Islamic University
Article: Islam in Sierra Leone
Author: Sheikh Ahmad Saleh Muheiry
Issue No.: 22
Page No.: 94-112
Year of Publishing: Shawal 1393, October 1973
Abstract
Islam in Sierra Leone
By: Sheikh Ahmad Saleh Muheiry
Graduated from the Faculty of Sharia, the Islamic University
Envoy of Saudi Dar Al-Eftaa (Islamic advisory house) to Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone Geography:
The famous Portuguese voyager Da Sentra set sail in 1640, and reached a sea coast
where he found an area of high mountains, much rainy clouds, flashing of lighting and
thunderbolts that was like lion roaring; he called that territory Sierra Leone which mean in
his language 'lion mountain'. The territory was limited between latitude 55,6,10 North, and
longitude 50,10,13 West. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean from West and South,
Liberia and part of Guinea from East and Guinea from North.
Sierra Leone covers an area of 27925 square miles, with the population of three
million inhabitants who belong to various tribes the most important and the biggest among
them are the Tamny, the Lamba, then Loko, etc. The climate of Sierra Leone is tropical with
two equal seasons; the rainy season and the drought one. Humidity rate reaches 80%. Sierra
Leone became independent from British colonialism in 1961, and declared the republic in
1971.