Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Bulgaria

Islam came to Bulgaria in the 9th century and has since grown into the second largest minority in the country, the second largest religion as well. Most of the Bulgarian Muslims practice Sunni branch of Islam, one of the two main strains of religious practice in Islam, the other being Shia Islam. The Muslims mostly constitute of Turks, Bulgarians and also Gypsy ethnicity. The Bulgarian Muslims are generally the descendants of the local Slavs who converted to Islam during Ottoman rule. During this period there were 3256 mosques in Bulgaria. For Bulgarian Slavic Muslims the term Pomaks is used inhabiting Bulgaria besides those in northeastern Greece and mainly northwestern Turkey.

For centuries Christians, Muslims, and Jews have lived together in Bulgaria. Islam had thrived in Bulgaria till the region fell under the Soviet influence and all religions, Muslims and Christians alike, suffered under the restriction of religious freedom by the Marxist-Leninist Zhivkov regime which instituted state atheism and suppressed religious communities. The Bulgarian communist regimes declared Islam and other religions to be "opium of the people." As a result of the persecution, 310,000 to 360,000 people are said to have fled to Turkey in 1989.  

16th-century Banya Bashi Mosque, in capital Sofia [

Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Author: Nenko Lazarov / Source]

However, since the fall of the Zhivkov regime, Muslims in Bulgaria enjoyed greater religious freedom. New mosques have emerged in many cities and villages; one village built a new church and a new mosque side by side. Some villages organized Quran study courses for young people (study of the Quran had been completely forbidden under Zhivkov). Muslims also began publishing their own newspaper, Miusiulmani, in both Bulgarian and Turkish.

According to a 2017 survey by the Pew Research Center, 15% of Bulgaria's population is Muslim - a sharp increase from 7.8% in 2014. Almost all Muslims in Bulgaria are Bulgarian citizens. Muslims living in Bulgaria are the largest Muslim minority in any EU country. As per 2001 census, 43 municipalities out of 262 have a Muslim majority. 

Is there Halal food openly available in Bulgaria? Well despite the sizable Muslim population, the answer is no. During the socialist period, most Muslims did not have access to halal food. However, now the notion of halal food is slowly re-appearing as only a few Muslims adhere to dietary restrictions. The majority of Muslims in Bulgaria who adhere to halal food restrictions are recent Arab immigrants to the country. In supermarkets, there are no signs indicating whether food is halal. There are many a eateries in capital Sofia and with little surfing of the net, one can know their exact locations. [5]

Religious ceremony of Bektashi Turks in Deliorman region [Photo: Oasis / © Umut Rosa - Shutterstock]

The Islamophobia notion is slowly creeping into the Bulgarian society and many non Muslim Bulgarians have started to question the Hijab worn by Muslim women. The recent ban on Hijab has met with mixed emotions. Ramiz Sali, former head of the Muslim board in Pazardjik, who now works at the city's 350-year-old Ottoman mosque, told BBC that he didn't care whether a woman covered her face or not, but that Islam only required that she wore a headscarf, while a man at the Abu Bakar mosque told the BBC that the ban was "an affront to the religion", but he refused to elaborate. The Grand Mufti's Office in Bulgaria has rejected the face veil ban bill, saying it infringes on the freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution.

Despite all odds that Muslims face as a second largest religion in Bulgaria, the Muslims continue to enjoy their religious festivities and enjoy their available religious freedom. Watch the video below:

Author's Note: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam click here

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Hong Kong

Hong Kong, an autonomous territory in southeastern China, is a thriving and vibrant tourist country. Of the total population of 7.4 million, which makes it one of the most densely populated country around the world, it has some 300,000 Muslims, which makes it 4.1% of the population of Hong Kong (2016 census). Of these, 150,000 are Indonesians (most of whom are female foreign domestic workers), 50,000 Chinese, 30,000 Pakistanis, while the the rest are from other parts of the world. The vast majority of Muslims in Hong Kong are Sunni. 

