Culture of Somalia Islamic jurisprudence, although some are also adherents of the Shia Muslim denomination. Sufism, the mystical dimension of Islam, is also well-established, with many local "jama'a" ("zawiya") or congregations of the various "tariiqa" or Sufi orders. The constitution of Somalia likewise defines Islam as the religion of the Somali Republic, and Islamic Sharia as the basic source for national legislation. Islam entered the region very early on, as a group of persecuted Muslims had, at Prophet Muhummad's urging, sought refuge across the Red Sea in the Horn of Africa. Islam may thus have been introduced into Somalia well before the faith
Somalia at the Olympics Mohamed Aboker, Jama Awil Aden in track events and Abdullah Noor Wasughe in the high jump. Somalia was eligible to compete at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, but joined with 28 other countries in a boycott. This was after the IOC allowed New Zealand to participate in the Games, despite the breach of the international sports boycott of South Africa by the nation's rugby union team shortly before the Olympics. The majority of the 28 countries in the Olympic boycott were African nations. Prior to the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Soviet Union, Somalia once again joined