Islam in France

Islam is the second largest religion in France , with approximately 5 million adherents, after 45 million adherents to Catholicism , and before Protestantism (1 million), Buddhism (600 000), Judaism (525 000) and French Eastern Orthodoxy (150 000) (data: 2000-2003). In 2003 , between 5 and 6 million people of Muslim extraction live in France: over 35% come from Algeria , 25% from Morocco , 10% from Tunisia (all former French colonies ). Some estimate the number of French converts to be around 30,000. All these statistics must be taken with some caution: the French Government does not tally religion in its census information and other official polls.

The Grande Mosquée in Paris . Islam is the second most widely practiced religion in France by number of worshippers, totaling about 10% of the national population. The presence of Muslims in France is attested as soon as the 8th century when the Moors conquered Spain and pushed northward. The Moors were quickly defeated in 732 by Frankish and Burgundian forces at the Battle of Tours . Islam then totally disappeared from France until the 20th century. After WWII, the number of Muslims in France surged with the arrival of an increasing foreign labor force from the Maghreb. Immigrants came from nations which maintained strong ties with French language and culture ( Francophonie ) because of the legacy of past colonization. Immigrants, lured by economic opportunities, supplied a pool of manpower for the labor-intensive economy which prevailed at this time. They have chosen to settle in France and to embrace citizenship, as they were granted family reunification. Muslims contributed noticeably to the economic expansion of France during that time of "The Glorious Thirty" , primarily as blue-collar workers in manufacturing plants or construction.

Islam is the second-most widely professed religion in France behind Christianity . France has one of the largest number of Muslims in the Western world primarily due to migration from Maghrebi , West African , and Middle Eastern countries. A 2017 Pew Research report estimates the Muslim population of France to be 5,760,000 or 8.8% of the total population. The majority of Muslims in France belong to the Sunni denomination. The vast majority of French Muslims are of immigrant origin, while an estimated 100,000 are converts to Islam of indigenous ethnic French background. The French overseas region of Mayotte has a majority Muslim population. These numbers include people of Muslim affiliation who are observant Muslims. Among Muslims who were Interviewed in a study, 36% described themselves as "observant believers", of which 20% claimed to go regularly to the mosque for the Friday service. 38% described themselves as "non observant believers", and 70% said they "observe Ramadan ". 5 facts about the Muslim population in Europe L'Islam en France et les réactions aux attentats du 11 septembre 2001, Résultats détaillés, Ifop , HV/LDV No.1-33-1, 28 September 2001 French Muslims becoming more observant French Muslims becoming more observant

Islam in France is a minority faith. Muslims are estimated to represent around 4% of the nation's population as per the Statista and Le Monde , although Insee claims that in metropolitan France this percentage can reach 10%. After conquering much of the Iberian peninsula , the Umayyad Muslim forces invaded modern day southern France, but were decisively defeated by the Frankish Christian army led by Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD, thus preventing the subsequent Islamisation of the Western Europe . During a later incursion, Muslims established the fortress Fraxinetum . The majority of Muslims in France belong to the Sunni denomination and are of foreign origins. Sizeable minorities of Shia , Ahmadiyya and non-denominational Muslims also exist. The French overseas region of Mayotte has a majority Muslim population. According to a survey in which 536 people of Muslim origin participated, 39% of Muslims in France surveyed by the polling group IFOP said they observed Islam's five prayers daily in 2008, a steady rise from 31% in 1994, according to the study published in the Catholic daily La Croix . Mosque attendance for Friday prayers has risen to 23% in 2008, up from 16% in 1994, while Ramadan observance has reached 70% in 2008 compared to 60% in 1994. Alcohol consumption also declined to 34% from 39%. The World Factbook CIA World Factbook - France "Religion, famille, société : Qui sont vraiment les musulmans de France" . "5 facts about the Muslim population in Europe" . 29 November 2017 . "Religious diversity in France: intergenerational transmissions and practices by origins (2019 - 2020)" . L'Islam en France et les réactions aux attentats du 11 septembre 2001, Résultats détaillés, Ifop , HV/LDV No.1-33-1, 28 September 2001

Islam in Europe by percentage of country population Islam is the second-largest religion in France after Christianity . As of the most recent estimates, it is followed by approximately 9 million people, accounting for about 13% of the national population. This represents a steady increase from 2023, when Muslims comprised around 10% of the adult population—approximately 6.8 million people—according to data from INSEE . The majority of Muslims in France belong to the Sunni denomination and are of foreign origins. Sizeable minorities of Shia and non-denominational Muslims also exist. The French overseas region of Mayotte has a majority Muslim population, with 97% of the population following Islam . A report from the French Institute of Statistics in 2024 have reported that 76% of Muslims in France believe that religion is very important while 24% have stated religion played a somewhat important part and role in their life. The Insee and the National Institute for Demographic Studies in France found that the use of the veil for Muslim women has increased by 55% from 2009 to 2020. There has been a observable increase among all geographic origins, of Muslim women and among second and third generations of Muslim women in France. According to a survey in which 536 people of Muslim origin participated, 39% of Muslims in France surveyed by the polling group IFOP said they observed Islam's five prayers daily in 2008, a steady rise from 31% in 1994, according to the study published in the Catholic daily La Croix . Mosque attendance for Friday prayers has risen to 23% in 2008, up from 16% in 1994, while Ramadan observance has reached 70% in 2008 compared to 60% in 1994. Alcohol consumption also declined from 39% to 34%. " "Ne pas stigmatiser nos 9 millions de compatriotes musulmans": le revirement de Bayrou sur le port du voile dans le sport" . RMC Sport (in French). 1 April 2025 . "Port du voile dans le sport : "Il ne faut pas stigmatiser nos 9 millions de compatriotes musulmans !" François Bayrou ralentit-il le vote de cette loi ?" . ladepeche.fr (in French) . "« Ne pas stigmatiser 9 millions de musulmans », dit Bayrou sur le port du voile dans le sport" . L'Islam en France et les réactions aux attentats du 11 septembre 2001, Résultats détaillés, Ifop , HV/LDV No.1-33-1, 28 September 2001 There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).