This article is no longer accurate, since an estimated 450 Muslims live in Cuba.
However, it is left online for its historical value.

Fatemah Shaikh, a member of a South African brigade on a solitary visit to Cuba , made it her personal mission to look for a Cuban Muslim in one of the world's remaining Socialist/Communist countries. Shaikh and Hassen Ebrahim relate the tale of the search and their realisation that there was no need to conquer.

In search of a Cuban Muslim

A South African Cuban solidarity brigade, the Alex La Guma Brigade - named after the South African writer who died in exile in Cuba, recently went to pay homage to La Guma and, as a solidarity brigade, to learn about the lives and struggles of the Cuban people under a US-imposed embargo.

The 38 South Africans spent one month in Cuba visiting different areas, attending lectures and working in the fields - picking nectarines and oranges. Integrated into this rather hectic schedule Fatemah's mission - which others from the group were unsuspectingly drawn into - was to find a Muslim in this "atheist" state whose official "religion" was communism.

Cuban tourist brochures inform the visitor there is "thorough freedom of religious practices. Most believers are Catholics. A number of churches are spread over the country, religious services are conducted every day: masses, baptisms, weddings, requiems and confessions. Afro-Cuban religions (a merging of African pantheons and Catholic Saints) are deeply rooted."

Nothing is mentioned of the world's other religions, including Islam.

Led by Fatemah, the search was on. Everybody in Cuba knows the Catholic Saint, the Lady Fatima. This put our Fatemah under some strain to explain on numerous occasions and in broken, hastily learnt Spanish: "Me llamo Fatemah. Soy Muslim. Si Islam. No Catholica!""I am Fatemah, I am Muslim, not the Catholic one."

Whether by accident or design, on one Friday, the day of Jumu'ah, we found ourselves at a mosque! The House of Arabs in Old Havana (La Havana Vieja) which serves as a souk (market) is piled high with carpets, robes and pottery - and a place of worship for Muslims.

The curator of the building gave us a briefing on the origins of the building, which was built in the 17th century. Like most of the buildings in Old Havana this one is constructed in Mudejar style - a Christian/Muslim architectural tradition that evolved in Spain. Because of these architectural wonders UNESCO declared old Havana a world heritage site in 1982, and a number of buildings are in the process of being renovated. The curator told us the mosque was used by foreign diplomats and foreigners working in Cuba.

Muslim yes, but still no Cuban Muslims! Fatemah persisted. "What about indigenous Cuban Muslims?" she asked. The curator replied that they numbered not more than 20. Fatemah pushed him to provide her with an address of one. "Lo Siento!" (I am sorry), he said. "We do not keep such a list!" Perhaps to cheer us up he added that over 400 Muslim names, like Abdella and Mansur, existed in Cuban society. These names, we discovered have their roots in the period of slavery.

Enjoying the beauty of the architecture, we had missed Jumu'ah prayers but decided not to let this opportunity pass. Led again by Fatemah, a few Brigadistas prepared to pray their Zuhr, possibly the first South Africans to perform salah in this mosque. No Cuban Muslims, but the group was obviously satisfied with its efforts.

Only a fool will believe that official approaches to religion will not change. We say this with the knowledge that Fidel Castro (a Jesuit-educated lawyer and now President of Cuba) had a highly-acclaimed meeting with the Pope John Paul III recently. The Pope is scheduled to visit Cuba this year.

During his five-day visit to the Vatican Castro told Vatican Radio, "We want to create a climate of trust and good relations with the Church." And in a communiqu‚, the Cuban Catholic Church archbishop, Jaime Ortega, exhort the leaders of nations "whose historical, economic or humanitarian interests link them to Cuba to look for the solution to existing conflicts in dialogue." He also urged Cuban Catholics to work in a united way for the future, by preserving the nation's dignity and freedom."

Meanwhile, we are back home and reflecting on our experiences, satisfied in the knowledge that the struggle for national independence, social, economic and political justice is not incompatible with genuine religious practices and freedoms and religion does not need the state to survive.

We saw and we learnt. And we know there is no need to conquer.

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