From the Shiite world - Ivory Coast

By: Zenab Abbas

Ivory Coast lies in the middle of West Africa. It is surrounded from north by Burkina Faso and Mali, from west by Ghana, from east Liberia and from south by the Atlantic Ocean. Its Political capital is Yamoussoukro while Economic capital is Abidjan.

The number of its population is some nineteen million people; government here is a democratic republic; French is official language with the presence of many local languages.

As for the religions present in the country they are Islam, Christianity, Judaism and paganism. Muslims in the country are 60 percent, Christians 30 percent while others are 10 percent. The Sufi orders as the At-Tijaniyya, Al-Kaderria etc are also found there.

From the more important mosques in the country are The Jamia Mosque and Ar-Rifira Mosque in Abidjan, The Jamia Mosque in Masgarou, Fatema Az-Zahra (p)'a Mosque in Aboaso and Qaddosi Mosque in Bondoko.

Shiism has an old presence in Ivory Coast. Shiism came here through the Lebanese merchants and today they form a great community in this country that exceeds the 100 thousand people, while presently the Shiism has spread in Ivory Coast in late seventies and it reached its top in the last ten years as the preachers who studied and learned the Ja'fari thought from outside spread this faith of Ahlul Bayt (Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (p)’s progeny (p)) in the countrymen and entered thousands in the Ahlul Bayt (p)’s faith from all society layers even the Ministers of State.

This day, Shiites are present in the most predominant regions of Ivory Coast i.e. the capital, Abidjan, Bondoukou, Bouaké, Ambato, Anyama, Grand Bassam, Udine and Korhogo etc. they have noticeable activities across the country and that are construction of the mosques and husseiniyaat and establishment of centers and schools in all of the areas.

From the most important famous mosques of Shiites are Isna Ashariyah Mosque, Kankakora Mosque in Abidjan, Al-Imam Ali (p) Mosque and the Ja'fari Shiite Mosque in Grand Bassam with three Husseiniyaat in Abidjan.

While Shiite centers –

In Abidjan: They are Ahlul Bayt (p) school, Al-Imam As-Sadeq (p) school, Al-Isna Ashariyah school, Youth center, Arab African center, Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p) center;

In Grand Bassam: They are Az-Zahra (p) school, Al-Imam Ali (p) school and Shiite Ja’fari center;

In Udine: Ahlul Bayt (p) school and

In Ambato, Al-Imam As-Sadeq (p) foundation.

Several hundred students study in these schools and centers besides a large number of citizens of Ivory Coast are studying in Syria, Iran and Lebanon.

Islamic occasions such as days of birth and martyrdom of Prophet (p) and his Ahlul Bayt (p) are observed in the Mosques and Husseiniyaat.

END