Islamists are counting on converts III

The shell of the mosque.

The Catholic news service kath.net reports that the number of German converts to Islam is ever growing and increased from a long-standing annual number of 300 to roughly 1,000 in 2004. Last year, at least 4,000 Germans newly embraced Islam, as the Zentralinstituts Islam-Archiv Deutschland in Soest determined.

A final assessment of a poll among the Islamic associations will be published at the end of July.

The traditional candidates for conversion have been, so far, women married to a Muslim or that female university graduate with a "love for the Oriental culture". But more recently, people from all walks of lifes are joining Islam.

An unexpected growth of followership is experienced, too, by the Islamische Gemeinschaft Deutschlands (IGD), which, according to the Verfassungsschutz (Office for the Protection of the Constitution) in the state of Baden-Württemberg is close to the Muslim Brotherhood, which is considered illegal in many countries. The IGD has acquired 500 German members in the meantime.

A visit from the governor of the state of Northrhine Westphalia, Jürgen Rüttgers.

According to the ZIAD's information, the number of traditional mosques will double within the next few years. 143 mosques with cupola, minaret, library, prayer rooms and youth centre are already existing, 118 more are planned or under construction. Funding is done mainly by donations from members of the congregation. According to Muhamad Salim Abdullah, chairman of the institute, the eleven-million-mosque that is currently under construction in Duisburg-Marxloh in West Germany and which got building cost subsidy from the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen and the EU of roughly 3.2 mio, is an "absurd exception".

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For additional information, see the following blog entries:

• Islamists are counting on converts I
• Islamists are counting on converts II
• 'Peace' Rally in Germanistan

Thanks to Eurient for the information!