Islam from different perspectives in cuban society

Abstract

The Islamic religion has been present in Cuba since the era of Spanish colonization, but its organized practice began in the 1990s during a religious revival in the country. Despite the increasing presence and practice of Islam in Cuba, Muslims face unfavorable views and some acts of discrimination. With the aim of fostering peaceful coexistence, this research sets out to analyze the significance of Islam for both Muslims and non- practitioners of this religion in Cuba. To accomplish this, Drawing and Free Word Association techniques were applied to non-Muslim Cubans, while Muslims were interviewed. The instruments used with non-Muslims reveal the existence of prejudices and stereotypes based on a distorted understanding of the realities of Islam. Meanwhile, those used with Muslims show that Islam is central to their lives, constituting a way of life that influences their future perspectives. This research, based on qualitative methodology, allows for the contrasting of diverse perspectives on Islam and delving into a topic that is little studied in Cuban society.