🇵🇪 Islam in Peru,Mosque of Lima, Mesquita de Magdalena del Mar. The Oldest Masjid in Peru.#peru

Mezquita de Magdalena del Mar, Lima Masjid - Mosque, Lima, Peru (19th April,2024): I was thinking of going to South America for quite some time and so I was glad when it finally happened. I had seen pictures of this Masjid online before coming here, but the pictures did not do justice to the real beauty of it. This used to be the home of a Palestinian businessman who donated his home and the surrounding land to the Muslim community in Lima. It was renovated and converted into a Masjid, and in 1986 it was opened to the public. This is one of either 2 or 3 Masjids in Lima, I wasn’t able to verify the exact number. I was there for the Jummah prayer on 19th April. The capacity of the Masjid is around 300 people, with facilities for both men and women. There is also a marquee in the garden that can accommodate more people if required. The Masjid was almost full during the Jummah prayer and most of the people were either Arab immigrants from Palestine, and some tourists. I met the Imam who was from Egypt, and his khutba/speech was in Arabic and Spanish. I was talking to a local gentleman, and he mentioned that there are over 5000 Muslims in Lima. Lima's Muslim community is approximately half Palestinian Arab in origin and half local converts. Muslims arrived in Peru during the time of the Spanish invasion. Many Muslims, referred to as ‘Moros’ or Moors by the Spaniards, fled persecution in Spain. They settled in various places in Latin America, primarily in Peru, where they significantly influenced the local way of life including, dress, food, architecture, and the social and political systems. However, they faced persecution from the Spanish settlers once again, and many Muslims were compelled to go into hiding due to this persecution, becoming ‘crypto-Muslims.’ They identified as Christians in public while secretly practicing Islam. Over time, even this clandestine affiliation was lost, and Islam vanished from Peru. The second influx of Muslims occurred with the migrations from Palestine and Lebanon in the 1940s, as Muslims fled Zionist persecution in their homelands. These Muslims were predominantly traders and merchants. Although they accumulated considerable wealth over time, they gradually lost aspects of their Islamic identity. This Masjid is located in the Magdalena del Mar district in Lima. May Allah(swt) guide us all in the right direction. Address: Jr. Tacna 556, Magdalena del Mar 15086, Peru Phone: +51 1 2634447