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Spain Demography Migration Waves Spain's interaction with the Muslim world extends back to the 9th century and Islamic expansion into Europe. Most Muslims were expelled in 1492, although there is strong evidence that some did remain behind and publicly proclaimed Catholicism but privately practiced Islam. This tendency faded over time, and the Muslim presence in Spain disappeared until the 1960s. Initially, many Moroccans entered the tourist industry on the Mediterranean coast. They were primarily undocumented and transient, often attempting to get into France. The profile of these Moroccans began to shift, and they began to come from the Spanish protectorate area in northern Morocco, and settle in Catalonia. As countries further north of Spain began controlling immigration more tightly, many immigrants began settling in Spain so that by the late 1970s it is estimated there were 100,000 Moroccans in Barcelona. Since the 1980s most of the growth of the Muslim population has been due to family reunification. Current estimates put the Muslim population of Spain at 500,000, predominantly Moroccan. Other points of origin include Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq whose citizens came as students and entrepreneurs. By 1977 these numbers expanded to include Palestinian refugees, and in 1979 Iranian refugees. While socially important, demographically their impact is minimal. An important group of Muslims in the country is composed not of migrants, but of converts. In the 1970s there seems to have been a marked increase in the number of Spaniards accepting Islam. Various theories have been put forward as to why this might be the case, including the need to recover an authentic Spanish identity by look back at the period of Muslim rule. The result has been that in the mid-1990s converts had founded over haf the Muslim groups. Current estimates place their numbers at 6,000 individuals. Mosques In 1990, there were two purpose built mosques. Presently, there are approximately 12, with several hundred other premises being used as mosques. A mosque was opened in Granada (http://www.mezquitadegranada.com/) in 2003 to much fanfare as a return of Muslims to an ancestral home. Schools In Cordoba, the Ibn Rushd Islamic Academy was established in 1995. One of the ongoing debates is the state's role in funding Islamic education in the public school system. While Spain is a secular state, it does enter into reciprocal relationships with religious organizations, including the funding of schools. Muslims are arguing that Catholic schools receive preferential treatment in state support. In the islands of Ceuta and Melila, which are predominantly Muslim, disagreement has arisen over the certification necessary to teach Islam in the schools. The Spanish government wants religious education teachers to receive the same level of certification as teachers in the secular school. Main Muslim Organizations Al-Murabitun: A Sufi group with puritanical leanings. Federacion Espalola de Diocesis Islamicas: Main political group, negotiates with the government. [no site found for either group] The history of the Muslim organizations in Spain chronologically short, but due to the early proliferation of the groups, it is difficult to get a true sense of the impact these groups. The first group was founded in 1968, and during the next two decades, an additional 15 came into existence. The groups that survived until 1989 merged on 23 September into the Spanish Federation of Islamic Religious Entities (FEERI). Over the next year several more Muslim groups were created and they eventually merged into the Islamic Community's Union in Spain (UCIE). In April 1992, these two umbrella groups, FEERI and UCIE, merged into the Islamic Commission of Spain. Relations between the state and religious groups Spain recognizes Islam as a religion of the state and extends various privileges as a result. Amongst these privileges are Islamic instruction in public and private schools, the right for Muslims to set up their own schools, the right to religious holidays, and recognition of Muslim marriages under civil law. The official policy is known as convivencia, or peaceful co-existence. The 1978 Spanish constitution formerly declares Spain to be a secular state with no state religion. However, it does allow the state to enter into agreements with religious bodies to aid in ensuring rights and privileges. In 1992 the government of Spain entered into such an agreement with the Islamic Commission of Spain. The agreement, in part, deals with "the status of Islamic Religious Leaders and Imams, determining the specific rights deriving from the practise of their religious office, their personal status in areas of such importance as Social Security and ways of complying with their military duties, legal protection for their mosques, civil validity of marriage ceremonies held pursuant to Muslim rites, religious services in public centres or establishments, Muslim religious education in schools, the tax benefits applicable to certain property pertaining to the Federations that constitute the Islamic Commission of Spain, commemoration of Muslim religious holidays and finally, co-operation between the State and such Commission for the conservation and furthering of Islamic Historic and Artistic Heritage." [material taken from the official translation provided by Spain's Ministry of Justice regarding Law 26 of 10 November 1992.] Some of the practical implications of this accord have been in the workplace. Workers are allowed time off for prayers, and to take off an hour early from work during Ramadan. There is some speculation that while the accord may have been legally beneficial, it is providing a means for discrimination in the work place as employers can argue that certain positions cannot be filled by those who take the time off from work. Public Opinion and Debate The mosque in Granada opened in July 2003 and has become a major issue for debate. The project started over 20 years ago and faced several legal challenges. In addition, there were several acts of vandalism against the construction site, encouraging the "Moors" to go home. Islamophobia and xenophobia colored the debate on mosque construction, and while the immediate concern has died down, the concern of successful inter-religious dialogue remains. Other recent concerns have focused on using Cordoba's Mezquita-Cathedral as a mosque once more and the celebration of La Toma, the capture, commemorating a Spanish defeat of Muslims. Due to a recent downturn in the Spanish economy, there has been an increased backlash against immigration and immigrants. Since the majority of immigrants now are Muslim, the rhetoric often displays itself in religious terms. It is unclear how embedded these feelings towards Muslims truly are in Spanish society. In 2002 a debate arose as to the permissibility of students wearing headscarves to school. While there had previously been no concern in Muslim majority areas, a girl outside of one of these areas wore her hijab to school and was expelled. Conservative politicians saw it as a sign that immigrants were not adapting to Spain, and liberals saw it as oppression of women. The student was allowed to return, but the state has yet to formalize protection for those choosing to wear hijab. Inter-religious Dialogue Both the issue of school funding and the opening of the Granada mosque have caused tension between the Muslim and Catholic communities. Official communications continue at the national level, but a great deal of isolations persists at the local levels. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/EHLuJD/.WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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