British Bangladeshi - Religion

Religion

The Bangladeshi population is dominated by one religion, Islam. Out of all the ethnic groups in the UK it has the largest proportion of people following a single religion. Nearly all Bangladeshis are Sunni Muslims; the 2001 census in England and Wales showed those who indicated their religion, 92.5% were Muslim, and 1.2% follow other religions (mostly Hindu and Christian). In London, Bangladeshi Muslims make up 24% of all London Muslims, more than any other single ethnic group in the capital. The largest affiliations are the Deobandi movement (mainly of Tablighi Jamaat), the Jamaat-e-Islami movement, and the Sufi Barelvi (includes the Fultali movement). The Hizb ut-Tahrir, and the Salafi movement also have a small following.

Most Bangladeshis regard themselves as part of the ummah, basing their identity on their religion rather than their ethnic group. A majority of older women wear the burqa, and many young women are opting to wear a hijab, a traditional women's headscarf—whereas in Bangladesh, comparatively very few women do so; this has been described as a "British phenomenon". Arabic is also learned by children, many of whom attend Qur'an classes at mosques or the madrasah. Many male youths are also involved with Islamic groups, which include the Young Muslim Organisation, affiliated with the Islamic Forum Europe. This group is based in Tower Hamlets, and has thus attracted mainly young Bangladeshi Muslims. It has been increasingly associated with the East London Mosque, which is one of the largest mosques used predominantly by Bangladeshis. In 2004, the mosque created a new extension attached, the London Muslim Centre which holds up to 10,000 people.