Article on the relations between Islam and State in Finland and Poland

What is it about?

The legal status of Islam and Muslims in Europe is a complicated matter. On the one hand, it is in the domain of denominational law and state-church relations, and on the other, it is a product of history of Muslim presence in a particular country. There is no single pattern among European countries of regulating the relations between the state and religion, and hence the legal situation of churches and religious organizations, including Islamic ones, in Europe is by no means uniform. These complex legal circumstances are a reality for Muslim communities who try to organize their religious life, that is, establish organizations, build mosques, set up prayer rooms, teach religion, keep cemeteries, organize funerals, and buy halal food.

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Photo by Tapio Haaja on Unsplash

Photo by Tapio Haaja on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The legal status of Islam and Muslims in Europe is a complicated matter. On the one hand, it is in the domain of denominational law and state-church relations, and on the other, it is a product of history of Muslim presence in a particular country. There is no single pattern among European countries of regulating the relations between the state and religion, and hence the legal situation of churches and religious organizations, including Islamic ones, in Europe is by no means uniform. These complex legal circumstances are a reality for Muslim communities who try to organize their religious life, that is, establish organizations, build mosques, set up prayer rooms, teach religion, keep cemeteries, organize funerals, and buy halal food.