ANB-BIA SUPPLEMENT

ISSUE/EDITION Nr 389 - 1/05/2000

CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS

Islam - Islam in Europe

ISLAM

The presence of Islam in Europe is an important factor both for civil society and for the Church.

Approximately between twenty and twenty-five million Muslims in Eastern and Western Europe! But let’s not quibble about the figures. The fact is, we’re talking about a considerable number of people. We know it’s not easy to determine the exact number of Muslims in Europe, and there’s untold difficulties about how to classify them vis à vis their countries of origin, where they are now, etc. Indeed, Switzerland is the only country which asks for details about a person’s religion on its census-taking forms.

Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, Europe now has an prominent Muslim population. There’s been many Muslims in Eastern Europe for some centuries; it’s not the same in the West where large numbers of immigrants have arrived during the last forty years or so. According to the latest statistics, France has about 4 million Muslims, half of them French citizens. Those who don’t become citizens of their host countries are mainly Algerians, Moroccans and Tunisians. In Germany, there are 3 million Muslims, of whom 2 million are Turks. Belgium has about 300,000 and the Netherlands about the same number. Great Britain estimates its Muslim population to be about 2 million, almost all with British nationality. They come from Pakistan, India and the Near East. In 1987, Spain had 126,000 Moroccans plus many other foreigners. In 1999, the number had risen to about 250,000 the majority of whom came in through the back door. Italy‘s most recent statistics date from 1997 — a total of 422,000 immigrants. 130,000 come from Morocco, 59,000 from Albania, 48,000 from Tunisia, 33,000 from Senegal, 25,000 from Egypt. Available statistics concerning the number of Muslims present in Italy, don’t take into account the illegal immigrants coming from North Africa, naturalised foreigners, and Italian nationals converted to Islam. Countries such as Bulgaria, Hungary and ex-Yugoslavia have had Muslim communities ever since their occupation by the Ottoman Empire.

Muslim presence

Europe’s past colonial history and the vast movements of population following World War II, are contributory factors to the presence of Muslims in Europe in their millions. And almost everywhere, economic and industrial development caused an intermingling of populations. Thus, Islam entered upon the European scene.

These days, there’s a whole influx of political asylum seekers, fleeing their countries because human rights are not respected or because the economic situation pushes the inhabitants to seek a new future in Europe. Without this migratory influx, Islam would have remained somewhat marginal to Europe. Now, however, it’s presence cannot be ignored, as it increasingly becomes an important social and religious factor throughout Europe. European society has truly become multi-religious, something which was neither foreseen nor wanted.

What happened to precipitate the arrival of Muslims in Europe in such large numbers? It’s all to do with the process of migration — people leaving one part of the world and going to live in another. In this day and age, Islam came to many parts of Europe with the people who, during the course of several years, came to live, work, and find sanctuary in other countries for a multiplicity of reasons. It’s been a gradual but on-going arrival rather than a sudden incursion. Also, it’s good to keep in mind the fact that the whole process of the shaping of Islam in Europe today, is underpinned by the process of progressive, reciprocal co-inclusion between the Muslim population and those of Christian stock.

The number of people coming to Europe, today, depends largely on how the economy is faring. When things are in good shape, then lots of immigrants arrive; when there’s problems, then the number of immigrants decreases noticeably. Since World War II ended in 1945, there’ve been a number of migratory waves: During the reconstruction period immediately after the war; during the economic boom in the 1960s; during the 1970s, especially following the economic crisis caused by the rise in the price of petrol in 1973; and from the middle of the 1980s, there’s been a definite increase in the number of immigrants seeking political asylum or arriving illegally for whatever reason.

A lot of work has been done to: Determine the relative importance of the Muslims’ presence; establish where exactly they come from; appraise how they’ve managed, more or less successfully, to settle into their new surroundings; evaluate their national, regional or international organisations and their cultural and religious requirements. It appears that over a period, people have been arriving, not necessarily seeking work, but wanting to rejoin their families who are already there. They then establish their own society within the already existing local society — with the consequent risk of creating «ghettos». In most European countries, we’re now already talking about the third or fourth generation of children of immigrants.

For a number of years, there’s been talk of what’s called an «European Islam,» especially among the younger more educated generation who no longer have any direct links with their countries of origin — those originally coming from Turkey is a prime example. On the other hand, the countries of origin have representatives of their Ministries for Religious Affairs present in many European countries, especially in their Consulates, and these have a great deal to say about what happens in the numerous prayer rooms or mosques throughout Europe. In practice, a lot depends on which European country they are in, and how closely the local Muslim community wishes to integrate itself with the locals.

Religious organisation

What does all this mean when it comes to religion and the way the Muslim religion is organised in the various European countries? The fact is, Muslim communities in Europe have kept very close links with their countries of origin. Islamic Centres have been set up in all the European capitals; associations and federations of associations have sprung up all over the place. Sometimes they have more of a cultural character, at times a more specific religious slant.

So, Islam has made its presence felt, as Felice Dassetto, a sociologist and professor at the Catholic University of Louvain notes in his book: «The Construction of European Islam.» This presence includes the building of Islamic Centres; gathering the faithful together for prayer and feasts; establishing sections of cemeteries reserved for Muslim burials; publishing books and magazines which are sold in Islamic bookshops or in the mosques. During the month of Ramadan, because there aren’t enough trained Imams in Europe, Imans are invited to come from Turkey, Egypt or the Maghreb as preachers.

As mentioned above, the Embassies and Consulates of the countries of origin tend to control «their immigrants», including the way they should live and express «their Islam.» There are also international Islamic institutions or organisations which endeavour to offer their services to these centres and associations, all the while proffering a certain religious ideology. For example, the League of the Islamic World with its headquarters at Mecca, is very active in this way, and practically controls the Islamic Centres of Rome, Madrid, London and Brussels, without mentioning other effective ways of being present.

Whether they have taken the nationality of their host country or whether they remain as expatriates, the Muslims of Western Europe don’t do much by way of constituting themselves into unified organisations, representing their various groups. This makes dealings of the Muslim community with the civil authorities rather awkward, especially when it comes to settling administrative problems or establishing a common juridical statute.

Some basic principles

Europe these days is a cosmopolitan society with people of many different races and religions. Because of this, some basic principles concerning how people live and work have to be drawn up. There must be a definite policy delineated by the European states. Also, there ought to be a better exchange of information and experiences among the countries concerned. This policy should cover such headings as:

1. Equality of religions in the public sector — In many European countries, the juridical status of Islam, (and other «immigrant» religions), is not on the same footing as that of long-established religions. Islam ought to have an equivalent position and Muslims ought to be offered possibilities to carry out their religious duties protected by the country’s laws. On the other hand, it also means that not all the Muslims’ demands can be met by the civil authorities. When there is a conflict of interests, appropriate structures would ensure that the authorities and the Muslim organisations can discuss the matter constructively.

2. Less dependence on foreign governments — When it comes to financing their activities, Muslim communities should be less dependent on foreign financing, so as to reduce the influence of their country of origin, over what is said and done. One way would be to grant a Charitable Status to certain charitable works or training activities, as is done with organisations belonging to Christian Churches. Another method would be to grant tax relief to religious organisations. (In fact, a number of European countries already have this on their statute books).

3. Setting up ways and means for training leaders. — It should be made possible for the local Muslim community to establish training centres for their religious leaders (Imams, religious teachers) who are required for the organisation of the Muslim community and for religious teaching. The study programme should be adapted to European society.

4. Pay more attention to civic education, democracy, human rights and to the existence of a state built on the rule of law: — If you’re going to talk about democracy and a state built on the rule of law, then all citizens (including naturalised citizens) must be formed in these principles. Education in these principles ought to be part of an assimilation process into local society, and of the study programme for religious leaders.

5. Importance of dialogue among religions: — Even though Islam has a long history, Muslims have only recently settled in Europe. Dialogue between Christians and Muslims takes on an added importance from the point of view of today’s society. People will thus get to know more about each other, understand each other and respect each other. Because in Europe there are now so many people coming from other religious traditions, it’s important that on a European level, contacts between representatives of the various Christian Churches and Islam, should be placed on a more official level, such as within the Council for Europe, the European Parliament and the European Union Commission.