Islam in Austria

Islam is a minority religion in Austria with 4.22 % of the population in the 2001 census. Most Muslims came to Austria after 1960 as migrant workers from Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. There are also communities of Arab and Pakistani origin.__NOTOC__The westernmost Bundesland Vorarlberg with its industrial small towns and villages has the highest share of Muslims in the country with 8.36 % (it resembles the neighboring north-eastern parts of Switzerland in this respect). It is followed by the capital Vienna with 7.82 %. The central Bundesländer Salzburg, Upper Austria, Tyrol and Lower Austria follow with the share of Muslim population at around the average. South-eastern states of Styria, Carinthia as well as Burgenland in the east have fewer Muslims whose numbers are below the national average.

Austria is unique among Western European countries insofar as it has granted Muslims the status of a recognized religious community. This dates back to the times following Austria-Hungary's annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878. Austria has regulated the religious freedoms of the Muslim community with the so called "Anerkennungsgesetz" ("Act of Recognition"). This law was reactivated in 1979 when the Community of Muslim believers in Austria (" [http://www.derislam.at Islamische Glaubensgemeinschaft in Österreich] ") was founded. This organization is entitled to give lessons of religious education in state schools. It is also allowed to collect "church tax" but so far it has not exercised this privilege. Nor does it build, finance or administer mosques in Austria.

Parallel structures exist within the Islamic religious group. The religious life takes place in mosques belonging to organisation which represent one of the currents of Turkish, Bosnian and Arab Muslims. Among the Turkish organisations the "Federation of Turkish-Islamic Associations" is controlled by the Directorate for Religious Affairs, whereas the other groups, such as the Süleymancıs and Milli Görüş, may be considered as branches of the pan-European organisation centered in Germany.

The Alevis who are considered non-orthodox, if not non-Muslim, by many Sunnis, and who make up a considerable minority among the Turks, do not take part in the activities of the community of the Islamic believers ("Islamische Glaubensgemeinschaft").

Muslims in Austria according to their ethnic groups

* Turks (97,346)
* Bosniaks (95,007)
* Kurds (26,770)
* Arabs, Others (6,577)
* Arabs, Egyptian (5,547)
* Iranians (5,002)
* Serbians (3,045)
* Indo-Pakistanis (609)
* Turks (70,696)
* Bosniaks (59,847)
* Afghans (31,300)
* Kurds (21,861)
* Albanians (20,520)
* Iranians (12,452)
* Indo-Pakistanis (8,490)
* Arabs (6,368)

See also

*Baron Omar Rolf von Ehrenfels
*Siege of Vienna in 1529 by the Ottoman Caliphate

Further reading

* cite journal
quotes =
last = Abid
first = Lise Jamila
authorlink =
coauthors =
date =
year = 2006
month = August
title = Muslims in Austria: Integration through Participation in Austrian Society
journal = Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs
volume = 26
issue = 2
pages = 263–278
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* cite journal
quotes =
last = Kroissenbrunner
first = Sabine
authorlink =
coauthors =
date =
year = 2003
month = July
title = Islam and Muslim Immigrants in Austria: Socio-Political Networks and Muslim Leadership of Turkish Immigrants
journal = Immigrants and Minorities
volume = 22
issue = 2-3
pages = 188–207
issn =
pmid =
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* Study for Bundesministerium des Innern: [http://images.derstandard.at/20060519/StudieProkop.pdf Perspektiven und Herausforderungen in der Integration muslimischer MitbürgerInnen in Österreich] , Mathias Rohe, Universität Erlangen. May 2006 (summary by MilitantIslamMonitor.Org: [http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1929 Radical Islam in Europe: Austrian government study concludes 45% of Muslims unwilling to integrate] )
* Anna Strobel: [http://www.con-spiration.de/texte/english/2006/einzig-e.html Unique Legal Status - Muslims in Austria] From: Herder Korrespondenz, 2006/4, P. 200-2004
* [ftp://www.statistik.at/pub/neuerscheinungen/vzaustriaweb.pdf Census 2001: Population 2001 according to religious affiliation, languages, origin and nationality] (PDF)(German), Statistik Austria.