Islam in Wales

Islam is the largest non-Christian faith in Wales , with 22,000 members recorded in the country at the 2001 Census. The earliest recorded connections between Wales and the ‘Muslim world’ dates back to the early 12th Century . The first purpose-built mosque was erected in Cardiff in 1947, and prior to that, the first officially registered mosque in the UK. Today, Wales has about 40 mosques, most of which are in Cardiff, with others in Aberystwyth , Bangor , Barry , Haverfordwest , Lampeter , Llanelli , Neath , Newport , Port Talbot , Swansea and Wrexham . The first university in the UK to be awarded by FOSIS (Federation of Students Islamic Societies, UK & Eire) for the best mosque facility on campus was a Welsh University – Swansea, which received the accolade in 2007. In 2008, plans were announced to build an Islamic Centre in Carmarthen. A college for training Muslim clerics has been established in Llanybydder in Carmarthenshire. In 2006, the first scout group for Muslims was launched in Cardiff with over 100 members.

Islam is the largest non-Christian faith in Wales , with about 46,000 adherents recorded in the country in the 2011 Census. The earliest recorded connections between Wales and the Muslim world dates back to the early 12th Century. There has been a Somali and Yemeni Islamic community in Cardiff since the mid-1800s, founded by seafarers to Cardiff Docks . The first purpose-built mosque was erected in Cardiff in 1947. Today, Wales has about 40 mosques, most of which are in Cardiff, with others in Aberystwyth , Bangor , Barry , Haverfordwest , Lampeter , Neath , Newport , Port Talbot , Swansea and Wrexham . Muslims in Wales: A brief history "Somali Seafarers in Wales" .

Bilal Mosque, Cardiff Muslim boys listen to the Koran being read in the old mosque in Butetown , Cardiff, in 1943 Islam is the largest non-Christian faith in Wales , with about 46,000 adherents recorded in the country in the 2011 Census. The earliest recorded connections between Wales and the Muslim world dates back to the early 12th Century. There has been a Somali and Yemeni Islamic community in Cardiff since the mid-19th century, founded by seafarers to Cardiff Docks . The first purpose-built mosque was erected in Cardiff in 1947. Today, Wales has about 40 mosques, most of which are in Cardiff, with others in Aberystwyth , Bangor , Barry , Haverfordwest , Lampeter , Neath , Newport , Port Talbot , Swansea and Wrexham . Muslims in Wales: A brief history "Somali Seafarers in Wales" .

Muslim boys listen to the Quran being read in the old mosque in Butetown , Cardiff, in 1943 Islam in Wales is a minority faith followed by 2.1% of the population of Wales , making Islam the second most practiced religion in the country after Christianity. Wales is also home to the oldest Muslim communities in the British Isles, established during the early nineteenth century by Muslim seafarers in the industrial ports of South Wales.