Editing Islam in Brazil (section)

===African immigration===
[[Image:Rugendasroda.jpg|thumb|200px|left|''[[Capoeira]] or the Dance of War'' by  [[Johann Moritz Rugendas]], 1835]]

The history of Muslims in Brazil begins with the importation of African slave labor to the country. Brazil obtained 37% of all African slaves traded. Over 3 million slaves were sent to Brazil. Starting around 1550, the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] began to trade African slaves to work the sugar plantations once the native [[Tupi people]] deteriorated. Scholars claim that Brazil received more enslaved Muslims than anywhere else in the Americas.<ref>Lovejoy, Paul E., ''Muslim Encounters With Slavery in Brazil'', Markus Wiener Pub., 2007. {{ISBN|1-55876-378-3}}.</ref>

During the days of the Barbary Wars, some native Brazilians came into interaction with Muslim lands. It was noted by Dr. Antonio Sosa, a Portuguese cleric held captive in North Africa in the 1570s, that the port of [[Algiers]] maintained one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world including Amerindians from Iberian colonies in the New World.<ref>Garcés, María Antonia. "Cervantes in Algiers: A Captive's Tale." Nashville: Vanderbilt UP, 2002, p. 35</ref> [[Barbary pirates]] were known to attack the shipping of slaves and merchandise while taking prisoners coming from the Americas. In 1673, 140 prisoners were taken from a Rio de Janeiro fleet, while a 1674 capture of a Brazilian ship contributed in the decision to increase naval protection.<ref>Hanson, Carl A. "Economy and Society in Baroque Portugal: 1668-1703." London: Macmillan, 1981, p. 250</ref>