Sierra Leone

=== Religion ===

{{main|Religion in Sierra Leone}}

{{bar box |float=right |titlebar=#ddd
|title=[[Religion in Sierra Leone]] (2020)<ref name=religions>{{cite web | url=http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/countries/sierra-leone#/?affiliations_religion_id=0&affiliations_year=2010&region_name=All%20Countries&restrictions_year=2015 | title=Religions in Sierra Leone {{pipe}} PEW-GRF | access-date=9 December 2017 | archive-date=20 February 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220152154/http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/countries/sierra-leone#/?affiliations_religion_id=0&affiliations_year=2010&region_name=All%20Countries&restrictions_year=2015 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
|left1=Religion
|right1=per cent
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|green|78.5}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity]]|Blue|20.4}}
{{bar percent|Other faiths|black|1.1}}
}}

[[File: Pendemdu Mosque and Church.JPG|thumb|A mosque and a church in Sierra Leone]]

Sierra Leone is officially a [[secular state]]. [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]] are the two main religions in the country. The constitution of Sierra Leone provides for [[freedom of religion]] and the Sierra Leone Government generally protects it. The Sierra Leonean Government is constitutionally forbidden from establishing a [[state religion]], though Muslim and Christian prayers are usually held in the country at the beginning of major political occasions, including presidential inaugurations and the official opening of the new session of Parliament.

Surveys of the religious make up of Sierra Leone vary widely, though [[Muslims]] make up the majority of the population. Based on 2015 estimates of the population of Sierra Leone, 77% of the population are Muslims, 22% are [[Christians]], and 1% practise [[African traditional religion]].

According to 2020 estimates by the [[Pew Research Center]]<ref>[http://www.statesmansyearbook.com/entry?entry=countries_sl.RELIGION]{{dead link|date=August 2021}}</ref> 78.5% of Sierra Leone's population are Muslims (mostly [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]]), 20.4% are Christians (mostly [[Protestantism|Protestants]]) and 1.1% belong to a traditional African religion or other beliefs. The Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone estimated that 77% of Sierra Leone's population are Muslims, 21% are Christians, and 2% are followers of traditional African religions.<ref>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/171636.pdf Sierra Leone]. state.gov</ref> Most of Sierra Leone's ethnic groups are Muslim majority, including the country's two largest ethnic groups: the Mende and Temne.

Sierra Leone is regarded as one of the most religiously tolerant countries in the world.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21603015-sierra-leone-bucks-west-african-trend-celebrating-its-religious-tolerance-all|title=All things happily to all men|newspaper=The Economist}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Major Religions of Sierra Leone|url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-religions-are-practised-in-sierra-leone.html|access-date=2021-04-30|website=WorldAtlas|date=4 April 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ayvnewspaper.com/index.php/k2-categories/politics/item/849-sierra-leone-hailed-for-religious-tolerance|title=Sierra Leone Hailed for Religious Tolerance|date=March 3, 2016|website=AYV Newspaper|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401123817/http://ayvnewspaper.com/index.php/k2-categories/politics/item/849-sierra-leone-hailed-for-religious-tolerance|archive-date=1 April 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> Most of the major Muslim and Christian holidays are officially [[Public holiday|national holidays]] in the country, and religious conflict is rare.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brima |first1=Abdul |title=Preventing religious conflict in Sierra Leone: a careful balancing act |url=https://www.peaceinsight.org/en/articles/preventing-religious-conflict-sierra-leone-careful-balancing-act/?location=sierra-leone&theme=mediation-dialogue |website=Peace Insight |publisher= |access-date=4 April 2021}}</ref>

