Islam in Europe

Islam in Europe

DATE WRITTEN: 20th May

TOTAL WORD COUNT: 2,739, (Including title page, table of contents, Headings, and
citations.

RESEARCH WORD COUNT: 2,503 Words (pages 3-7)

Page 1 of 8
 Islam in Europe

Table of Contents

What is Islam............................................................................................................................3
Islamic Migration into Europe 2008-2018..............................................................................3
Acculturation and consumption of Islam in Europe...............................................................4
The Future of Europe and Islam.............................................................................................5
Conclusion................................................................................................................................6
Works Cited...............................................................................................................................8

Page 2 of 8
 Islam in Europe

What is Islam
Islam, an Abrahamic religion from Mecca, has been in the news a lot over the past few years, with an increased
reporting along side reporting of the terrorist Group known to the English speakers as ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh.
Muslims, regardless if you’re one, know one, or hate them, we need to start with the basics of Islam. Islam has
foundational beliefs that are different to many but are very similar.

Firstly, Islam has the shahada, which is ‫( اَل إِ ٰلهَ إِاَّل ٱهلل ُم َح َّم ٌد َرسُو ُل ٱهلل‬There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the
messenger of Allah), Though, many other translations will come up, and depends on who you ask, another
translation, in English, is “I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad
is the messenger of Allah.” [ CITATION Goo18 \l 3081 ], [ CITATION Tho18 \l 3081 ]

Secondly, Islam has a belief that believers should pray 5 times a day, this is known as ‘Salat’, and observing
Muslims, regardless of their Islamic sect, should do this, according to Islamic belief. In a majority Muslim
country, such as Egypt, the 5 daily prayers set the day’s plan for Muslims and non-Muslims alike according to
the BBC. [ CITATION BBC09 \l 3081 ]

Thirdly, believers of Islam are encouraged to participate in Almsgiving, which is giving to the community
around them, not just the believers, but also non-believers. This belief is known as Zakat, and it is highly
encouraged through the month of Ramadan, which is right now, whilst I write this. [ CITATION Rel151 \l
3081 ]

Fourthly, and in relation to the above, Fasting, which is the pillar of Sawm (or Siyam), which is said to be a
starting period of Revelation for the Quran, to humanity. Adults, who are of course able to, health wise, fast
during the Sunlight hours of each Ramadan. According to some, Travellers, soldiers, the sick, pregnant mothers,
and women who are having a period, are free from fasting for that year.[ CITATION Rel15 \l 3081 ]
[ CITATION Tho181 \l 3081 ]

In addition, the Fifth Pillar of the Islamic belief, is known as the Hajj, which is the pilgrimage to the Saudi
Arabian city of Mecca, the birth place of Islam. According to Islamic beliefs, practices, and cultures by Marshall
Cavendish, “The Hajj to Mecca is the world’s largest pilgrimage. At the start of the 1950s, around 100,000
Muslims made the journey each year, by the 1980s, the number of pilgrims had exceeded one million”
[ CITATION Cav18 \l 3081 ]

Islamic Migration into Europe 2008-2018

Between the years of 2008 to 2018, Europe, which is connected by land to the Middle East, and by sea to
Africa, and being directly north of the latter, has seen a lot of immigration from the North African areas. In the
past 10 years, many Muslim, have went to Europe, either legally, by proper immigration under EU and national
laws for their nation of choice, or illegally, because of either civil wars, or riots, and may not have had time to
go through the legal process laid out by each European country, and the European Union.

According to Pew research’s author, Conrad Hackett, on 29 th of November 2017, roughly 5% of Europeans
identify as Muslim. The Author also claimed that France and Germany have the largest populations of Muslim
Citizens, with 8.8% and 6.1% respectively[ CITATION CON17 \l 3081 ]. From the outside, due to me not living
in these two nations, it appears that Muslims, being born in such nations, appear to live a normal French or
German life, speaking their national language, with the possibility of also speaking Arabic as a second language
due to their faith, or their parents coming from nations where Arabic is the national language.

Page 3 of 8
 Islam in Europe

According to the same article, referenced above, from mid-2010 to mid-2016, A majority of Islamic growth in
Europe was due to migration. The natural increase (e.g. Births and deaths), 2.92 million people identified as
Muslim, this is most likely due to the births from Muslim parents. Who either lived there since they were born,
or migrated to Europe prior to 2010 since this source is only between 2010 and 2016, we can merely guess. In
regards to Immigration, which includes regular migrants, and refugees, between the time period, 1.29 Million
Non-Muslims and 3.48 Million Muslims came to Europe. However 160,000 Muslims left Islam for other
beliefs, and irreligious thoughts.

The website, academia.edu, has a paper on the topic of acculturation, “The literature on religion and migration
in Europe has often associated increasing social contact with, and adoption of, mainstream societies and cultures
with religious decline or secularization. In line with this argument, there is some evidence of post-migration
religious decline as acculturating persons are exposed to alternate visions of values in Europe’s pluralistic
secularized societies” [ CITATION Phi10 \l 3081 ] [ CITATION Eur13 \l 3081 ].

Acculturation and consumption of Islam in Europe

Muslims, who have migrated into Europe, once living there, regardless of their legality as migrants, have many
options. As above, Muslims may leave their faith, due to varying reasons, but that also happens with many other
faiths. Either, they don’t want to be Muslim, they may not identify as Muslim (staying Muslim, but not
declaring it on legal forms, or acting “Muslim” in public) and act like a member of the society or nation they
live in according to the norms of that nation, or they may stay, and identify as Muslim, and dress according to
Islamic culture and beliefs, or stay, and identify as Muslim, but dress to the norms of the society he or she lives
in.

When it comes to society’s norms, they may act like a member of the nation, speaking the language of the
nation, and celebration national holidays. A Muslim can do this, legally and religiously, however, if they stay a
member of the Islamic faith, they must also celebrate Islamic holidays due to their beliefs. For example, a
Muslim can celebrate New year’s day, and remember veterans on Rememberance day, in England, but if the
person is a member of the Islamic faith, he or she, should do their best to celebrate Islamic holidays, and fast
during the month of Ramadan.

When it comes to Islamic dietary regulations, this is up to the individual person, just like how the Jewish faith
have their dietary regulations, and how vegetarians and vegans have theirs, it is merely up to the person
themselves if they want to follow it. Many people know, from anti-Muslim ‘memes’ or knowing a Muslim
themselves, Muslims avoid any meat form the pig, they also avoid Intoxicants and alcoholic beverages, and
Carrion. (Quran 2:173, Quran 5:90) In believers’ lives, Halal food gives eaters of such a healthy life, and helps
them live in accordance to Islamic beliefs on food and drinks.

Many may think that if you live in Europe you must believe in only European beliefs, but there are many
different religious and spiritual views, that are native to Europe. In addition to this many think that to celebrate
Islamic beliefs, goes against the western view of religion, science and living norms, however, religion does not
indicate support for a nation and it’s society norms.

If a Muslim was born with parents, both being Muslim who were born in Europe, does that young Muslim
support another nation? No, As that would be ridiculous, as if you’re born in a nation, and were raised in that
nation, you’d typically, become loyal to that nation. However, those who have migrated to European nations,
they may still identify as ‘Egyptian’, ‘Algerian’ or ‘Sudanese’, but they may, in time, also identify as the
nationality of their chosen nation they migrated to, so they may identify as French-Egyptian, Algerian-German,
amongst other possible combinations.

Page 4 of 8
 Islam in Europe

This hypothetical Muslim, who was born in Egypt decided to legally migrate to Germany, as she likes German
music, and understood the German language enough to get by, due to her language course in school, she decided
to move the Germany for work. She identifies as Muslim since birth, however, she soon met a Christian
believer, they got along quite well, and after time, she becomes Christian, this would be an example of
acculturation in Europe. However, she still, culturally celebrates Islamic holidays.

A different member of her family, also moved but to England, because he likes English culture, and wants to
work for an office, that is quite popular, and has good pay. He, when he migrates, and officially lives in
England, kept his Islamic faith until he died. However he still culturally celebrated national English holidays,
just not those based in Christian beliefs such as Easter or Christmas. This is another form of Acculturation
which one kept his faith and still was celebrating English national holidays.

However, it was said that ‘The number of migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Italy by sea in 2014 reached a
total of 170,100 by year end 2014. That is about four times the number registered in 2013, when the Italian
authorities recorded 42,925 arrivals.’ [ CITATION Int15 \l 3081 ].

However, out of those, it is near impossible to know how many where of the Islamic faith, and out of those who
were, how many kept their faith, compared to those who left Islam, unless we found every single migrant over
the past decade, and asked the induvial and recorded it for the public knowledge.

However there has been many people who claimed Islam as the reason for the riots and attacks, over the past 10
years, many people who do this, where working a small group, or by themselves, and in many cases they were
disowned by their family and community, or their family and community wanted to help, but failed to either
fully help, or the attacker/attackers didn’t go to get help.

Many people who do believe in Islam, and are accumulated into the society around them, are always sickened
by the attacks that have occurred in the past 10 years, though, the attackers were caught and punished, or died at
the attack, it is merely, from looking at the statistics, only a few attacks where done by Muslim, out of the
millions of believers in the European nations

Though, many Muslims do become nationalised to their new nation, some only stay citizens of their former
lands. This however seems to be rare, and not fully documented, and unmeasurable for the entire European
continent.

The Future of Europe and Islam

The Future of Islam in Europe is one of great glory or great fear, depending on how the future turns out. The
Muslim populations across Europe will either grow quickly or steadily rise up in numbers, giving the Pew
Research article that I mentioned prior, and general growth of the Muslim faith over the past 10 years world-
wide. According to a 2010 report from Pew Research, they claim that if the current trends (trends of 2009/10)
continue, Muslims will make up approximately 10% of the population in Europe by 2050. [ CITATION
Pew15 \l 3081 ]. According to the same report “If current demographic trends continue, however, Islam will
nearly catch up by the middle of the 21st century. Between 2010 and 2050, the world’s total population is
expected to rise to 9.3 billion, a 35% increase.”

The Islamic Faith is so wide spread, and giving that, the young believers of the faith being online more that ever,
it’ll seem that it could be possible that these numbers will be higher by 2050. If a new school of thought of Islam
came to be, with a passion to become Muslim missionaries, using the Mormon and Jehovah’s Witness style of
missionary work, and Christian video-makers on social media, it could be highly possible that, if this does
occur, the numbers of these projections, could be double, triple, or quadruple, it’s current projections. However,
if this does not occur, and the trends reported within the report could still be correct.

Page 5 of 8
 Islam in Europe

The future is up to speculation from the human mind, however, using statistics of every single country, The
United Nations, and independent research groups, using past and present data, we could possibly, find out how
many people could be Muslim in the near future. Yet, it is near impossible to have exact numbers for each
geopolitical, and geographical region. Many aspects, and future trends will change the projection for each faith,
for example, many Christian could make a Christian only country, or, Muslims could have 10 children per
couple, and at a younger age. Or, Christians could all migrate to Mars, in 2040, and Muslims stay on the earth,
we have no solid mass-migration plans for entire religious and ethnic groups, whatever happens in the future
with religion, each individual will still be responsible for how they live their lives, and how they treat their
fellow man.

Conclusion
In my opinion, from researching this topic, I feel like Islamic follower growth, will only decline, if and when:

I. a more popular religious movement, comes into the mainstream, and becomes the largest growing faith,
or
II. The Muslim believers are converted away from Islam, and becomes Christianized, or atheist, or
III. The existence of God, is fully scientifically, disproved, with all professional scientist, including those
which do believe in religion currently, agreeing that God doesn’t exist, or,
IV. Islam becoming officially banned in every single nation or in every region except the middle east.

However, these may be unlikely, the most plausible way for a Muslim to Acculturate into any, not just
European, country, is if, members of other faiths, preach to them about their faith, typically, in western culture,
this would be Christianity preaching to Muslims. Yet, as the reports suggest, this may be unlikely with current
trends.

Those who attempt Acculturate by force, will not do good, those who want to acculturate, must do so, on their
own time, with assistance from people in the community, the people in political offices in their region and
nation, and by friends they have made from the new nation they migrated to.

In Europe, though many laws take away religious freedoms, will not assist, properly, in acculturating new
members of the nation that have migrated from North Africa, for those who come, like any other citizen, still
deserves respect, and protection as a human right. However, if they escaped from war-torn areas, and generally
want to move, then it is up to the individual government and the migrant to work something out in regards to
becoming a citizen, however, this is a case-by-case bases, and should be based on religion.

I dearly hope, that this assists you in your needs to learn about a topic relating to a religious group, movement,
or event. This is merely, a help for further study into a topic, I, though I wish I could be a professional
researcher, and work at universities, am not there yet. I merely wish that you can improve your knowledge on
this topic, just like I did, writing this for your knowledge.

I hope that this truly makes us all understand that all our differences are so complex, and cannot be summed up
simply, especially when it comes to religious beliefs, like the Islamic faith and Migration of religious groups.

Page 6 of 8
 Islam in Europe

Works Cited
BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). ( 2009, 9 8). Salat . Retrieved from BBC:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/salat.shtml

Cavendish, M. (2018). Islamic Beliefs, Practices, and Cultures. N/A: Marshall Cavendish.

Conner, P. (2010). Contexts of immigrant receptivity andimmigrant religious outcomes: the case of Muslims in
Western Europe. .

European Psychologist. (2013). Contextualizing Religious Acculturation: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on

Muslim Minorities in Western Europe. European Psychologist .

Google Inc. (2018, May 20). Translation. Retrieved from Google Translation:
https://translate.google.com.au/#auto/en/ ‫إ‬20 %‫ اَل‬%D9%90 ‫إ‬20 %َ‫ ٰله‬%D9%90%‫ َرسُو ُل‬20 %‫ ُم َح َّم ٌد‬20 %‫ٱهلل‬20 %‫اَّل‬
‫ٱهلل‬20

HACKETT, C. (2017, Novemeber 29). 5 facts about the Muslim population in Europe. Retrieved from Pew
Research: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/29/5-facts-about-the-muslim-population-in-
europe/

Religion Facts. (2015, March 17). Five Pillars of Islam. Retrieved from Religion Facts:
http://www.religionfacts.com/five-pillars-islam

Page 7 of 8
 Islam in Europe

Religion Facts. (2015, March 2015). Zakat. Retrieved from Religion Facts: http://www.religionfacts.com/zakat

Thought Co. (2018, March 19). History, Purpose, and Practice in the Islamic Month of Ramadan. Retrieved
from Thought Co: https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-ramadan-2004619

Thought co. (2018, April 2). Shahaadah: Declaration of Faith: Pillar of Islam. Retrieved from Thought Co :
https://www.thoughtco.com/the-shahaadah-4017413

Page 8 of 8