Islam in Italy Essay -- Islam Italy History Essays

Islam in Italy Problems with format 'Like many minority communities of varying religious and ethnic backgrounds, Muslims have struggled to define their place in societies around the world.' As immigration patterns have ebbed and flowed through the centuries, Italy is one of many European countries that plays host to a growing number of Muslim immigrants.? Muslims struggle with identity, intermarriage, gender relations, worship, education, and civil rights in the context of their new country.? These issues are particularly poignant for Muslims entering and living within Italy during this religiously momentous time.? During the past twenty years, Italy has seen a resurgence of immigrants who hold to the Islamic tradition.? For the largely Catholic Italy, the impact of this is immeasurable and has catapulted society and government toward decisions that will forever alter the country (Israely). A Brief Look at an Ancient History Historically, the Italian peninsula has been exposed to Islamic influence since the beginning of the Muslim age in the seventh century A.D. (Matthews).? As Islam spread north and west, the Byzantine Empire effectively remained a blockade until the fall of Constantinople in 1453.? But another road into Europe was open for Islam by traveling across North Africa, over the sea, and up to the island of Sicily and the Italian mainland.? After years of skirmishes, Sicily was taken in 902.? The Roman Empire quelled much of the Muslim activity in mainland Italy, and there are still remnants of Saracen towers, positions to watch for Muslim invaders approaching by sea.? Though the Muslims never gained a strong foothold in mainland Italy, the island of Sicily was securely theirs for two centuries.? Du... ....fieri.it/leggi_e_provv/liberta_religiosa/statuto_giur_islam_en.htm>. Holzner, Claudio. ?Re-Birth of Islam In Italy: Between Indifference and Intolerance.? The Journal of the International Institute. Vol. 3, Issue 2, (1996): 4pp. Israely, Jeff. ?In Catholic Italy, Islam makes inroads.? The Boston Globe. 14 May. 2000. ?< http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/135/nation/In_Catholic_Italy_Islam_makes_?inroadsP.shtml>. Kern, Gunther. ?Italy?s Muslims in Uphill Battle for Recognition.? IslamOnline. 2003. < http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2000-11/26/article4.shtml>. Matthews, Jeff. ?Early Islam in Italy.? 2001.< http://faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~jmatthew/naples/earlyislam.html>. Roggero, Maria Adele. ?Muslims in Italy? Muslims in the West, From Sojourners to Citizens. ed.Yvonne Y. Haddad. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc., 2002. 131-143.