AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): According to the 2024 census of Chile's National Institute of Statistics, there are 10,197 Muslims living in the country, equivalent to 0.07 percent of Chile's population. The country's Muslim community has four main mosques, with two in the city of Iquique, one in Santiago, and one in San Bernardo. In addition, the Coquimbo Mosque and about 15 prayer rooms or musallas operate in various Chilean cities. The country's first mosque, Al-Salam Mosque, was built between 1988 and 1990 in the Ñuñoa district.
The Spanish-language website MundoIslam reported in an article that statistics regarding Islam in Chile vary greatly depending on the source and year cited. Some reports have put the number of Muslims in the country at 3,000, while others have said 5,000, whereas the latest official figure is nearly double these numbers. The situation is similar regarding the number of mosques, as many sources treat mosques, cultural centers, and prayer rooms as the same.
For this reason, this report has attempted to distinguish these concepts from one another by relying on primary sources, including the official census and Chilean Islamic institutions. The article then examines updated statistics on Muslims, the main mosques, the history of Islam's arrival in Chile, and the internal diversity of this small but highly diverse community
How Many Muslims Live in Chile?
The latest official figures come from the twentieth National Population Census of Chile in 2024. The National Institute of Statistics published the results related to population characteristics on June 30, 2025.
According to these figures, Chile's Muslim population reaches 10,197, or about 0.07 percent of the country's total population. To better understand this figure, Chile's population in the 2024 census was recorded as 18,480,432.
The Growth Trend of the Muslim Population in Chile
Comparison of various censuses indicates significant growth in Chile's Muslim population in recent years:
1901 census: 1,002 Muslims, including 1,000 men and only two women, reflecting the highly male-dominated nature of the first wave of Muslim immigration to Chile.
2002 census: 2,894 Muslims, equivalent to 0.03 percent of the population over 15 years of age.
2012 census: Approximately 3,300 Muslims.
2024 census: 10,197 Muslims, equivalent to 0.07 percent of the population.
Thus, Chile's Muslim population has nearly tripled in just over a decade.
This growth can be attributed to two main factors: first, the arrival of new immigrants from countries such as Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, and various African nations; and second, the increasing number of Chileans who have converted to Islam and now constitute a significant portion of the country's Muslim community.
Despite this growth, Muslims remain a very small demographic minority in Chile. The country has one of the lowest proportions of Muslim population in South America, far behind countries like Argentina and Brazil, which have larger Arab communities.
How Many Mosques Are There in Chile?
This question is probably one of the most frequently asked about Islam in Chile, but even on this subject, there is a great deal of conflicting information.
The Difference Between a Mosque, a Musalla, and a Cultural Center
Before presenting statistics, three concepts must be distinguished from one another:
Mosque: A building specifically constructed for Muslim worship, usually featuring architectural elements such as a mihrab, dome, or minaret.
Musalla: A room or space for congregational prayer that may be located in a commercial unit, a house, or a shared building. A musalla is a place of worship for Muslims, but it is not necessarily a mosque in the strict sense of the word.
Islamic Cultural Center: An institution engaged in cultural, educational, and social dialogue activities, which may also include a prayer space alongside its other activities.
Many reports combine these three categories, which is why different figures are published regarding the number of mosques in Chile.
Statistics from Chilean Islamic Institutions
According to information from the Islamic Center of Chile, one of the oldest and most recognized Islamic institutions in the country, the Muslim community of Chile has the following:
Four mosques: two in Iquique, one in Santiago, and one in San Bernardo.
Approximately 15 musallas: in various cities and regions across the country.
Two Islamic cemeteries: one in Santiago and one in Iquique.
In addition to these, the Mohammed VI Cultural Center in Coquimbo should also be counted, which includes a mosque. This center operates with the support of Morocco and has its own organizational independence.
Therefore, it can be said that Chile has approximately five mosques and nearly 15 prayer rooms or musallas, with several Islamic cultural centers also active in the country.
To understand the geographical distribution of Chile's Muslim community, one can refer to the prayer schedules published monthly by the Islamic Center of Chile for 18 cities across the country.
Main Mosques of Chile
1. Al-Salam Mosque; Ñuñoa, Santiago
Al-Salam Mosque is the first mosque built in Chile and one of the most important centers of the country's Muslim community.
Its architectural design was prepared by William Tapia Chuaqui. The project began in 1986, construction started in 1988 on the initiative of Tawfiq Rumieh, then-leader of Chile's Muslim community, and was completed in 1990.
The mosque is located at 2975 Campomour Street, at the intersection with Chile-España Street, and currently operates under the supervision of the Islamic Center of Chile.
2. Bilal Mosque; Iquique
This mosque was initiated by Pakistani businessmen who purchased the land in 1997. Construction was completed in 1999, and an Islamic school was also established alongside it.
Additionally, the first Muslim cemetery in northern Chile was built next to this mosque.
3. Noor al-Islam Mosque; San Bernardo
This mosque is located in the San Bernardo area of the Santiago metropolitan district and also operates under the supervision of the Islamic Center of Chile.
4. Mohammed VI Mosque and Cultural Center; Coquimbo
This center opened in 2006 and operates with the support of the Kingdom of Morocco through its embassy.
In addition to serving as a place of worship for Muslims, the Mohammed VI Center also functions as a center for dialogue among civilizations and has become one of the landmark cultural buildings in the city of Coquimbo.
Alongside these centers, institutions such as the Islamic Foundation of Chile in Santiago and the Islamic Culture Center in the Las Condes district are also among the important centers of the country's Muslim community.
