Background
Despite traditionally being considered a Christian country, Sweden is today one of the most secularised nations in the world. In a country where believers of any kind are seen as breaking the norm, roughly 5% of the total population are of Muslim background. As a religion that largely made its way to the country by way of recent immigration, the Muslim presence in Sweden is not particularly well established. There are very few functioning institutions or madrasas, and only a few purpose-built mosques throughout the entire country. There is a noticeable and urgent need for promoting Islam through various channels of engagement.
According to a survey performed by the Swedish government, over 70% of the citizens in Sweden claim they are suspicious towards Muslims. The very same amount deem their knowledge about Islam to be very, or rather low. As much as 81% of the adult population prefer not to live in areas inhabited by Muslims. On the other hand, as many as 22% of the Swedes have some sort of contact with Muslims in their everyday life, mainly professional. Alarmingly only 4% feel they possess adequate knowledge of Islam.
Nevertheless, more and more Swedes are finding their way to Islam every day. However, there is no established institution that is fully equipped and prepared to take up the vital task of catering for these new additions to the community. For example, helping them with basic information about the religion, handling possible conflicts and problems that may arise after their conversion, helping them find future partners, providing them with social avenues, etc.
There is a growing need to present Islam in a positive light to the Swedish public. Most people in Sweden receive their information about Islam entirely through the mainstream media, where Islam is stereotypically shown in a negative light, usually in connection with terrorism. This has led to many Swedes having a terribly inaccurate picture of what Islam truly is. Despite all this, our experience shows that in most cases, whether it be children or adults, people from all walks of life respond very positively when presented with a balanced and genuine image of Islam. During seminars and theme days at schools, as well as school visits to mosques, we are constantly surprised by the positive reactions and enthusiasm of these young people who are prepared to see past the stereotypes and misconceptions and really want to develop a more in-depth and accurate understanding of Islam.
A large portion of Swedish citizens who have a Muslim background are, like the rest of the Swedish population, quite secularised. Though they still identify themselves as Muslims, and often have a great love of Islam and Muslim culture, this group of people is often excluded from most current Islamic organisations. Many are well-educated intellectuals, cultural personalities and writers, all of whom feel left out of the larger Muslim community. Muslims in Sweden also face problems in areas such as integration, unemployment and social engagement. Another urgent issue to be addressed is securing human rights, such as the freedom to practice oneʼs religion as well as rights relating to marital relationships and the family. Muslim women in particular find themselves in a difficult situation in todayʼs society.