The Jamia Mosque, commonly known as the Shelley Street Mosque [Photo: The New Straits Times]

Islam came to areas which now constitute present day Hong Kong with the British Army in the 19th centrality. As Muslim population increased, the British Hong Kong government allocated land for them to build their communities and facilities, such as mosques and cemeteries. In 1849, the first ever mosque was built, the Jamia Mosque. The small mosque, built at the Mid-Level of the famous Shelley Street in Central Hong Kong, strategically located near Old Town Central. The rectangular light green mosque is reflective of Islamic architecture like the arched main entrance and Arabic-style arched windows on all sides.

The Kowloon Masjid and Islamic Centre [Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Author: Shafak Thaika]

At Nathan Road in Kowloon stands the city’s second mosque and the largest mosque in Hong Kong. Kowloon Mosque and Islamic Centre, built in 1896, is a wide domed structure featuring four 11 meters high minarets. Besides the Mosque the garrisons also constructed a large concrete pool for storing up water for worshipers to make "Wudhu," and water plants and large gold fish were put inside the pool to prevent the water from pollution. The Muslim garrisons also brought their own prayer leader / imam from Campbellpur (Attock) in Pakistan. It can accommodate 3,500 people at a time and it’s usually full especially during Friday prayers. The mosque also frequently holds programmes and classes on the teaching of Islam, the Quran as well as Arabic language. An intermediate course on Islam for non Muslims is also held regularly

There are seven mosques in the city, Ammar Mosque and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre is the third one. The mosque is one the main attraction of the Muslim tourists for here one can find lot of halal food to eat. Located at the fifth floor is the Islamic Centre Canteen which serves Guangdong-style cuisine including assorted halal dim sum and Chinese food. There are also a Chinese restaurant, bakery, medical services, classrooms, library, offices for imam and Quran teachers as well as conference and seminar rooms.

Hong Kong’s tourism players have also made themselves Muslim-friendly attractions. One of these is the Sky 100, the observatory deck of the city’s tallest building — the international Commerce Centre. Muslim travelers will be delighted to find a spacious and clean prayer room located on the same floor, while at its restaurant, Cafe 100 at the deck, offers vegetarian options.

How is the life of Muslims in Hong Kong? Well it is said to be generally very convenient and not much of peep-ins by the non Muslims. Sharifa Leung, a local Chinese born-Muslim who is also the treasurer of the Hong Kong Islamic Youth Association at Ammar Mosque, says: “There aren’t many challenges living in Hong Kong as a Muslim except that there are very few mosques and less knowledge about Muslim food requirements. Life during Ramadan in Hong Kong is like usual except for fasting. We don’t get special treatment but that is alright, but it’ll be great to have the understanding of non-Muslims.” [3]

Qamar Z. Minhas is chairman of the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund, the coordinating body for all Islamic affairs in Hong Kong, and he is proud of the history of the five principal mosques that his organisation manages. He can feel the unease when anything goes wrong anywhere in the world and Muslims are blamed. "Of course, we get upset by reading the news, especially when the crimes are undertaken in the name of Islam," he says. "But, as a Pakistani, I have to say we are victims of that, too. The same group of people killed 132 schoolchildren in northern Pakistan [in December]. People who are talking against Islam should understand we are suffering, too, you know. We have condemned these acts and we are victims, too." However, he adds that due to sound management and mutual respect, there is no tradition of sectarianism within Muslim Hong Kong. [2]

In contrast to the widespread media images of terrorists and fiery clerics, the most common face of Islam in Hong Kong is young and female; the domestic helpers who gather in Victoria Park on Sunday afternoons to socialize with other Muslims. "The Indonesian maids coming to people's homes are a sort of Muslim education for local families - when they ask for time to pray or not to cook pork," says Jeffrey Moosa, founder and adviser to the Hong Kong Islamic Youth Association (HKIYA).

There generally seem to be any evidence of radicalization at Muslim schools. At the government-aided Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College, in Chai Wan, cricket nets are more visible than copies of the Koran. The vice-principal is former financial analyst Abu Bakar Ma Wing Cheung, an eighth-generation Chinese Muslim. "The students here are 90 per cent of Pakistan origin [which explains the cricket nets] but we also have some kids from Nepal, some Chinese and some from Sudan. We have two Iranian girls and some from the Philippines and Indonesia. We really cater for non-Chinese," he explains.

The Police of Hong Kong sometimes harass the Muslims in so called search operations. Earlier this year the police was accused of targeting the Kowloon Masjid and Islamic Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui while conducting a clearance operation even when there were no protesters nearby at the time of the incident. Later after lot of protest by the Muslims, Hong Kong’s leader has apologized over an incident where a mosque in Kowloon was doused with blue dye from a police water cannon truck.

By and large, Muslims in Hong Kong live a comfortable and rather hassle free life and are an active and productive part of the country. They get together on Fridays and Eid prayer congregations and hold central festivities. Halal food is abundantly available and various touristic sites can be accessed on line to know of their location of halal food serving restaurants.

Herein under is an informative video on the Muslim community of the Hong Kong::

Author's Note: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

You may also refer to our following reference pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran:

• 114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an for translation, meaning and summary / exegesis of all Sūrahs / chapters of the Quran
• Selected Verses from the Qur'an
• 99 Attributes of Allah for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.
• Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues related to Islam
• Understanding Islam - Frequently Asked Q&A for knowing more about Islam.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam click here

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Belarus

The republic of Belarus, an ex USSR state - then known as Byelorussia or Belorussia, is a dominant Christian country. Muslims have been living in the areas that now constitute present day Belarus since the 14th century. It was the the Grand Lithuanian prince Gedimin, who invited the Tatar Muslim from the Crimea and Golden Horde as guards of state borders. By the end of the 16th century over 100,000 Tatars had settled in Belarus and Lithuania.

The Tatars who follow Sunni Islam, lost their native language over time and switched mainly into Belarusian, Polish and Russian, and preferred to be called Belarusian Muslims. However, religious practice is still practiced in the Arabic.

After the independence of Belarus from USSR, the First All-Belarusian Congress of Muslims was held in 1994 and the Muslim Religious Community of the Republic of Belarus was founded. Dr.Ismail Aleksandrovich was made its head who still continues to hold his office till date.

Belarus, though have a very small Muslim population, approximately 45,000, it is the only country in Europe to have jailed a newspaper editor for publishing the Danish cartoons of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. On January 18, 2008, Alexander Sdvizhkov was jailed for three years for 'incitement of religious hatred'. An encouraging step was taken by the Belarus government when in 2007, member of Ahmadiya sect were banned from practicing their faith openly in the state of Belarus and given a similar status to other banned religious groups in the country.

The first mosques in Belarus began to be built in the 14th-15th centuries, when the first Tatars settled on our lands. Unfortunately, most Muslim temples have not survived as these were demolished under the USSR regime. 

Mosque in Iwye [Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons / Author: Арцём Аблажэй]

One of the few authentic mosques is in Ivie, Grodno region. The mosque was built in 1884. It is a rectangular building with a five-edged primitive mihrab with a tent roof. The interior is divided into male and female halves with separate entrances. The mosque in Ivie was the only mosque in Belarus in Soviet times.

Minsk Mosque - Early 1900 Photo [Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Source: Ліхадзедаў У. Мінск. Падарожжа ў часе. Менск: Тэхналёгія, 2008 / Author: Unknown]

Until 1939 the Tatar mosque in Novogrudok had a Muslim school - mekteb. Also, mosques operate in Slonim, Smilovichi, Oshmyany, Lovchitsy, Molodechno and Minsk. From 1900 to 1902 a mosque was constructed in Minsk. However in 1962 it was destroyed by the Communists. On November 11, 2016 a replica of the mosque was opened in Minsk. Construction of the new mosque is financed not only by Belarusian Muslims, but also by people and organisations from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Russia.

Rebuilt Minsk mosque [Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Author: Homoatrox]

The Belorussian Muslims freely celebrate their religious festivals and observe the fasting in the month of Ramadan. On festivals, Muslims from all walks of life get together and celebrate the holy events with religious fervour and zeal.

Author's Note: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Belorussian Muslims celebrating Eid Al Adha 2016 [Photos above/below courtesy BelurusFeed]

Recently, there have been news of emergence of the radical Islam and in 2015, 20 Muslim Salafis were arrested. Although Muslims have lived in Belarus since the 14th century, blending in well. However, in recent years preachers from other states have been changing the nature of Islam in Belarus by infusing radical ideas, reports Belarus Digest. It is speculated that by arresting a group of Salafi Muslims, Belarus may be signalling to the West that it is a reliable partner in fighting terrorism. 

There are many videos on YouTube showing young Belorussians accepting Islam. The trendsetters are adding more Muslims in Belarus every now and then.
Watch a video below which was made on the eve of inauguration of Cathedral Mosque in Minsk by the Turkish President Erdogan and Lukashenko:

To know more about life of Muslims in other non Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
For more Q&A about Understanding Islam click here

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Georgia

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia at the border of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. Georgia is bordered by the Black Sea, Russia, Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Republic of Georgia is an avowedly Christian country, but one out of every ten Georgian citizens is Muslim.  Orthodox Christianity accounts for 83.4% of the population. Muslims constitute approximately 9.9%[2] of the Georgian population. According to other sources, Muslims constitute 10-11% of Georgia's population. 

Islam in Georgia was introduced in 654 when an army sent by the Third Caliph of Islam, Uthman, conquered Eastern Georgia and established Muslim rule in Tbilisi. Within the Muslim community, there are are two major groups: the Sunni Hanafi and the Azerbaijani Muslims which are separated largely by region.  In July 2011, Parliament of Georgia passed new law allowing religious minority groups with “historic ties to Georgia” to register. The draft of the law specifically mentions Islam and four other religious communities.

During the Arab period, Tbilisi (al-Tefelis) grew into a center of trade between the Islamic world and northern Europe. For several centuries, the Georgian kings and aristocrats converted to Islam and served as courtiers to the Iranian Safavid, Afsharid and Qajar dynasties, who ruled them.

Sunnite Mosque - 1880 [Photo:  Wikimedia Commons / Author: Dmitri Ivanovich Yermakov / Source ]

Islam first arrived in Adjara in the 16th century. A former region of the Ottoman Empire, Adjara was ceded to Russia – and joined to other Georgian territories – in 1878. Nevertheless, Adjarans continued to feel an attachment to Turkey and their Islamic faith – sometimes in opposition to Orthodox Christian Georgians and Russians. In 1921, under the Treaty of Kars between Turkey and Soviet Russia, an autonomous Adjara was created to protect local Muslims. Adjara became one of two autonomous entities in the Soviet Union established not on ethnic, but religious grounds. However, Adjara’s Muslims occupy a peculiar position in the popular mind. They are not real Georgians, because they are not Christians. But neither are they enemies, because they share the same language.

The life of Muslims doesn't seem to be easy as observations by onlookers are varying. The Autonomous Republic of Adjara on the Black Sea coast in western Georgia is home to a large and much overlooked Muslim community. The last official census in 2002 showed that 30% (115,000) of Adjarans considered themselves Muslim. Chechens or Kists, Adjaran Muslims are ethnic Georgians, living in a country where Islam is seen by many as a hostile religion. Georgia’s Muslim community must repeatedly prove its loyalty to both the Georgian nation and Islamic faith and culture every day; no mean feat, given the widely differing expectations that entails.

After 70 years of Soviet atheism, the newly independent state promoted Orthodox Christianity as central element of Georgian identity. The Muslims, be they Sunni or Shi'ite, are theoretically under the central authority of the imam of Tbilisi's central mosque, Akhund Hadji Ali, himself dependent on the Baku-based Administration of the Muslims of the Caucasus. The reality shows, however, that there are two major separate Muslim communities living in Georgia: the Shi'ite Azeris and the Sunni Adjars, who scarcely co-operate. in Adjaria, Sunni Adjars are resisting attempts at (re)- Christianization.

Central Mosque in Tbilisi [Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Author: Henri Bergius  / Source]

Muslims have their mosques for offering prayers together in every Muslim community. Mosques in Georgia operate under the supervision of the Georgian Muslim Department, established in May 2011. Tbilisi's Jumah mosque is shared by Sunnis and Shia because Soviets destroyed the Shia's house of worship decades ago - it was never rebuilt. In 2010, Turkey and Georgia signed an agreement by which Turkey was yo provide funding and expertise to rehabilitate three mosques and to rebuild a fourth one in Georgia. On a reciprocal basis, Georgia was to rehabilitate four Georgian monasteries in Turkey. The Georgia-Turkey agreement allowed the reconstruction of the historical Azize mosque in Batumi, Ajaria demolished in the middle of the last century.

