Islam in Ethiopia

Islam in Ethiopia
Total population
	36,290,000 (2020)
Regions with significant populations
	Somali (98.4%), Afar (95.3%), Dire Dawa (70.9%), Harari (69%), Oromia (47.5%), Benishangul-Gumuz (45.6%)
Religions
	Sunni Islam

Islam is the second largest religion in Ethiopia behind Christianity. In 2024, 31.5% of the population is Muslim.^[3]

Islam in Ethiopia dates back to the founding of the religion. At the counsel of the prophet Muhammad, a group of Muslims escaping persecution in Mecca travelled to Ethiopia and Eritrea, which was known as Abyssinian (Al-Habash) in the Qur'an.^[4] They were received by Najashi, a pious Christian king of Aksum. It is agreed by Islamic scholars that Najashi gave shelter to the Muslim refugees around 615–616.^[5]^[6] Bilal ibn Ribah, the first Muezzin (the person chosen to call the faithful to prayer) and one of the foremost companions of Muhammad, was born in Mecca to an Abyssinian (Ethiopian) mother.

^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 2015-04-02.
^ "2007 Ethiopian census, first draft" (PDF). Ethiopian Central Statistical Agency. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
^ "Ethiopia". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 September 2022. (Archived 2022 edition.)
^ https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/ethiopia-holy-land-religion-and-science%23:~:text%3DAnother%2520name%2520for%2520Ethiopia%252C%2520Abyssinia,the%2520lost%2520tribes%2520of%2520Israel.&ved=2ahUKEwiq8pSNxeyHAxWSAtsEHVjZAfQQFnoECFQQBQ&usg=AOvVaw1Wq1Mj_-8-XqDf0tG9SESX ^{[bare URL]}
^ M. Elfasi; Ivan Hrbek (1988). Africa from the Seventh to the Eleventh Century. UNESCO. p. 560. ISBN 9789231017094.
^ Ibn Ishāq (2004). Sīratu Rasūlillāh (tr. Alfred Guillaume). Oxford University Press. pp. 150–153.

[1] "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 2015-04-02.

[Religion-2007-2] "2007 Ethiopian census, first draft" (PDF). Ethiopian Central Statistical Agency. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2009.

[3] "Ethiopia". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 September 2022. (Archived 2022 edition.)

[4] ttps://pulitzercenter.org/stories/ethiopia-holy-land-religion-and-science%23:~:text%3DAnother%2520name%2520for%2520Ethiopia%252C%2520Abyssinia,the%2520lost%2520tribes%2520of%2520Israel.&ved=2ahUKEwiq8pSNxeyHAxWSAtsEHVjZAfQQFnoECFQQBQ&usg=AOvVaw1Wq1Mj_-8-XqDf0tG9SESX ^{[bare URL]}

[5] M. Elfasi; Ivan Hrbek (1988). Africa from the Seventh to the Eleventh Century. UNESCO. p. 560. ISBN 9789231017094.

[sira150-6] Ibn Ishāq (2004). Sīratu Rasūlillāh (tr. Alfred Guillaume). Oxford University Press. pp. 150–153.

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Total population
36,290,000 (2020)^[1]
Regions with significant populations
Somali (98.4%), Afar (95.3%), Dire Dawa (70.9%), Harari (69%), Oromia (47.5%), Benishangul-Gumuz (45.6%)^[2]
Religions
Sunni Islam