The country is home to the Sierra Leone Inter-Religious Council, which is made up of both Christian and Muslim religious leaders to promote peace and tolerance throughout the country.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/2009_5743.html |title=Media Centre – In Sierra Leone, partnerships with religious leaders help combat child mortality |publisher=UNICEF |date=29 November 2010 |access-date=20 March 2014 |archive-date=22 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822014727/https://www.unicef.org/wcaro/2009_5743.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.religionsforpeaceinternational.org/what-we-do/stop-war/conflict-transformation |title=Conflict Transformation |publisher=Religions for Peace International |access-date=20 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228053733/http://www.religionsforpeaceinternational.org/what-we-do/stop-war/conflict-transformation |archive-date=28 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/emergency/ircsl.stm |title=Interreligious Community Advocates for Peace in Sierra Leone with photos |publisher=Gbgm-umc.org |access-date=20 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717070939/http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/emergency/ircsl.stm |archive-date=17 July 2013}}</ref> The Islamic holidays of [[Eid al-Fitr]], [[Eid al-Adha]] and [[Mawlid|Maulid-un-Nabi]] (Birthday of the [[Prophets and messengers in Islam|Islamic prophet]] [[Muhammad]]) are observed as [[Public holidays in Sierra Leone|national holidays in Sierra Leone]]. The Christian holidays of [[Christmas]], [[Boxing Day]], [[Good Friday]] and [[Easter]] are also national holidays in Sierra Leone. In politics, the overwhelming majority of Sierra Leoneans vote for a candidate without regard of the candidate being a Muslim or a Christian.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}} All of Sierra Leone's Heads of State have been Christians except Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who was a Muslim.

The overwhelming majority of Sierra Leonean Muslims are adherent to the Sunni tradition of Islam in practice. Most of the Mosques and Islamic schools across Sierra Leone are based on Sunni Islam. [[Ahmadiyya Muslims]] make up about 10% of the country's Muslim population. Sierra Leone has a vibrant Ahmaddiya Muslim population, especially in the southern city of [[Bo, Sierra Leone|Bo]], which is home to a large Ahmadiyya Muslim population. There are five hundred Ahmadiyya Mosques across Sierra Leone.<ref>{{cite web |work=The Muslim Times |url=https://themuslimtimes.info/2014/01/12/progress-of-ahmadiyyat-in-sierra-leone/ |title=Progress of Ahmadiyyat in Sierra Leone |first=Abdul Shafi |last=Bharwana |date=12 January 2014 |access-date=28 August 2021 }}</ref> [[Shia Islam]] does not have a strong presence in Sierra Leone, and there are virtually no [[Shia Muslims]] in the country. Most Sierra Leonean Muslims of the Sunni and Ahmadiyya sect generally pray together in the same [[mosque]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sierraleone365.com/feature-stories/ahmadiyya-movement-goes-mainstream-in-sierra-leone|title=Ahmadiyya Movement Goes Mainstream in Sierra Leone|last=Bah|first=Hadi|website=sierraleone365.com|access-date=6 December 2016|archive-date=25 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425100138/http://sierraleone365.com/feature-stories/ahmadiyya-movement-goes-mainstream-in-sierra-leone|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160101131640/http://ahmadiyyatimes.blogspot.com/2010/03/bo-ahmadiya-muslim-secondary-school.html Sierra Leone: Bo Ahmadiya Muslim Secondary School Golden Jubilee, Former Principal and Secretary-General Honoured]. ''Ahmadiyya Times'' (23 March 2010)</ref> The vast majority of Sierra Leonean Muslims are adherent to the [[Maliki school]] of Sunni Islam. The Maliki school is by far the largest and most dominant Islamic school of jurisprudence across Sierra Leone. Many Ahmadiyya Muslims in Sierra Leone also follow the Maliki Jurisprudence.

