Number of mosques continues to grow in US: report

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - The number of mosques continues to grow at a steady pace across the US, according to a report that identified 2,769 mosques in 2020.

"This represents a 31% increase from the 2010 count of 2,106," said the report, "The American Mosque 2020: Growing and Evolving," released Wednesday.

"Undoubtedly, the primary driving force for the increase of mosques is the steady expansion of the population of Muslims in America due to immigration and birth rate," it added.

The primary sponsors of the survey include the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Center on Muslim Philanthropy, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) and the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB).

The number of mosque participants also grew, according to the report.

Weekly Friday prayer averaged 410 attendees in 2020, as compared to 353 in 2010 -- a 16% increase.

"Almost three-fourths (72%) of mosques recorded a 10% or more increase in Jum’ah attendance," said the report.

But conversions to Islam in mosques declined "dramatically."

"From 15.3 converts per mosque in 2010, the average number of converts in 2020 is 11.3," it said. "The primary reason is the decline in African American converts, especially in African American mosques."

In addition, mosques are becoming more suburban, according to the report that cites major declines that occurred in the number of mosques located in towns or small cities and downtown areas of large cities.

Mosques in towns and small cities declined from 20% in 2010 to 6% in 2020.

"The apparent cause is the dwindling population of Muslims in these towns/small cities due to the drying up of jobs in these areas and the moves of young adults, children of mosque founders, and activists to large cities for education and jobs," said the report.

"In 2010, 17% of mosques were found in downtown areas, but in 2020 that figure is down to 6%. This decrease is most probably tied to the decrease of African American mosques and the general move of mosques to suburban locations," said the report.