Muslim Community in New Zealand

Located in the South Pacific, New Zealand is a country of approximately 3.9 million people, of whom about thirty thousands are Muslims. The first Muslims arrived here in 1874. They were of Chinese origin involved in the mining industry but when the industry declined they left. The first permanent Muslim residents settled in the 1900s in and around the city of Auckland. During the Eidul Adha in 1950 these migrants and their sons formed the first Islamic organisation in the country, the New Zealand Muslim Association (NZMA) in the city of Auckland (NZMA is a member of FIANZ). These early Muhaijurun (migrants) began to organize themselves and gather in their private homes to observe salaat, Qur'an classes and religious celebrations. As their numbers grew the need for a larger, fixed place of worship and education became more pressing. Thus an ordinary house was bought and converted into Islamic Center in Auckland in 1957.

The New Zealand Muslim Association was soon followed by other Islamic organisations in other regions - in Wellington in 1962 as the Wellington Muslim Association, which later became the International Muslim Association of New Zealand (IMAN). The choice of this name was a reflection of the situation in Wellington where the majority of Muslims were students on the "Colombo Plan", from many different countries. Subsequent associations were established in Christchurch (1980), Hamilton (1981) and Palmerston North in (1982). The most recent, the Otago Muslim Association, was established in Dunedin (1994).

Next Page (2/2)