Muslim population in Italy rises from 2,000 to 2 million within five decades

(AhlulBayt News Agency) - The number of Muslims in Italy has rocketed from about 2,000 in 1970 to nearly two million at the end of 2015, according to a new study.

Academics say the number is expected to continue to rise as migrants from Africa and the Middle East continue to arrive. Islam is the second biggest religion in Italy behind Catholicism. Based in Turin, the Centre for New Religions Studies (Cesnur) who carried out the study was established in 1988 by religious scholars from European and American universities.

The center found 245,621 Italian citizens class themselves as Muslims compared to 1,613,500 immigrants in Italy who identify as Muslims, The Daily Express Tabloid newspaper reported.

In a study, Cesnur said: “The estimate of 245,621 Italian Muslim citizens is subject to future rapid changes in the case of more rapid access to citizenship for immigrant Muslims. In their vast majority, the Italian citizens are not Muslim converts, but "new citizens" who were already Muslims at the time of acquiring citizenship.”

There are only four official mosques registered with around 2,000 unregistered mosques across the country. In a bid to ease relations between the Italian authorities and Muslims, Italy set up a Council of Italian Islam to improve integration.

But despite being home to Europe’s largest mosque “The Great Mosque of Rome,” Islam is not formally recognized by the state leading to a surge in underground places of worship.

In September, the Great Mosque of Rome shunned a scheme to open its doors to the public during Eid.

Italy has taken in more than 400,000 migrants including Muslims and Christians in the last three years with many saved from rickety wooden boats pushed out to sea by North African human traffickers.

A total of 124,500 migrants have arrived in Italy alone between January and September 2016, the country’s home office has said.

But it is unclear exactly how many Muslims there are in the country as Italy’s National Institute for Statistics does not collect religious data.




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