Religion and Theology

The population of Muslims living in Denmark is currently 3.7 of the total population and Islam is the largest minority in the country. First generation immigrants are the majority of Muslims living in Demark and they are mainly immigrants from Muslim-majority countries. Muslim immigrants in Denmark exist in three phase the asylum seekers, foreign workers, and those coming through marriage. Many Muslims immigrated from Pakistan, Morocco, Turkey, and Bosnia to Denmark in search of job. This free immigration was stopped in 1973 and by this time the number of immigrants had reached more than 50.000 people. The period between 1980s-1990s saw a number of asylum seekers coming to Denmark. Asylums from Iraq, Iran, West Bank and Gaza came during the 19802, while asylum seekers from Bosnia and Somalia came in the 1990s. Some of the people who sought asylum during this period had been charged with terrorism.

40 of the Danish Muslim population comprises of asylum seekers. Previous immigrants to Denmark have done so for the purpose of family reunification. Family reunification was made harder by the Danish parliament after passing a law in 2002. This law was also passed in an effort to stem out forced marriages by making sure that both parties are above the age of 24 and also requires the spouse to show the ability to support the marriage.

How the western culture has influenced Islam
Muslims living in Denmark are just a substantial and visible community within a country of highly homogeneous population. Most of the first and the second immigrants to Denmark are from refugee camps or in the same rank as a refugee. The western culture has influenced Islam through changing of some of their religious belief. It is common to find Muslim ladies without their traditional head gear in public places. Some of ethnic Danes have a feeling that they are threatened by the Muslim culture and this has set a stage for conflict. Children born in Denmark have been influenced by the Danish culture as Muslim boy are now able to talk and mingle with Danish girls and even intermarriages is possible between the two groups. Muslim ladies are now able to choose their marriage partners on their own without the consent of the parents.

There are also other policies which are aimed at the promotion of competence of Danish language. This leaves the Muslim community with only one option which is to learn the Danish language. There has been much of media attention on the issue of arranged marriages which is practiced by some Muslims as well as Jews, Hindus and other cultures. This activity is fading as many Muslims have been influenced by the western culture. There has been heated debate on the issue of some Muslim women wearing various traditional headgears in places such work place or in schools. The Danish military does not allow wearing of traditional head covering by Muslim women. The same story is in public schools where teaching is only conducted in Danish, and the government is opposed to the use immigrant childrens native language in primary schools in Denmark (Hassan  Abdullah, 2004). However, there are Muslim schools where Danish is not used as the primary language in teaching. In Denmark, there are legislations that control construction of mosques. There zones in the country where a mosque can not be constructed. Mosques exist in Denmark but they can not be explicitly built with the standards of Islam. Until 2009, there was no freedom of practicing Islam until the U.S. Department of State released a report on religious freedom. All these have not changed Muslims that much since they are still in their religion.

How does the new generation see Islam
It is a fact that the new generation is more educated than the old generation. They respect the rights of other people to adopt their beliefs. As such, the new generation has accepted Islam as a religion just like Christianity and other religions. These people have interacted across the culture in social forums and everyday life. They have lived beyond the Christian church dogmas that proclaim their god to be the only god, and Jesus as the savior of the world.

The new generation is open and some of them have even converted to Islam meaning that they recognize Islam as a religion rather than a sect the way Christianity has made their followers to believe. The only part that most of the new generation has denied is the involvement in terrorist attack in the name of Jihad. Some of Muslims commit some evils in the name of Islam and this has made some people to completely refuse Islam (Hassan  Abdullah, 2004). The new generation has realized that terrorist activities are not done in the name of religion but on peoples personal agenda. In the case of Iraq invasion, most Christians and people from other religions were opposed to the idea of invading Iraq. This can show that people have changed their view on Muslims and their religion and they can stand to defend the rights of Muslims.

The new generation still view the way women are treated in some Muslim communities to be inhuman. The practice of forced marriage among some Muslims can be regarded as violation to human rights even though they still practice it. The new generation is opposed to this practice since the practice undermines human respect, dignity, and protection.

Some people have accepted the Islam religion to an extent that they can wear the Muslim artier. In the past, Muslims were not welcome due to their artier which most people saw as uncivilized. There has been remarkable acceptance of the Muslim artier in many countries.

Perspectives
The first generation immigrant held tightly to the Islam law. They did not have much interaction with the western that much. The third generation Muslims in Denmark participates freely in public gatherings such as weddings where Danish friends interact freely. Even though both the generations are still Muslims, the third generation on both sides of the culture and most third generation Muslims attend Danish schools.

First generation immigrants to Denmark are still conservative and hold to the strong religious norms and practices while the third generation outgoing and ready to mingle with the Danish. This third generation has been successful integrated in to the culture of the host community and see themselves as citizens by birth. The new generation unlike their grand fathers is bilingual and this has made the interaction between them and the Danish more easily thereby increasing the level of interaction.
Hassan, S.  Abdullah, S. (2004). Freedom of Religion, Apostasy and Islam. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.