How Did Islam Arrive in Chile?
The First Traces; Andalusian Muslims
The first recorded connection between Chile and Islam predates the formation of the country's republic.
According to the book "History of Chile" by Aurelio Díaz Meza, the Spanish conquistador Diego de Almagro's campaign included a person named Pedro de Gascó, who was referred to as a "Morisco," a term for Andalusian Muslims who had been forced to convert to Christianity after the fall of Granada.
This does not indicate the existence of an active Muslim community in colonial Chile, but it does represent one of the earliest presences associated with Islam in this land, a presence that was largely overlooked for a long time until Chilean researchers began examining its effects on the country's culture and identity in recent decades.
Immigration from the Ottoman Empire; From 1856
The main roots of Chile's Muslim community trace back to immigration from the territory of the Ottoman Empire, which began around 1856, with the first records of Ottoman citizens appearing around 1865.
These immigrants came from lands that now constitute Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan.
However, one important point should not be overlooked: most of the Arab immigrants who entered Chile during this period were Christians, not Muslims. Muslims were always a minority among Arab immigrants, and this is one of the reasons the Muslim community in Chile remained small until the contemporary period.
As mentioned earlier, the 1901 census recorded 1,002 Muslims in Chile, with a highly notable gender ratio of 1,000 men to only two women.
This immigration mainly consisted of young men who came to Chile for trade and economic opportunities, many of whom later started families in the country.
The Formation of the First Islamic Institutions; 1923–1926
The organization of Chile's Muslim community began in the 1920s, after several decades of scattered presence.
In 1923, a Syrian-born individual in Villa Alemana founded the Islamic Association of "Mutual Aid and Assistance." This association established a school where Arabic and religious education were taught.
Children from both Muslim and Christian families attended this school, as families regardless of religion considered it important to preserve the Arabic language. This school operated until 1933 and closed after its director returned to Syria.
In September 1926, the "Muslim Union" association was established, aiming to bring together Chile's Muslims and promote Arab and Islamic culture.
This association was one of the early institutions that continued its activities until the 1990s.
After the passing of Sheikh Tawfiq Muhammad Rumieh in 1998, who was the president of the Muslim Union Association and one of the founders of Al-Salam Mosque, the institution changed its name to the Islamic Center of Chile, the name by which it is known today.
A Small but Highly Diverse Community
Despite its small population, Chile's Muslim community is remarkably diverse and can be considered a small microcosm of the Islamic world in many respects.
Within this community, Sunni Muslims, Shias, and Sufis exist side by side, having established their own centers and gatherings in Santiago and other parts of Chile.
Al-Salam Mosque
Al-Salam Mosque is open daily for the five daily prayers and hosts various community events, including collective iftars during Ramadan and Eid celebrations.
A significant portion of the mosque's activities is organized by the Tablighi Jamaat, a missionary movement with a global reach that originated in India in the 1920s and is associated with the Deobandi school.
This current is responsible for a significant part of religious activities in Chile, and Friday prayer sermons at this mosque are delivered in Spanish and Arabic.
The Tablighi Jamaat also sends Chilean Muslims abroad for Islamic training and conducts missionary programs and religious trips in various Latin American countries.
Chilean Converts
Despite these organizational affiliations, the individuals who come to the mosque have had very different paths to Islam.
A considerable number of them are Chileans who have converted to Islam and have followed their own independent religious journeys.
Khadija is one such individual who converted to Islam several decades ago after independently learning about Islam through the internet. After making the firm decision to accept Islam, she went to the mosque.
Khadija does not align with the Tablighi Jamaat's approach; instead, she participates in study sessions with Arab Muslim women residing in Chile. Members of this group read the Quran and hadiths, discuss Islamic ethics, and share halal recipes with one another.
For Khadija, the mosque is primarily a place to meet other Chilean Muslims and to step away from the daily experience of living as a member of a religious minority.
The Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order
Another current present in Chile's Muslim community is Sufism, which has been present in the country since the late 1990s.
The Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi order is a global Sufi lineage with roots in Central Asia. Its Chilean members consider themselves disciples of Sheikh Nazim Haqqani, who passed away in 2014, and his son and successor, Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani, is based in Istanbul.
Nearly all members of this current are Chilean converts.
They regularly gather at a center or lodge, holding events such as informal meetings, communal meals, Friday prayers, and dhikr sessions. Dhikr, the remembrance of God, is a central pillar of Sufi spirituality. The group's weekly dhikr sessions are held on Thursday evenings.
Estimates put the number of Chilean Sufis at around 200 to 300 people.
This community has had ties with the Turkish embassy since 2014, and in 2019, several Sufi families moved from Santiago to the city of Limache, where they formed a small social nucleus.
"Ola Rabbani"; The Connection Between Spirituality and Social Activism
One of the unique projects of the Naqshbandi community in Chile is a program called "Ola Rabbani," which involves collecting and distributing food in underserved areas of Santiago.
Members of this group visit local markets each week to collect usable food. They then use this food to prepare large pots of lentil soup, which they distribute to those in need.
One of the founders of this project, a woman named Iman, exemplifies the spirit of this initiative. She was a deeply spiritual person who cultivated her connection to God through dhikr but also saw helping the poor as another way to connect with God.
From her perspective, and that of a large part of the Sufi tradition, feeding a hungry person is a valid and valuable form of worship, just like other devotional acts.
This perspective is directly connected to Islamic concepts of mercy and charity, demonstrating that even a small religious community can have a social impact far beyond its demographic size.
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