Interest in Islam Grows in Spain amid Israeli Attacks on Gaza, Muslim Leader Says
Umar del Pozo, the head of the Association of Islamic Community in Spain and of the Granada Mosque Foundation, said that the Palestinian issue raised questions in people's minds.
"Maybe Europeans started seeing the truth for the first time," he told Anadolu Agency, adding that every week the mosque in the southern Andalusia region sees one or two new converts to Islam.
Del Pozo also said that the Palestinian issue created sympathy for Muslims among those who already had some knowledge of Islam.
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"They see the Israeli attacks and lies. As a result, they start asking more questions in their minds and of the people around them," he said.
He added that the Palestinians' will to return to their homes and their struggle added a spiritual dimension to that questioning. "This is how people discover Islam," he explained, adding that the attendance in Granada of pro-Palestinian protests was high.
"We explain what’s happening in Palestine to our Christian neighbors too. They ask questions and try to learn more about Islam during the protests. I can say that (Islam) got more attention. This isn’t only in Granada, all of Europe is raising its voice on this issue," del Pozo said.
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Nahuel Calderon, 26, said he learned more about Islam from his girlfriend and recently converted. "I can say that I found more inner peace, and live a better life now," he said.
Granada has a community of almost 37,000 Muslims, including 4,000 Spaniards who converted to Islam and their third-generation children.
Spain has almost 3 million Muslims originating from Morocco, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Senegal, and Algeria. They mostly live in Catalonia, Valencia, Andalusia, and Madrid.
Source: Agencies
