By Talaia Mika, Cook Islands News
Masjid Fatimah Rarotonga’s prayer room, inside the mosque. Photo: Cook Islands News
Nestled within a family home in Titikaveka, on the south-east side of Rarotonga the Cook Islands' first and only mosque called the Masjid Fatimah Rarotonga has quietly operated since 2018, serving as a place of prayer and reflection for the Muslim community in Rarotonga.
Under the Cook Islands Constitution, anyone is allowed to practice their own faith whereas to establish a church, they have to go through the Religious Authority Council (RAC).
In an interview with Cook Islands News, Mohammed Azam, leader of the Muslim community in Rarotonga said the mosque primarily offers a place for fellowship and worship, drawing local Muslims and visitors alike.
The small mosque accommodates hundreds of Muslims in Rarotonga, a diverse group including Indonesians, Filipinos, Fijians, Indians, and even Cook Islanders.
Azam, who is married to a full-blooded Cook Islander, Etita Azam, emphasised that their presence in Rarotonga is purely religious for spiritual purposes.
"We do prayers five times a day every day, and there's nothing else we do besides that," he said.
"It's open to anyone to come offer their prayers on Fridays or any day. I always see people come over here and say their prayers."
He added that this is the only mosque he knows of in the Cook Islands, and the location also serves as a prayer space for visiting Muslim tourists.
"There's a lot of tourists who come and do their prayers here, too," he said.
Contrary to common misconceptions about Islam, Azam clarified that the community's intentions are simple and peaceful.
"I know Muslim Islam has got a bad name all over the world, but it's not what people think," he explained. "We are actually peaceful; Islam means peace."
With dietary practices distinct to Islam, Azam noted that the community has also attracted interest from locals.
"There's a shop nearby who also asked what kind of food we eat because they know a lot of tourists come here, too," he said. Observing Islamic dietary laws, Azam and adherents follow strict guidelines on how meat is prepared.
While the mosque remains unregistered, and clearly identified on Google satellite maps, it remains open to anyone wishing to offer their prayers in peace.
"We haven't registered any people yet or anything, because at the moment, it's basically just people coming in to say their prayers," Azam said.
Despite the challenges faced by Muslims globally, Rarotonga's Muslim community has found solace in the warm, accepting environment of the Cook Islands.
Following the tragic Christchurch massacre in 2019, Muslim residents in Rarotonga expressed gratitude for the safety and freedom to practice their beliefs here.
One resident, Shamneez Nisha, who moved to Rarotonga before the Christchurch tragedy, spoke out in 2019, sharing her appreciation for the support and non-discriminatory environment of the Cook Islands.
"I have families in Christchurch, but no one was affected…It is sad," she said at the time, reflecting on the incident.
However, she affirmed that living in Rarotonga allowed her to practice her religion freely, without fear.
Mohammed's wife said being Islamic and being a Cook Islander has been a blessing for her a they go hand in hand in terms of ways of life.
"All we do as Muslims is pray and we're all about peace so when we moved back to my homeland, we built this mosque and our family's home here on my land and started this," she said.