Libya: Encyclopedia II - Libya - Religion

Libya - Religion

Before the 1930's The Sanusi Movement was the main Islamic movement in Libya. The movement was a religious revival adapted to desert life. Its zawaayaa could be found in Tripolitania and Fezzan, but Sanusi influence was strongest in Cyrenaica. Rescuing the region from unrest and anarchy, the Sanusi movement gave the Cyrenaican tribal people a religious attachment and feelings of unity and purpose. The Sanusi Islamic movement, which was later destroyed by both Italian invasion and later the Gadaffi government, was a very conservative one somewhat different to the Islam that exists in Libya today. Gadaffi himself is a devout muslim, his government taking a leading role in supporting Islamic institutions and in worldwide proselytizing on behalf of Islam. Libyan Islam has always been considered traditional but in no way harsh. Sufism is also somewhat common in parts of the country.

Although Libya is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim (97 to 98 percent), there are also small Christian communities, composed almost exclusively of foreigners. There is a small Anglican community, made up mostly of African immigrant workers in Tripoli, which is part of the Egyptian Diocese. There are an estimated 40,000 Roman Catholics who are served by two Bishops, one in Tripoli (serving the Italian community) and one in Benghazi (serving the Maltese community).

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Religion", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki