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
Demographics of Somalia about 15% of the nation's population. They include [[Bantus (Somalia)|Bantus]], [[Bajuni people|Bajunis]], [[Eyle people|Eyle]], [[Ethiopia]]ns, [[India]]ns, [[Pakistan]]is, [[Persian people|Persians]], [[Arabs]], [[Italy|Italians]] and [[British people|Britons]]. Somalia has been described as the most ethnically homogenous nation in Sub-Saharan Africa, ahead of [[Botswana]], which is four-fifths [[Tswana people|Tswana]]. [[File:Shaxmednuradc1.ogg|thumb|right|180x180px|Speech sample in [[Somali language|Standard Somali]].]] [[Somali language|Somali]] and [[Arabic language|Arabic]] are the official languages of Somalia. The Somali language is the [[first language|mother tongue]] of the Somalis, the nation's most populous ethnic group. It is a member of the [[Cushitic languages|Cushitic]] branch of the [[Afroasiatic languages|Afroasiatic]] family. In addition to Somali, Arabic, which is