Although, Muslims have lived peacefully in Georgia for centuries, the attitude of Christians is rather indifferent, A large number of people see Islam as alien to the Georgian national identity. This attitude is a source of much frustration in its southwestern region of Adjara, where about 30 percent of ethnic Georgians follow Islam. Generally Christianity is always equated with the Georgian identity so the more Muslims there are, the more risk of losing the Georgian identity. "Generally, if you are not visually recognizable as a Muslim, people are fine with you because they don't necessarily ask about your religion. But if you are wearing a hijab and express your religious identity, you get a different reaction," one Muslim woman told  Al Jazeera.

Inga Popovaite in her article "Georgian Muslims are strangers in their own country" writes about Hijab and plight Muslim women observing Hijab. "For Georgian Muslim women, the biggest challenge is probably wearing the hijab in public. Many Muslim women I met in Adjara did not cover their hair on a daily basis in an attempt to blend into Christian society. the hijab not only forces unwanted attention on a woman in public, but affects their professional life as well. Those women who chose to wear the traditional Muslim attire walk the streets while their fellow citizens whisper 'Iranian', 'Turk', and 'Go back to your own country' behind their backs." [2]

On another forum, Ghada E, expresses similar concerns. She says: "I have just returned from Georgia today and as a hijab-wearing Arab woman I found the majority of Georgians exceptionally rude/giving me the cold shoulder - some people even refused to help when I asked for simple things such as directions etc. I have experienced subtle racism before but I felt in Georgia the hostility towards Muslims is very direct/in your face. The nicest people were those working in the tourism sector (tour guides, hotel staff etc) but then again they are paid to be nice to guests so I cannot really say it was genuine. " [3]

There are two major Muslim groups in Georgia. The ethnic Georgian Muslims are Sunni Hanafi and are concentrated in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara of Georgia bordering Turkey. The ethnic Azerbaijani Muslims are predominantly Shia Ithna Ashariyah and are concentrated along the border with Azerbaijan and Armenia.


The Meskhetian Turks, also a Sunni Hanafi group, are the former inhabitants of the Meskheti region of Georgia, along the border with Turkey. They were deported to Central Asia during November 15–25, 1944 by Joseph Stalin and settled within Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Of the 120,000 forcibly deported in cattle-trucks a total of 10,000 perished. Today they are dispersed over a number of other countries of the former Soviet Union. There are 500,000 to 700,000 Meskhetian Turks in exile in Azerbaijan and Central Asia. 

Those Meskh who remain in Georgia live a very lowly life. Watch a video on the plight of Meskh Muslims in Georgia:

Author's Note: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
For more Q&A about Understanding Islam click here

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Finland

Muslims in Finland constitute a thin minority, numbering approximately 65,000 in a total Finnish population of  5.5 million. Muslim Tartars are the oldest Muslims that came to came to Finland in the late 19th and early 20th centrality. Since the late 20th century the number of Muslims in Finland has increased rapidly due to immigration. 

The new immigrants established their own mosques and societies. In 1996 these groups came together to form a cooperative organ - the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Finland. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 Finns have converted to Islam. The vast majority of these are women who have married Muslim men. However, it would be interesting to note that Finnish women converting to Islam don't see the veil as a symbol of oppression, but as a sign of liberation from superficial beauty, a researcher specializing in religious issues has claimed. In fact Veiled women on Finnish streets have become an increasingly familiar sight.

The idea that the number of converts is rising was shared by Pia Jardi, a proud Muslim since 1986, Helsinki Mosque employee and a collaborator with the National Forum for Cooperation of Religions (USKOT). According to Jardi, people are drawn to Islam by its clarity, direct contact with God and rites with transparent meaning.

