Mosque attendance and flippant maths
Reader comment on item: Muslim Populations in European Cities
in response to reader comment: Not really reliable statistics

Submitted by bos (United Kingdom), Jan 14, 2008 at 09:12

The Muslim polulations of europe have a higher birthrate than the non muslim populations, and therefore by european standards a much lower average age and a greater number of children. These Children are unlikely to be at the mosque at main prayer times, a great number of young muslims will avoid attendance as a normal part of teenage distraction/rebelion/disinterest etc.

A great number of young adults will be less than dilligent in even weekly attendance due to the opportunities of youth in liberal society, most will become at least partially more religious in later life, (an easily observed 'settling down phenomenon common to all cultures). Even the militant young men neglect formal mosque attendance (as evidenced by Ed Hussein).

Many will have work/business/retail/trading commitments that prevent attendance at main prayer times, many will have geographical difficulties, or ethnic/doctrinal dissagreements with the mosque's geographically accsesible to them.

at any one time some will be travelling, some will be ill, some will be disabled, some will be caring for the ill and disabled.

some will be too old and some will simply not feel the need to engage in comunal prayer, sometimes because they just arent very religious (though few abandon the cultural identification with islam)

There will also be a significant number of informal mosques and mosque alternatives.

And finally about half will be too female for main prayer mosque attendance (although I realise some mosques will have some women the point still stands intact)

This leaves a number somewhat lower than 4000

How can you ever have an informed opinion if you dismiss even neutral information on such flippant analysis?

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