started · updated
Germany: Low participation in school-based Islamic religious education
Research indicates that only a small proportion of Muslim students in Germany attend Islamic religious education in schools. While the total number of participants has doubled since 2015 to approximately 84,000, this growth is offset by a significant increase in the overall Muslim population. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) estimated last year that there are between 6.6 and 7 million Muslims with a migration background in Germany.
Availability of Islamic instruction varies significantly by federal state. For the 2025/2026 school year, specific Islamic religious education or Islamic studies were offered in nine states: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Schleswig-Holstein, and Saarland. Bremen and Hamburg offer cross-denominational religious education that includes Islam. Conversely, no such instruction is available in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Thuringia, or Brandenburg.
Participation rates differ widely across participating states. In Bavaria, 15 percent of Muslim students attend Islamic religious classes, compared to 7 percent in North Rhine-Westphalia and nearly 4 percent in Lower Saxony. In Saarland, the participation rate is as low as 2 percent.
Entities
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees · Germany · Mediendienst Integration
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Bavaria, 15 percent of Muslim students participate in Islamic religious education. www.zeit.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Saarland, only 2 percent of Muslim students attend Islamic religious education. www.zeit.de
- [● 12 SOURCES] The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) estimated the number of Muslims with a migration background in Germany to be between 6.6 and 7 million last year. www.fehmarn24.de · www.halternerzeitung.de · www.marler-zeitung.de · www.zeit.de · www.waltroper-zeitung.de · +7 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Islamic religious education is not offered in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Thuringia, or Brandenburg. www.zeit.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Participation rates for Islamic religious education are 7 percent in North Rhine-Westphalia and nearly 4 percent in Lower Saxony. www.zeit.de
- [● 12 SOURCES] The number of students attending Islamic religious education in general schools has doubled to approximately 84,000 since 2015. www.fehmarn24.de · www.halternerzeitung.de · www.marler-zeitung.de · www.zeit.de · www.waltroper-zeitung.de · +7 more