, since the
constitution stands for freedom of thought, as well as freedom of
religion.
PROJECTS
1) The Center just finished last Ramadan 1422 H.
the project of widening and enlarging the masjid
2) A Muslim school
and a cemetery is an urgent need for the community.
SHARING STRATEGIES
IN DAWAA' WORK.
The following could be good strategies to work
out with the Islamic Centres in the neighbouring countries.
- Preparing
Spanish speaking Daiyas (propagators) in various areas, such as comparative
Religion, Islamic leadership.
- Sending brothers and sisters overseas to
get educated in Islamic Universities.
- Encourage the rest of brothers
and sisters to get register in open Islamic universities.
- Advise Muslim
world organizations about the culture and the way to approach them.
-
Muslim Camps to invite our counterparts in South America.
WE ASK ALLAH
SWT. TO FORGIVE ALL THE BELIEVERS AND TO BESTOW HIS PEACE AND PRAISE UPON OUR
PROPHET MUHAMMAD.
Yours in Islam: Yahya Juan Suquillo. Director of
Propagation.
CENTRO ISLÁMICO DEL ECUADOR.
MORE INFORMATION
Calle 18 de septiembre No. 114 y General Plaza
Telf. (593-2) 223-7654 / 295-4542
Fax. (593-2) 228-4416
Casilla 17-01-499
Email: islamecuador2005@yahoo.com
Quito-Ecuador -Sudamérica