Islam in Laos

Muslims are a small minority in Buddhist-majority Laos and constitute about 0.01% of the population.[1] Muslims are visible in the capital, Vientiane, which has a mosque.

The Muslim population is mostly engaged in trade and manage meat shops. A small community of Cham Muslims from Cambodia who escaped the Khmer Rouge is also found. Muslims live primarily in urban areas.[2]

Muslims in Laos

Laos is officially known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic. It is bordered by China to the north, Vietnam to the east, Thailand to the west, and Cambodia to the south. Its capital is Vientiane and the proportion of Muslims there is about 0.5%.

Islam reached Laos when it was introduced into Indochina, of which Laos is a part, in the fourth century AH or a little bit earlier. Islam reached Laos through Muslim traders who were engaged in Da‘wah activities, as we have previously highlighted.

The presence of Islam in Laos increased when Cham Muslims sought refuge in Laos before resorting to Cambodia and settling there. Years passed by and these Cham Muslims did not learn more about their religion. They only learned how to read the Quran without understanding its meaning. This drove them to lose sight of the genuine reality of Islam. Therefore, their children became easy targets for Christian missionaries there and some of them actually converted to Christianity. Muslim Chinese traders also played a role in introducing Islam into Laos hundreds of years ago.

Laos was subdued by Siam (Thailand) since the late eighteenth century until the early nineteenth century AD. Laos came under Siamese sovereignty according to the Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907which stipulated that Laos become part of French Indo-China.

Siam was then under a monarchy until Pathet Lao, a communist political movement and organization in Laos, took total power over Laos in 1975. This marked the end of six centuries of absolute monarchy in Laos.

There are two mosques in Laos, one of which belongs to Muslims of Pakistani origin, and the other to Muslims of Indian origin. There is also the majestic Al-Masjid Al-Jaami‘ Al-Kabeer (Great Congregational Mosque) in the capital, which is more of an Islamic Center. A religious school was established on the first of June 2005 AD, along with the Islamic Society. It is worth mentioning that the number of Muslims in Laos has been declining over the years. This is due to the lack of any body that addresses the religious life of Muslims in Laos.

Laotian Muslims were separated due to living conditions, as well as the successive wars since 1940, until 1975. These wars incurred the displacement of many Muslims in the country and some of them fled from Laos. Many of them are now wandering about with nowhere to settle. Some die, individually or in groups, and others are locked in dim prisons. The number of Muslims in Laos now does not exceed a few thousand people, including Indians and Pakistanis. They do not have a mosque at this time, but there are places for establishing Friday prayers only.

Source : http://islamstory.com/en/node/42868