Though Islam is the second religion in Switzerland but the Muslim community is suffering from the formal non-recognition by the government. Notwithstanding, this stance does not prevent the state from dealing with the Muslims community in a respectable way, nor participate with the Muslims in the civilization dialogues, particularly after the horrors of the 11 /9 attacks.

The total population of Switzerland is 7 million persons speaking many different languages. The most common-used language is Deutsch followed by French then English. The prevailing religions are Christianity in the first place, divided to the Protestant as the majority and the Catholicism. The second common religion is Islam followed by Buddhism and Judaism.


Like most of the European countries, Islam has arrived Switzerland lately, on the contrary of France and Britain that have known Islam earlier. The statistics indicate that the number of the Muslims in Switzerland is remarkably increasing. In 70s, for example, the Muslims were 16.353, increasing to 56.265 in 1980. In 1990, the total number has amounted to 152.000 then to 200.000 in 1998.

The Muslim communities, consisting of 115 different nationalities are located in the big cities. The Turkish community (120.000), for instance, lives in Basel with the Yugoslavian community (100.000). The Arab Muslims originating from all Arab nationalities settle in Bern, Geneva. The total number of the Muslim Switzerland is 15.340.

In Switzerland, there are 68 Islamic centers, organizations and mosques, about four or five mosques per a city. There are only four big Islamic organizations: the Islamic Foundation in Geneva supported and financially aided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Centre in Bern supported by the Egyptian Ministry of Endowments, the Islamic Center in Zurich supported by AUE and, finally, the Muslim League in Switzerland, supported by the Muslim World League. These organizations is playing many important roles like organizing religious seminars and lectures, holding acquaintance meetings between the members of the Islamic communities. More importantly, they contribute with building and spreading the mosques all over the country, teaching Quran and Arabic, celebrating the Islamic festivals and merging within the whole Swiss society. All these activities are different from one place to another, lacking the proper media coverage.

How the Swiss Regard Islam and Christianity
The Swiss society regards Islam with an unrealistically view as the media, unfortunately, depicts Islam as religion that call its supporters to live in cottages, driving camels and the like that defames the real image of Islam. This image cannot be changed till the Swiss citizen deals directly with a Muslim, touching the real good model of morals and manners with him/her. Rather, a Swiss woman may got married to a Muslim man who treats her with the due respect and honor, showing the real concept of the Islamic manners and principles. Accordingly, the stereotype impressions about Islam can be totally changed, or at least the Swiss society considers Islam with respect.

The Swiss society is not prejudiced to Christianity; it is a secular society giving a little attention and limited consideration in general to a religion. Religion for some Swiss is nothing; some of them say that they sometimes go to the church; others confirm that they visit it once during their lives.

The Political Participation by Muslim
Broadly speaking, Muslims have no political participation in the Swiss society, but some Muslim individuals holding the legal residence (Iqama) participate somehow in the political life. The proactive political participation requires a solid unification among the Muslims there, co-coordinating their efforts and, most importantly, forgetting the causes of conflicts among them.