Islam in New Zealand

Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand is the first mosque built in the South Island in 1985.[1]

Islam is the third-largest religion in New Zealand (1.5%) after Christianity (32.3%) and Hinduism (2.9%). Small numbers of Muslim immigrants from South Asia and eastern Europe settled in New Zealand from the early 1900s until the 1960s. Large-scale Muslim immigration began in the 1970s with the arrival of Indian Fijians, followed in the 1990s by refugees from various war-torn countries.

According to the 2018 New Zealand census, there are at least 57,276 Muslim New Zealanders across the country and it is a religious affiliation representing about 1.3% of the total population.[2]

According to the 2023 New Zealand census, there are at least 75,144 Muslim New Zealanders across the country and it is a religious affiliation representing about 1.5% of the total population.[3]


The first Islamic centre in New Zealand opened in 1959 and there are now several mosques and two Islamic schools. The majority of Muslims in New Zealand are Sunni, with significant Shia and Ahmadiyya minorities.[4] The Ahmadiyya Community has translated the Qur'an into the Māori language.[5]

  1. ^ Drury, Abdullah (31 October 2020). "Wish You Were Here; A Short History of New Zealand Muslims and Integration". Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam. 3 (3): 355–370. doi:10.31538/nzh.v3i3.1021 (inactive 1 November 2024).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
  2. ^ "Muslims in New Zealand". Centre for Applied Cross-cultural Research. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (NZ total), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Prayers for Opening". Stuff.co.nz. 31 October 2013. Archived from the original on 13 August 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  5. ^ "Koran's message of unity shared in te reo translation". The New Zealand Herald. 14 April 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2019.

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