Exploring Islamic Villages in Cuba Many Cubans Convert to Islam

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh dear brothers and sisters and welcome back to the Islamic Shahada channel. Cuba is often known as a Caribbean country associated with salsa music, classic 1950s cars, colorful colonial buildings, and a revolutionary history that is famous around the world. For decades, Cuba has also been known as a country with a communist system that greatly influenced the social life of its people. Because of this background, many people believe that religion does not have a major influence in Cuba, especially minority religions such as Islam. However, behind that image, there is a Muslim community that is slowly growing and beginning to attract international attention. Historically, the majority of Cuban society comes from a Christian background, especially Roman Catholicism. The influence of Christianity has existed since the Spanish colonial era and became an important part of Cuban culture and traditions. Besides Catholicism, there are also Protestant groups and local beliefs mixed with African traditions. However, after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 and the establishment of the communist government, religious activities faced restrictions for many years. Many Cubans later grew up in a more secular environment compared to other Latin American countries. Because of this, the existence of Islam in Cuba is often considered almost invisible. Unlike countries in Europe or North America that have large Muslim immigrant populations, the Muslim community in Cuba developed on a small scale and mostly comes from local Cuban people themselves. In 2026, the Muslim population in Cuba is estimated to be around 10,000 to 11,000 people. This number is indeed very small compared to Cuba's total population of more than 11 million people. However, what is interesting is that most Muslims in Cuba are not immigrants from the Middle East or South Asia, but native Cuban converts who embraced Islam because of a personal spiritual journey. Many of them were previously not very religious, then began learning about Islam through the Internet, social media, Islamic videos, and interactions with foreign Muslim tourists. This phenomenon of local converts has become the main characteristic of Islam in Cuba. In many Western countries, the growth of Islam is usually connected to migration or diaspora communities. Meanwhile in Cuba, the growth of Islam has happened more through the conversion of local citizens. Some Cuban Muslims say they were attracted to Islam because of the concept of monotheism, discipline in worship, a simple way of life, and the sense of brotherhood they saw from the international Muslim community. The development of Islam in Cuba itself began to become more visible since the early 1990s. That period was a time of severe economic crisis after the collapse of the Soviet Union, which had previously been Cuba's main ally. The crisis caused major economic difficulties throughout the country and affected the lives of Cuban people for many years. In that difficult situation, many Cubans began searching for spiritual meaning and trying to learn about different religions. It was during this period that Islam started becoming more widely known in Cuba. At first, the Cuban Muslim community was very small and did not have official facilities. Some Muslims prayed in private homes or gathered in simple places to study Islam together. Islamic literature was also very limited. Even at that time, it was quite difficult to find Spanish-language copies of the Quran in Cuba. Many converts learned Islam independently through used books, recorded lectures, or help from Muslims abroad. The arrival of the internet and social media later became an important factor in the development of Islam in Cuba. Young Cubans began to access Islamic videos, lectures, Quran translations, and international discussions about Islam more easily. YouTube, Facebook, and various online platforms helped many Cubans learn about Islam without having to travel abroad. Some Cuban converts even said that they first discovered Islam through online videos before eventually deciding to study the religion more deeply. Besides the internet, Muslim tourists also had a significant influence. In recent years, Cuba has become more open to the international tourism sector. Tourists from the Middle East, Turkey, North Africa, and other Muslim countries began visiting Cuba. Interactions with these tourists allowed some Cubans to directly see the daily lives of Muslims, including their clothing, worship, and Islamic culture. From there, curiosity about Islam began to grow among local people. International relations with Muslim-majority countries also helped the development of the Islamic community in Cuba. Support came in the form of Islamic literature assistance, Quran donations, religious education, and even the construction of worship facilities. One important moment was the opening of Abdallah Mosque in Havana in 2015. The mosque became the first official mosque in Cuba and a symbol of the development of Islam in the country. Even so, Cuban Muslims still face many challenges in 2026. The number of mosques is still very limited, halal food is not easy to find, and Muslim communities are scattered across different cities. Many Cuban Muslims also still face stereotypes because Islam is considered unfamiliar by some parts of society. Muslim women who wear hijab, for example, often attract public attention because such appearances are still rare in Cuba. However, despite these limitations, the Cuban Muslim community is known for being close-knit and active in maintaining relationships with one another. They often organize congregational prayers, Ramadan iftar gatherings, small Islamic studies, and simple dawah activities within local communities. Many people who have visited Cuban Muslim communities describe the atmosphere as very warm and full of brotherhood. Although the number of Muslims in Cuba is still relatively small compared to the national population, the Islamic community in the country is spread across several important cities. Unlike countries with large Muslim populations that have special Muslim areas or Islamic districts, the Cuban Muslim community has developed more in the form of small groups scattered throughout urban areas. However, there are several cities known as the most active centers of Islamic activities in Cuba. Most of the development of Islam has taken place in major cities that have greater access to international tourists, the internet, education, and foreign relations. These