Islam was fixed in Mauritius through Sunni Indian sailors hailing from Pondicherry and Bengal (Southeast India). It was during the French governance of Charles Decaen that the growing population of Muslims, disrespectfully known as “Lascards” was granted a land concession to build a temple to practice their faith in an area of Port Louis called Plaine Verte, even when the only religion officially recognized was the Catholic Church.
Today, 210 years later, that area remains as one of the most densely Muslim populated. With the abolition of slavery (1835) more Indian Muslims migrated mainly from Northwest India to work in Mauritius as indentured laborers. And so, the Jummah Masjid was built in 1850 in Port Louis’ Royal Road, unifying a minor faith that won the strength of an official religion in the present nation.
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