In Barbados, as in many other Central American countries, the first Muslims to land in the country came as enslaved persons during the colonial period or as immigrants from South-East Asia. Forbidden to profess their faith during the colonial period, many were forced to convert to Christianity. In the last century, however, due to the secular nature of Barbados’ constitution, Muslims became free to proselytise and build places of worship in the country.
Ibn Umar Mosque, or Masjid Ibn Umar, is located in the Caribbean city of Bridgetown, Barbados. It operates in a residential building adapted for its new function, i.e. it was not built with the purpose of being a mosque and therefore does not have traditional elements such as a minaret and dome.
