Islam in the Czech Republic


There are an estimated 20,000 Muslims in the Czech Republic, representing 0.2% of the country's population.
According to the 2010 census, there are around 3500 Muslims in the Czech Republic, compared to 495 in 1991.
In the Czech Republic, there are two mosques in Prague and one mosque in Brno.

History

First documented visit of a person with knowledge of Islam was made by Íbrahím ibn Jaqúb, a Jewish merchant from then-Muslim Spain. His memoirs were later published to become one of the first accounts about Central Europe in Islamic world.
During both sieges of Vienna, reconnaissance groups of Ottoman armies reached Moravia. Strong trade links between Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empire emerged during the 19th century. Individual Muslims from the late 19th century began to settle in Czech lands after Bosnia became part of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
Traditionally, influence of Islam on culture of Czech lands has been small.

Modern era

A law 1912 by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy recognised Islam as a "state religion" and officially allowed its presence in what is now the Czech Republic. The first community was established in 1934 and disbanded in 1949. An attempt to set up a new community in 1968 failed. In 1991, the Center of Muslim communities was established. In 1998 the first mosque was opened, in Brno and a year later another, in the capital, Prague . Attempts to open mosques in other cities have been stopped by local citizens. In 2004 Islam was officially registered in the Czech Republic: the community is thus eligible to obtain funds from the state.
Most of the Muslims are from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and former countries of Soviet Union. A significant and influential part are the middle-class people of Egyptian, Syrian and other Middle Eastern ancestries. A few hundred Muslims are Czech converts.

Fears of Islamic fundamentalism

President Miloš Zeman is among those who have expressed fear that Islamic terrorism could threaten the Republic. In August 2016, for the first time, a Czech citizen was charged on suspicion of trying to join the ISIS. It's not clear whether the apprehended Czech man was actually radicalized or suffering from psychological issues. The editor-in-chief of a prominent Czech newspaper reported that the man had no known links to Islam.