From the Establishment of Mosques to Political Involvement: Muslims in the Netherlands and Decades of Social Integration<\/p>\n
The Egyptian researcher and writer Randa Atiya highlighted the journey of the Muslim community’s formation and development in the Netherlands over decades, pointing out the transition of Muslims from a stage of migration and working in agricultural and industrial sectors to the establishment of mosques and educational institutions, and their involvement in social and political life.<\/p>\n
According to the researcher, the early presence of Islam in the Netherlands dates back to before World War II, with the arrival of migrants from former Dutch colonies, notably Suriname and Indonesia, with the Muslim population numbering around five thousand by 1950.<\/p>\n
The community saw more significant expansion in the 1950s and 1960s, with migrant workers brought in to contribute to post-World War II reconstruction and economic activity, leading to an increasing number of Moroccans, Turks, and other Muslims settling in the country.<\/p>\n
As temporary migration shifted to permanent settlement, the community began establishing its religious and social institutions, with 1975 witnessing the construction of its first mosque in Amsterdam, followed by hundreds more mosques and institutions established by communities of Moroccan, Turkish, Pakistani, and other origins.<\/p>\n
Islamic presence also extended to the educational field, with the late 1990s seeing the establishment of an Islamic university foundation in the city of Schiedam, followed by a branch in Amsterdam, offering programs in the Quran, Hadith, interpretation, jurisprudence, history, and biography to contribute to preserving the religious identity of Muslim generations.<\/p>\n
On the political front, the researcher noted that Dutch legislation allowed foreign residents under certain conditions to participate in municipal elections, helping members of Muslim communities gradually move from social activity to political participation and attaining various representative positions.<\/p>\n
Educational programs, language courses, and the support of several community institutions also contributed to enhancing Muslims’ participation in the job market and public life, expanding the presence of new generations in economic, social, and political arenas.<\/p>\n
Muslims are notably concentrated in major cities, including Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and Haarlem, with the community containing large numbers of Turkish and Moroccan descent, alongside Muslims from other countries and regions.<\/p>\n
Despite Muslims in the Netherlands experiencing racial discrimination at various stages and facing challenges related to identity and integration, the researcher believes that the Dutch experience offers a prominent model for the journey of a community that has transitioned over decades from small migrant groups to a significant presence in mosques, educational institutions, the job market, and political and social life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From the Establishment of Mosques to Political Involvement: Muslims in the Netherlands and Decades of Social Integration The Egyptian researcher and writer Randa Atiya highlighted the journey of the Muslim community’s formation and development in the Netherlands over decades, pointing out the transition of Muslims from a stage of migration and working in agricultural and …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":144960,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[12511],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-144961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-netherlands"],"yoast_head":"\n