cities became places where local convert communities, small dawah activities, and simple Islamic learning centers began to emerge. Havana is the main center of Muslim life in Cuba and the most important city for the development of Islam in the country. As the capital of Cuba as well as the political, cultural, and tourism center of the nation, Havana has become the gathering place for the largest Muslim community in Cuba. It is in this city that Abdala Mosque stands, the first official mosque in Cuba, which opened in 2015. The presence of this mosque became an important milestone in the history of Islam in Cuba because previously Cuban Muslims did not have an official mosque for worship. Before the existence of Abdala Mosque, many Cuban Muslims prayed in private homes or gathered at Casa de los Arabes, located in the Old Havana area. Abdala Mosque has now become the main center for various Islamic activities in Cuba. Every Friday, Muslims from different parts of Havana come to perform congregational Friday prayers. The mosque is also a place for Islamic studies, Quran learning, community discussions, and social activities among Cuban Muslims. During the month of Ramadan, the atmosphere within Havana's Muslim community becomes much more lively. Local Muslims, foreign tourists, international students, and diplomats from Muslim countries often gather together to break their fast. Because the Muslim population is still small, Ramadan activities in Havana often feel very close-knit and full of togetherness. The Muslim community in Havana consists of people from various backgrounds. Most are native Cuban converts who embraced Islam in recent years. In addition, there are also foreign Muslim students studying in Cuba, diplomats from the Middle East and North Africa, foreign workers, and international Muslim tourists visiting Havana. Many Cuban converts in Havana first became familiar with Islam through the Internet, international friendships, or interactions with Muslim tourists. Some of them say they were attracted to the spiritual concepts of Islam, the disciplined Muslim lifestyle, and the strong sense of brotherhood within the Islamic community. Two important areas in the development of Islam in Havana are Old Havana or Habana Vieja and Centro Habana. Old Havana is known as a historical area and an international tourism center. In this area, interactions between local Cubans and foreign tourists are quite high, making Islam more visible to society. Meanwhile, Centro Habana has become one of the residential areas for various urban communities, including several Cuban Muslim families. Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and one of the regions that has a small but fairly active Muslim community. The city has a different cultural character compared to Havana because African Caribbean influences are very strong in the daily life of its people. The Muslim community in Santiago de Cuba is indeed not as large as the one in Havana, but the development of Islam in the city continues slowly. Since there are still no major Islamic facilities, such as an official mosque, most religious activities are carried out in private homes or small communities. In Santiago de Cuba, many new converts come from younger generations. Young Cubans in the city began learning about Islam through social media, online Islamic videos, and communication with Muslims abroad. Some of them later formed small study groups to learn the basics of Islam together. Islamic activities in Santiago de Cuba usually include small study sessions, religious discussions, simple Quran learning, and community congregational prayers. Even though facilities are limited, the Muslim community in the city is known for being quite united and supportive of one another. Online Dawa also plays a major role in the development of Islam in Santiago de Cuba. Many young Muslims use the Internet as their main source of religious learning because access to Islamic books and local scholars is still very limited. Camagüey is one of the historic cities in Cuba that also has a small Muslim community. Islam in this region has developed slowly and is more widely known through the Internet and international connections. Unlike Havana, which has a clearer community center, Muslims in Camagüey are spread out in small groups. Most are local converts who became interested in Islam after learning about the religion online. There are also several small Muslim families in the city who practice Islamic life in a simple way. Community activities are usually carried out through private gatherings or small meetings among community members. Because of the limited Islamic facilities, many Muslims in Camagüey rely on online communication with Muslim communities in Havana or abroad to deepen their religious knowledge. Holguin is one of the regions in eastern Cuba that has a small and scattered Muslim community. There are no large mosques or official Islamic centers in the city, so religious activities are mostly carried out within family communities and friendship groups. Most Muslims in Holguin are local converts who became familiar with Islam through digital media. Many of them study Islam through YouTube, social media, online lectures, and communication with international Muslims. The growth of Islam in Holguin has been strongly influenced by the development of digital Dawa. As access to global information becomes easier, Cuban society in the city has started to learn about Islam without needing major physical Islamic institutions. Even though the community is small, relationships among Muslims in Holguin are quite close because they often face the same challenges as a religious minority. Guantanamo is internationally known because of Guantanamo Bay and the United States military base. Because of this global issue, the name Islam is often associated with the region, even though the local Muslim community is actually very small. Islam in Guantanamo has not developed in the form of a large community. Local Muslims in the city are usually part of small informal groups and carry out religious activities in a simple way. Islamic activities in the region mostly consist of small community meetings, religious discussions, and limited congregational prayers. Some Muslims in Guantanamo also study Islam through the internet because of the lack of religious facilities. Although the number of Muslims in the region is very small, their existence still shows that Islam has reached almost various parts of Cuba, even on a small and scattered scale. Thanks for watching until the end. I hope it was useful. Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.