Small but mighty: Colombia’s Muslim community celebrates Ramadan

Colombia’s Muslims comprise less than 0.2 percent of the population in a country that is majority Catholic.Published On 22 Feb 2026Medellin, Colombia – Ziauddin Yahya Iqbal Sandoval, known to his friends as Zia, observes Ramadan with quiet conviction.The 14-year-old was born and raised in Colombia, where Christianity remains dominant. Nearly 63 percent of the population identifies as Catholic.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Colombia to resume peace talks with ECG after temporary suspensionlist 2 of 3Venezuela’s Rodriguez, Colombia’s Petro say they will meet ‘soon’list 3 of 3‘A Colombian Wild West’: Inside Maicao’s Arab communityend of listBut Zia is one of an estimated 85,000 to 100,000 Muslims in Colombia, comprising less than 0.2 percent of the country’s population.Within that community, though, is a prism of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Some of Colombia’s Muslims reflect a rich history of migration to the region. Others are converts.“The Colombian Islamic community is a small one but enjoys more on account of its diversity,” Zia said, as he took a break from serving tea in his uncle Zaheer’s restaurant in the upscale Poblado neighbourhood of Medellin.On the eve of Ramadan, Muslim communities in cities like Bogota and Medellin prepared for the coming festivities with decorations and prayer.Golden, glittering letters spelled out wishes for “Ramadan Karim” — or a “generous Ramadan” — above a modest mosque in Belen, on the outskirts of Medellin.Inside, shoes were lined neatly along the wall. In a small, square prayer room, about eight men of different ages and nationalities stood shoulder to shoulder, bowing in unison.“The majority of those who come to the mosque are Colombians, but we see people from Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Pakistan and other Arab countries,” said Mu’tasem Abdo, the mosque’s imam who came to Medellin from Egypt four years ago.Imam Mu’tasem Abdo speaks about celebrating Ramadan in Colombia from his office [Arjun Harindranath/Al Jazeera]He explained how, because Colombia’s Muslim community is relatively small, newcomers sometimes find themselves aching for the festive experience they remember from home.