In light of some of the news articles on Christian congregation sizes in Wales, I’ve put online some of my doctoral research on Muslim congregations, particularly in Wales.
In Wales, a more meaningful estimate of a congregation can be given.
There are, give or take, 57 mosques in Wales. Some of these aren’t full-time mosques, but they have a congregation (especially important in rural areas or places with a smaller Muslim population). Others are schools, or small prayer facilities at a university, but again, the presence of a regular congregation makes them of interest. BASED ON A SURVEY OF _IMAMS_ AND THE PHYSICAL CAPACITY OF WELSH MOSQUES I UNDERTOOK BETWEEN 2015 AND 2017, THERE IS A REGULAR (WEEKLY) MOSQUE-GOING CONGREGATION IN WALES OF 19,300. THAT IS OUT OF A TOTAL MUSLIM POPULATION OF 46,000 ACCORDING TO THE 2011 CENSUS (MOST LIKELY AN UNDER-COUNT, AND NOW SIX YEARS OUT OF DATE).
The full article is here, which includes some national estimates of Muslim congregation size. http://www.onreligion.co.uk/how-big-is-the-muslim-congregatio
By Dr Abdul-Azim Ahmed
Editor of On Religion Magazine
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