Islamophobia is one of the major concerns for the Muslims of Finland. Researcher Linda Hyokki – herself a convert to Islam says, "Europe has a problem with religion. As an academic I noticed that there is a lack of research on Islamophobia in Finland. Islamophobia has a lot to do with the phenomenon known as the "racialisation of Muslims". Muslims are treated as if Islam were a race. In this way, anti-Muslim prejudice becomes racism. It employs the same terminology that is used in biological racism, which is why researchers often talk about "anti-Muslim racism". She is of the view that even if you are Finnish born and bred, once you convert to Islam, you become the ʹracial otherʹ because you are no longer accepted into the "original culture". Right-wing politicians have juxtaposed Muslims with a supposed Nordic race.

In an interview, when asked "What kinds of discrimination have you observed towards converts to Islam?", Linda said: During my fieldwork I interviewed both men and women, in an attempt to record their experiences. One girl told me how her mother called a helpline for victims of religion when she learnt that her daughter had turned Muslim, fearing that she had been brainwashed. Another story tells of a girl who graduated from high school as the best student in her year. As tradition goes, she would have been the one to deliver that yearʹs graduation speech. But because she was a Muslim the headmaster wouldnʹt allow her to speak, arguing that the institution didnʹt want a girl with a headscarf to speak for the school.

How to Finns think of religions? Joni-Petteri Kivistö, Member of Liberal party of Finland and a moderate minarchist, says: There is quite lot of prejudice sometimes but not so much open racism and discrimination. Much less than there is elsewhere I would say. Generally Finns tend to see what kind of individual you are. We are very secular state with strong history in gender equality. Those who practice their religion very conservatively, christian or Muslim might face some amount of prejudice. 

Roope Niemi, who lives in Finland, observes: Finland is already home to a sizeable muslim community, and therefore has alot for muslims. For example in Itis (a shopping center) they have Ramadan every year, and in all the big cities they serve halal. Everyone has their right to practice their freedom in Finland. Racism has cooled down over the years, and you will not hear that much it. There may be some cases of racism but they are rare. Atleast where i live in, Helsinki. I dont know where you come from but most services in Finland are provided in Arabic and Somali.

Despite the Islamophobic attitude, the young Muslims are very resilient and instead of Islamophobia having a hugely negative impact on convertsʹ lives and that they were suffering, the Muslims regard it as a test by God – a lesson in patience. They would ask: what ways are there of dealing with discriminatory behaviour other than aggression? Can I beat people with arguments? Instead of buying into the passive victim role, I have found that Muslims in Finland are ready to speak up about the injustices they face, says Linda.

Järvenpää Mosque is the only purpose-built mosque in Finland, which was commissioned in 1942. The Järvenpää Mosque belongs to the Islamic congregation of Finland’s Tatars, established in 1925. However, the call for prayer from the minaret is not permitted.

Jarvenpaan moskeija, Jarvenpaa, Finland [Photo]

Besides the only "actual mosque" as mentioned above, there are also around 80 small mosques in Finland, around 30 of them in converted buildings or private flats in Helsinki, although many of them are referred to as "prayer rooms". The Muslims have always been yearning for one central official mosque for their special days and congregations, but have so far been denied. In December 2017 the city of Helsinki rejected a proposal to build a large mosque financed by funds from Bahrain.

Finding halal foods hardly poses any problem. There are small shops selling halal foods in cities where Muslims live. In Helsinki and Turku one can even find fresh halal meat. So Muslim tourists vising Finland don’t worry about the food.

After the recent NZ massacre of Muslims in two mosques, hate graffiti on the walls of Helsinki mosque really distressed the Finnish Muslims. The words “Fuck Islam” and “Rapers”, sprayed on the outer walls of a mosque in Mellunmäki coincided with the mass shooting of Muslims in New Zealand has caused sorrow, distress and fear among the Muslim community in Helsinki.

Despite all negative attitudes of the Finns, the Muslims continue to live a healthy and all encompassing live, celebrating religious festivals and days. Month of Ramadan is actively celebrated by fasting followed by actively participating in gatherings of Eid ul Fitr. 

Please watch the video below a documentary on Islam in Finland:

Author's Note: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
For more Q&A about Understanding Islam click here

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Thailand

Thailand, one of the most attractive touristic destinations in the South East Asia, is generally a Buddhist dominated country, with Islam as second largest religion. According to the 2015 census, Thailand has 2,892,311 Muslims, or 4.29% of the total population, with the largest concentrations being in Bangkok and throughout the southern region. In the southern region, According to the National Statistics Office, in 2005, Muslims in Southern Thailand made up 30.4 percent of the general population above the age 15. However, unofficial figures quote a 5-6% Muslim population in the country. Most Thai Muslims belong to the branch of Sunni Islam.

