Islam is the dominant religion in Aceh and over 98% of the 4 million people identify as Muslim.
According to data from the 2005 census, the religious percentages in Aceh are 98.87% Islam, 0.87% Protestantism, 0.15% Buddhism, 0.09% Catholicism and 0.02% Hinduism.[1]
The earliest Islamic kingdom in Southeast Asia is Samudra Pasai, located along the northern coast of Aceh. Its earliest tombstones date back to 622 Hijri / 1226 CE. The tombstone belongs to Ibnu Mahmud and Teungku Raja Ahmad.[2]
On 27 December 2023, hundreds of Muslim students from various universities in Aceh, such as: Abulyatama University, Bina Bangsa Getsempena University, and University of Muhammadiyah Aceh, stormed a shelter for Rohingya refugees and forced them out of a convention centre in the city of Banda Aceh, demanding they be deported.[3][4] The students also seen kicking the belongings of the Rohingya men, women, and children who seated on the floor and crying in fear.[3] They burned tyres and chanting “Kick them out” and “Reject Rohingya in Aceh”.[3]