The Muslim community in Taiwan is around 0.3% of the existing population in this country. Even though as a minority, Islam is slowly growing and developing in Formosa Island. More than 180,000 foreign Muslim workers work in Taiwan. They are ame from Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia dominate the growth of Muslims here. In Taiwan, there are seven famous mosques. The oldest mosque is the Taipei Grand Mosque. This great mosque is the oldest mosque, which is often used as a place of Islamic religious activities. Although it is quite far from the area where I live, I have visited the great mosque several times.
Islam entered Taiwan, can not be separated from the history of the entry of Islam in China. Islam entered through the western region of the country. Many Muslim immigrants married local residents, so that Muslim descendants were born which later developed. The ethnic marriage resulted in a new ethnic group in China called the Hui. That's why Islam is known as (Huì Jiào) which means "Hui religion".
In the 1980s, thousands of Muslims from Myanmar and Thailand migrated to Taiwan, in search of a better life. They are descendants of pro-nationalist soldiers who fled from Yunnan Province when the communists took control of mainland China. Currently, Taiwan's Muslim population is around 53,000 people, while Indonesian Muslim workers in Taiwan number around 80,000. This indicates that the presence of Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan has influenced the spread of Islam on the island of Formosa.
Before the pandemic On Fridays, the mosque will be filled with men performing Friday prayers. The congregation is not only from the workers. However, also students and Muslims from around the world. After the prayer is over, the mosque committee provides a menu of halal dishes for free and free of charge. The menus are provided by local Muslims who are Muslim. In this atmosphere it is also a gathering place.
Since pandemic outbreak, there no more activities in Grand Taipei Mosque. We wish the situation will better soon, so that I an to there to pray.
Warm Regards
Ett Diallova