Cuban Muslims learned Islam through embassies of Middle Eastern countries as well as through students coming to study in Cuba from Muslim and African countries. Islam started to spread among the Cubans in the 1970s and '80s. Printed and audio-visual Islamic resources are now almost nonexistent in Cuba. Spanish translation of the Quran and other major Islamic books are not available in the country. The Muslim community of Cuba even lacks educated religious cadres.

Cuba’s Muslims usually pray in their homes since there is no Mosque in Havana and the state does not allow the construction of mosques. Though former President Fidel Castro was reported to have promised to build a mosque for his country’s Muslims, according to members of the Humanitarian Aid Foundation (İHH) who visited Cuba^[4] The only prayers performed in public are the Friday Prayers that are conducted in a place known as Casa de los Árabes ("The Arab House") in old Havana. The Arab House belonged to a wealthy Arab immigrant who lived in Cuba during the 1940s, and it was built on Andalusian architectural designs. The House encompasses an Arabic museum, an Arabic restaurant, and the place is used by Muslim diplomats for Friday Prayers. Qatar donated US$ 40,000 for the remodeling of the House, but it is only opened for Friday Prayers, but Cuban Muslims are not allow to use the facilities, which are only reserved for non Cuban muslims: tourists and diplomatics.

Muslim Groups