Islam is the main religion in The Gambia

Updated
August 23, 2007

First 10 Years
1997 - 2008

Gambia Tourist Support
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Religion

The Gambia has a Muslim population, but other religions exist happily alongside. Gambians practise a tolerance befitting the teachings of Muhammad (pbuh)

Banjul's Central Mosque

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Choosing a Tobaski Ram

Sankore Mosque, Tombouctou, Mali
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Comments to GTS

Do not be put off visiting Gambia for religious reasons, because although many Gambians are both strict about, and faithful to their religion, their tolerance of other peoples religions is striking, with large Christian churches everywhere.

Most Muslims in Gambia approaches fellow Gambians and tourists with a very non judgemental easy going attitudes towards their beliefs.

In this, The Gambia is a model country for its tolerance - there are people from all over West Africa rubbing shoulders, doing business, co-existing side by side - with very little obvious friction or trouble, the key to this is their approach to the Koran and the teachings and life of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as well as a throughly integrated and deep seated tribal religious and cultural background.

For most practising Muslims, Islam is a way of life and a code of living, most will wash and pray 5 times each day. (Please be aware of this if you are out with a Muslim guide.)

There are a number of Muslim festivals, Ramadan based on the moon's cycle this moves backwards through the year, currently it is September/October and has some minor effects on tourism - most Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and in the first few days their tempers are rather short.

Friday prayer is the main religious event of the week and some guides don't work on a Friday to ensure that they can attend the prayers at the Mosque at around 2 pm. If your guide is Muslim, try to make it clear that you don't mind him visiting the Mosque on Friday, infact go along yourself and see the colourful devotion and submission to God yourself.

The whole service is only about 30 minutes long and are a very social gathering - you'll be surprised at the number of people attending and the disciplined self order. that always prevails.

One of the most celebrated Muslim festivals, is Tobaski. A ram is chosen and is sacrificed in remembrance of God providing a ram in the thicket for Abraham, so his son Isaac (Ismail in Muslim tradition) can be spared. At Tobaski everyone eats meat, it is a time when people try to get home to their villages to be with their parents, presents are exchanged, the young honour the old with useful gifts of rice, salt or sugar.

If you are a tourist, it is a time of much pressue to give your Gambian friend some financial help to please their parents and family.

Islam is relatively recent in West Africa and has provided much of the education and medicine in the country, as well as religious guidance.

The Sankoré Mosque is in Tombouctou, in Mali, it rose to prominence as an Islamic house of worship under the Mali Empire, which reached its peak in the 14th century. The empire subsequently declined, but the mosque continued to play an important social and cultural role. Leading Islamic scholars from all over the Middle East taught at a school established in the mosque during the 16th century.

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