Islam is the main religion inGuinea, followed by an estimated 85% of the population as of 2022.[1][2] "Most areSunnis who follow theMaliki legal tradition andQadiri andTijaniSufi orders."[1]
Islam spread from its birthplace in theArabian Peninsula toAfrica.Sundiata Keita (c. 1217 – c. 1255), the founder of theMali Empire (which encompassed part of present-day Guinea as well as other modern nations), was not a Muslim, but by 1300, his successors were.[3] The tenth ruler of the empire,Musa I (c. 1280 – c. 1337), made it the state religion.[3]
Fouta Djallon, a highland region of Guinea, has been a stronghold of Islam since the late 17th century.[4] TheImamate of Futa Jallon, a Muslimtheocratic state ruled by thealmami, was founded around 1725.[5]
Eventually, the area of present-day Guinea came under colonial rule, andFrench Guinea was established in 1891, but that had little effect on the spread of the religion.[3] In the 20th century, theAhmadiyya movement was introduced into the country from Pakistan.[6]
After Guinea achieved independence from France in 1958,Ahmed Sékou Touré, itsMarxist first president, sought to reduce Islam's influence, but as his popularity declined, in the 1970s he worked "to co-opt Muslim institutions to legitimize his rule."[1] Touré had theGrand Mosque built in the capital city ofConakry, with funding from Saudi KingFahd;[7] it opened in 1982. It is the largest mosque in West Africa, with an inner hall that can hold 10,000.[8]
The compulsory education curriculum does not include religious studies, but there are numerous Islamic schools throughout the country, particularly in Fouta Djallon.[2] Somemadrasas are financially supported bySaudi Arabia,Kuwait and other Gulf states.[2]
