UK converts to Islam up by 40,000 in a decade, report says

David Sapsted
Jan 5, 2011
LONDON

Unprecedented numbers of Britons have converted to Islam over the past decade, according to a study.

Ten years ago, it was estimated that more than 60,000 Britons were converts. The report published yesterday puts the current figure at about 100,000, with an estimated 5,200 converts turning to Islam each year.

According to the report compiled by researchers at Swansea University for Faith Matters - a Muslim group dedicated to interfaith dialogue -more than half the converts were white, indigenous Britons. Two-thirds of them were women. The average age was just under 28.

The findings were, perhaps, surprising at a time when Islamophobia in the UK is high and when media portrayal of Muslims - converts in particular - is often in connection with extremism or terrorist activity. the rest