[1] There are 16 ethnic groups in Sierra Leone, the two largest being the Temne and Mende are both Muslim majority.
The earliest presence of Islam in the region arose when Muslim merchants from the Mali Empire migrated to the northern areas of modern Sierra Leone.
[2] Islam began rapidly spreading around the 18th and 19th centuries as merchants formed social and economic relationships with locals (like the Temne) along with creating religious institutions for the practice of the faith.
The 2014-2016 Ebola crisis worsened the situation by making it impossible for Sierra Leoneans to obtain Visas to Saudi Arabia.
The recent Sierra Leone Civil War was secular in nature featuring members of Christian, Muslim, and Tribal faiths fighting on both sides of the conflict.