The Sierra Leone Islamic Supreme Council is the highest Islamic religious organisation in Sierra Leone and is made up of the country's Imams, Islamic scholars, and other Islamic clerics across the country. Sheikh Muhammad Taha Jalloh is the president of the Sierra Leone Supreme Islamic Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sierraleoneislamicweb.com/2018/04/10/national-president-of-the-supreme-islamic-council-of-sierra-leone-congratulates-h-e-rtd-juilius-maada-bio-and-his-vice-dr-mohamed-juldeh-jalloh/|title=National President of the Supreme Islamic Council of Sierra Leone Congratulates H.E (Rtd) Juilius Maada Bio and his vice, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh.|last=onedeentech|date=10 April 2018|website=Sierra Leone Islamic Web}}</ref> The United Council of Imams is an influential Islamic religious body in Sierra Leone that is made up of all [[imams]] of mosques throughout Sierra Leone. The president of the United Council of Imam is Sheikh [[Alhaji]] Muhammad Habib Sheriff.<ref>{{Cite web|title=*Sierra Leone Imams present new president to Hon. Minister responsible for Religious Affairs* – Cocorioko|url=https://cocorioko.net/sierra-leone-imams-present-new-president-to-hon-minister-responsible-for-religious-affairs/|access-date=2020-09-11|language=en-US}}</ref> The two largest mosques in Sierra Leone are the [[Freetown Central Mosque]] and the [[Ghadafi Central Mosque]] (built by former [[Libyan]] dictator [[Muammar Gaddafi]]), both located in the capital [[Freetown]].

The large majority of Sierra Leonean Christians are Protestant, of which the largest groups are the [[Wesleyan]] – [[Methodists]].<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5794273&ct=6470237&notoc=1 |title=United Methodists elect bishop for Sierra Leone |publisher=UMC.org |date=22 December 2008 |access-date=23 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100506164251/http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5794273&ct=6470237&notoc=1 |archive-date=6 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/methodist-church-sierra-leone |title=Methodist Church Sierra Leone — World Council of Churches |publisher=Oikoumene.org |date=28 January 2013 |access-date=23 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.xpointumc.org/missions/report-of-sierra-leone/ |title=Crosspoint United Methodist Church – Welcome » Sierra Leone |publisher=Xpointumc.org |access-date=23 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927081948/http://www.xpointumc.org/missions/report-of-sierra-leone/ |archive-date=27 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.efsl.evang.org/about-efsl/our-history |title=The History of the Evangelical Fellowship of Sierra Leone |publisher=Efsl.evang.org |date=24 August 1959 |access-date=23 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928003048/http://www.efsl.evang.org/about-efsl/our-history |archive-date=28 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tectsl.org/ |title=The Evangelical College of Theology Sierra Leone |publisher=Tectsl.org |access-date=23 September 2013}}</ref> Other Christian Protestant [[Christian denomination|denominations]] with significant presence in the country include [[Presbyterians]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.epc.org/sierra-leone-presbytery-organization-wo-486/ |title=Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Sierra Leone Presbytery Organization [WO-486] |publisher=Epc.org |access-date=23 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130923202604/http://www.epc.org/sierra-leone-presbytery-organization-wo-486/ |archive-date=23 September 2013}}</ref> [[Baptists]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tmbcdetroit.org/ministries/evangelism/sierra-leone |title=Sierra Leone ::: A Place to Belong, Not Just Attend |publisher=Tmbcdetroit.org |date=23 July 2010 |access-date=23 September 2013}}</ref> [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventists]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sdachurchsierraleone.org/ |title=Seventh-day Adventist Church, Sierra Leone – HOME |publisher=Sdachurchsierraleone.org |access-date=23 September 2013 |archive-date=27 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927095712/http://www.sdachurchsierraleone.org/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Anglicans]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/diocese.cfm?Idind=732 |title=West Africa-Freetown (Sierra Leone) |publisher=Anglican Communion |access-date=23 September 2013}}</ref> [[Lutherans]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elcsl.weebly.com/ |title=elcsl.weebly.com |publisher=elcsl.weebly.com |access-date=20 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Global-Mission/Where-We-Work/Africa/Sierra-Leone.aspx |title=Sierra Leone – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America |publisher=Elca.org |date=16 June 2010 |access-date=23 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051518/http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Global-Mission/Where-We-Work/Africa/Sierra-Leone.aspx |archive-date=17 October 2013}}</ref> and [[Pentecostals]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.sl/drwebsite/publish/article_200524820.shtml |title=Sierra Leone Christians Preparing for PilgrFile: Sierra Leone News |publisher=News.sl |access-date=17 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304145132/http://news.sl/drwebsite/publish/article_200524820.shtml |archive-date=4 March 2014}}</ref> The Council of Churches is the Christian religious organisation that is made up of Protestant churches across Sierra Leone. Recently there has been an increase of Pentecostal churches, especially in Freetown.