Thailand's Muslim population is diverse, for they have migrated to this part of the world from China, Pakistan, India, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia, beside including ethnic Thais, while about two-thirds of Muslims in Thailand are Thai Malays. Many Thai Muslims are ethnically and linguistically Thai, who are either hereditary Muslims, Muslims by intermarriage, or recent converts to the faith. Ethnic Thai Muslims live mainly in the central and southern provinces.

A sizable number of Rohingya refugees who managed to escape the atrocities committed by the Myanmar army  are scattered throughout Thailand's refugee camps, rural fishing villages, as well as in many small towns and cities close to the Myanmar border.

The National Council for Muslims, consisting of at least five persons (all Muslims) and appointed by royal proclamation, advises the ministries of education and interior on Islamic matters. Chularatchamontri is the title of Shaykh al-Islām in Thailand, who is appointed by the king upon advice of the prime minister. He has the authority to administer all Islamic affairs in the nation and to provide advice on Islamic affairs to governmental agencies. Chularatchamontri vacates his office upon death, resignation and removal by the king upon the advice of the prime minister.

Unlike many other non Muslim countries, where mosques for Muslims are not very sufficient viz a viz their percentage of the population, there are are a large number of mosques in Thailand. Of the , 3,494 mosques, most are located in Southern Thailand, with up to 170 with Bangkok itself.

Darun Aman Mosque or Ban Haw Mosque, is the biggest mosque in Chiang Rai Province. The mosque was one of the mosques in northern Thailand built by Hui people, known as Chin Haw in Thai. [Photo:  Wikimedia Commons] 

Thailand also maintains several hundred Islamic schools at the primary and secondary levels, as well as Islamic banks, including the Islamic Bank of Thailand, shops and other institutions. Much of Thailand's packaged food is tested and labelled halal if applicable.

Muslim school girls [Photo: Tarik Abdel-Monem / Flickr ]

Muslims in Thailand enjoy support from King. Each year the King or his representative presides over celebrations commemorating the Prophet Muhammad's birthday. The King has also provided funds for translating the Koran into Thai.According to the Thai government: “All in all, Muslim Thais enjoy full state support and are free to teach and practice their religion.

Despite government patronage, Muslims are said to be relatively poor, ill-educated and under represented in the government and live mostly in the south, which has lower incomes and higher crime rates compared to the rest of the country. Muslims usually have lower incomes A significant number of Muslim Thais, mostly from southern Thailand, work in the Middle East as laborers and servants the same way some Indonesians, Bangladeshis and Muslim Indians.

Thai Muslims leave after Eid al-Fitr prayers at a mosque in Pattani Province. [Photo: AP ]

There are signs of a deeper Islamization all over Thailand, from the shopping centres where you see many more women wearing Islamic dress, to the landscapes of towns and cities where many new mosques and Islamic schools can be seen springing up. Many Muslim households display Arabic verses of the Al Quran outside their homes. 

From the business perspective, Thailand has become very innovative within the commerce sector through the development of ‘Halal’ tourism, ‘Halal’ hotels and resorts, Islamic banking, Islamic micro-finance, ‘Halal’ housing and condominium projects, as well as food and beverage products. There is a general awareness developing among Muslim entrepreneurs about ethical business opportunities, utilizing the ‘Tawhid’ as an ethical business model.

The growing percentage of Muslim population within Thailand will have a number of effects upon Thai society over the coming years. Just as the South was Thai-ized in the period 1902-1944, now Thailand is being Islamized in a way never seen before. And according to some, represents just as much of a challenge as the rich and poor divide of Thailand, which has had such a profound influence on the political scene over the last decade. 

Muslims in Thailand enjoy and celebrate their religious as well as social festivals and events just like other Muslims anywhere in the world. Herein under watch a colourful video of a wedding of a Muslim couple in Thailand:

Author's Note: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
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