Islam in Slovenia

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Islam in Slovenia is mainly practiced by Bosniaks. In 2014, about 48,000 Muslims lived in the country, around 2% of the population. The community is led by Mufti Nedžad Grabus. A few Muslim migrant workers from Central Asia also live in Slovenia, but they aren’t counted in the census because they aren’t Slovenian citizens.

There used to be a mosque in Log pod Mangartom, in the far northwest. It was built during World War I by Bosnian-Herzegovinian troops and was probably demolished after the war.

In 2013, plans began for a new mosque in Ljubljana, to be finished in 2016. The foundation stone was laid in September 2013, and about 70% of the funding came from Qatar. The project cost about $16 million and includes a cultural center. Construction started in November 2013. Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek attended the ceremony and called the project a sign against religious intolerance, saying Europe would be less rich without Islam. About 10,000 other people attended, including Ljubljana’s mayor and a Qatari official. Mufti Nedžad Grabus said the project would help Ljubljana become more open and pluralistic.

The project faced administrative and political challenges in a predominantly Catholic country. In 2004 there was a petition for a referendum, but the Constitutional Court rejected it on freedom of religion grounds. The project was controversial during the financial crisis. At the ceremony, women wearing headscarves were visible.