In September 2017, a Sierra Leone-based Nigerian Pentecostal Christian pastor name Victor Ajisafe was arrested by the [[Sierra Leone Police]] and held in [[jail]] after he made controversial remarks against Islam and Sierra Leonean Muslims in particular at his church [[sermon]] in the capital Freetown. Ajisafe was apparently angry after a [[Zimbabwean]] Muslim [[cleric]] [[Mufti Menk]] had visited Sierra Leone and preached to large crowds.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ayvnews.com/AYVNews/index.php/news/item/4084-mufti-menk-s-visit-to-sierra-loenep |title=Archived copy |access-date=8 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401173250/http://ayvnews.com/AYVNews/index.php/news/item/4084-mufti-menk-s-visit-to-sierra-loenep |archive-date=1 April 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Many Christian organisations in Sierra Leone, including the Council of Churches, condemned Ajisafe's sermon against Islam and Muslims. Ajisafe's church was temporarily shut down by the Sierra Leone government and his church licence was temporarily suspended too. The incident brought religious tension in Sierra Leone, in a country known for its high level of religious tolerance, as many Sierra Leonean Muslims at home and abroad called for Ajisafe to be [[deported]] back to his home country of [[Nigeria]]. The pastor while in Sierra Leone [[Arrest|police custody]] apologised to Sierra Leonean Muslims and to the government of Sierra Leone. After several days in jail, Ajisafe was released, his church licence was given back to him, and his church was later reopened under strict government conditions during several months of [[probation]].

[[Nondenominational Christianity|Non-denominational Protestants]] form a significant minority of Sierra Leone's Christian population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=11887 |title=Sierra Leone: in wake of brutal war, churches full: News Headlines |publisher=Catholic Culture |date=28 September 2011 |access-date=23 September 2013}}</ref> [[Catholics]] are the largest group of non-Protestant Christians in Sierra Leone, forming about 8% of Sierra Leone's population and 26% of the Christian population in Sierra Leone.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catholicchurchsl.org/ |title=catholicchurchsl.org |publisher=catholicchurchsl.org |access-date=20 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504130803/http://www.catholicchurchsl.org/ |archive-date=4 May 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Jehovah's Witnesses]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/offices/sierra-leone/ |title=Visitors & Tours: Jehovahs Witnesses Office in Sierra Leone |publisher=Jw.org |access-date=23 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005142744/http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/offices/sierra-leone/ |archive-date=5 October 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/facts-and-statistics/country/sierra-leone |title=Sierra Leone – LDS Statistics and Church Facts {{pipe}} Total Church Membership |publisher=churchofjesuschrist.org |date=24 July 2007 |access-date=23 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Gerry |last=Avant |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765616902/Historic-milestone-Sierra-Leone-stake-marks-LDS-Churchs-3000th.html?pg=all |title=Historic milestone: Sierra Leone stake marks LDS Church's 3,000th |newspaper=Deseret News |date=2 December 2012 |access-date=23 September 2013 |archive-date=27 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927114817/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765616902/Historic-milestone-Sierra-Leone-stake-marks-LDS-Churchs-3000th.html?pg=all |url-status=dead }}</ref> are the two most prominent [[Nontrinitarianism|non-Trinitarian]] Christians in Sierra Leone, and they form a small but significant minority of the Christian population in Sierra Leone. A small community of [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christians]] resides in the capital Freetown.<ref>{{cite web |last=Tsolakidou |first=Stella |url=http://world.greekreporter.com/2013/01/30/troubled-orthodox-mission-in-sierra-leone/ |title=Troubled Orthodox Mission in Sierra Leone |website=GreekReporter.com |access-date=24 February 2017 |date=January 30, 2013}}</ref>