Cuti-cuti: Kampong Tralach District, Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia

Location: Kampong Tralach District, Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia
Date of photo: 1/9/17
Camera/Lens: Sony ILCE-7M2/FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Islam is the religion of a majority of the Cham (also called Khmer Islam) and Malay minorities in Cambodia. According to Po Dharma, there were 150,000 to 200,000 Muslims in Cambodia as late as 1975. Persecution under the Khmer Rouge eroded their numbers, however, and by the late 1980s they probably had not regained their former strength. In 2009, the Pew Research Center estimated that 1.6% of the population, or 236,000 people were Muslims. Like other Muslim Cham people, those in Cambodia are Sunni Muslims of the Shafi'i/Maturididenomination Po Dharma divides the Muslim Cham in Cambodia into a traditionalist branch and an orthodox branch.

Today, Muslims are able to practice their religion normally and out in the open. This commenced in the People Republic of Kampuchea era where religions were restored and allowed to be practiced again. The Chams also enjoy democratic rights like all Khmer citizens, with the right to vote and be elected as politicians