Islam in Brussels: Between Molenbeek and the Rest of the City

Islam in Brussels: Between Molenbeek and the Rest of the City

🇧🇪 Since the 2016 attacks, Molenbeek has become, in the international media, almost synonymous with "Brussels Islam". This image is false: the Muslim community of Brussels counts around 300,000 people, spread across a dozen municipalities, structured around dozens of ordinary mosques, schools, and associations.

How Many Muslims in Brussels?

• Belgium: around 900,000 Muslims, or ~8% of the population.
• Brussels-Capital Region: between 280,000 and 330,000 Muslims, or 20 to 25% of the regional population.
• Municipalities with a strong presence: Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Schaerbeek, Anderlecht, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Brussels-City (North), Forest.

Where Do the Muslims of Brussels Come From?

🇲🇦 Moroccan Community (Majority)

Arrived from 1964 onwards under the Belgium–Morocco agreements. Origins: Rif, Souss, Tangier-Tetouan. Rite: Maliki. Two to three generations settled.

🇹🇷 Turkish Community

Arrived from 1964 onwards, Central and Eastern Anatolia. Rite: Hanafi. Strong presence in Schaerbeek and Saint-Josse.

🌍 Other Communities

• Sub-Saharan Africans (Senegalese, Guineans, Malians): Maliki / Shafi'i rites.
• Middle Eastern Arabs (Syrians, Palestinians, Iraqis).
• Balkan Muslims (Albanians, Bosnians): Hanafi.
• Pakistanis and Bangladeshis.
• Belgian converts.

An Ordinary Sunni Islam

• Maliki (Moroccans, West Africans) and Hanafi (Turks, Balkan Muslims, Pakistanis) rites, more rarely Shafi'i.
• Traditional Ash'ari or Maturidi 'Aqīdah.
• Practice oriented towards the five pillars, the neighborhood mosque, and children's education.

💡 Brussels Islam looks more like that of a city in the Maghreb or Anatolia than the clichés conveyed by the media.

Around a Hundred Mosques in Brussels

Great Mosque of the Cinquantenaire

Inaugurated in 1978. Long managed by Saudi Arabia, it has today returned to Belgian management. It is the national mosque (grand Eid prayers, official ceremonies).

Mosques of Molenbeek

Around twenty mosques, mostly of the Maliki rite (Moroccan), and a few Hanafi (Turkish). These are ordinary neighborhood mosques: jumu'ah, evening school, mutual aid.

Mosques of Schaerbeek and Saint-Josse

High concentration of Turkish mosques (Diyanet, Milli Görüş) and Moroccan mosques. The Fatih Mosque in Schaerbeek is one of the largest.

Mosques of Anderlecht, Forest, Etterbeek

A dense network of small neighborhood structures.

Institutional Structure

1. Executive of the Muslims of Belgium (EMB): state-recognized body (funding of imams, chaplaincies, recognition of mosques). Reformed in recent years.
2. Community federations (Moroccan, Turkish, African) coordinating schools and local projects.

In 2025-2026, Belgium implemented strict criteria: training in Belgium, financial transparency, rejection of direct foreign influence.

Daily Life

Halal

• Halal butcher shops in every municipality with a strong Muslim presence.
• Halal supermarkets (Al Boustan, Tazi, Le Marché du Frais, Nour).
• Halal restaurants: Moroccan, Turkish, Syrian, Senegalese, Pakistani, but also halal burgers, pizzas, and sushi.
• Rue de Brabant (Schaerbeek/Brussels-City): iconic Muslim commercial artery.
• Chaussée de Gand and Chaussée de Ninove (Molenbeek): other important hubs.

Schools

• Islamic religion classes offered in public schools from primary level.
• Muslim confessional schools: a few recognized establishments.
• Quranic schools in almost all mosques.

Ramadan

• Community iftars in mosques and associations.
• Improvised night markets in certain streets.
• Many restaurants open after maghrib.
• A very family-friendly atmosphere.

Molenbeek: The Reality Behind the Cliché

• ~100,000 inhabitants, of whom about 40% are of Muslim origin.
• Working-class municipality, high unemployment rate, high density.
• Around twenty ordinary mosques.
• Dense community life: football clubs, homework assistance clubs, mutual aid.
• Neighborhood identity close to Casablanca or Nador, very far from the "jihadist city" cliché.

The events of 2015-2016 projected Molenbeek into the media spotlight. A tiny minority was involved. The vast majority of residents live an ordinary religious practice.

📰 A Moroccan-Belgian journalist summarized: "Molenbeek is 100,000 people. We know about ten of them, and we judge everyone."

Current Challenges

• Local training of imams (Institute for the Promotion of Training on Islam in Belgium).
• Funding of mosques without foreign dependence.
• Religious education adapted to Belgian youth.
• Structural and media-driven Islamophobia.
• Economic insecurity in certain neighborhoods.
• Generational divide.

What Brussels Islam Really Says

• Classical Sunni, within the four main schools.
• Family-oriented above all — the mosque is also a social center.
• Discreet: no aggressive proselytizing.
• Rooted: several Belgian generations, a Brussels culture in its own right.
• Resilient: despite media crises, mosques, schools, and businesses continue.

FAQ

How many Muslims are in Brussels in 2026?

Between 280,000 and 330,000, representing 20 to 25% of the Brussels Region.

Is Molenbeek really an "Islamist ghetto"?

No. It is a working-class municipality with a strong Muslim presence (~40%), with an overwhelming majority of ordinary families.

Is Brussels Islam Sunni?

Yes, very predominantly, mainly Maliki and Hanafi.

Is it easy to live halal in Brussels?

Yes: halal butcher shops everywhere, specialized supermarkets, and halal restaurants in all municipalities.