Karin Vog, research assistant at the Department of History of Religions at the University of Oslo made a statement to Norway's most-read newspaper Verdens Gang, saying  “The great number of Norwegians have chosen Islam since the 1990’s. The number of Norwegians who chose Islam in the 1990’s was only about 500. In recent years, this number has reached 3000.”

Karin Vog continued in her statement “In previous years, Norwegian women chose Islam through marriage generally. But recently, this phenomenon has been changed a lot. Now people specially women, are choosing Islam after studying, researching and becoming convinced.” 

Mrs. Linda Noor, Manager of the Think Tank Minotek Anthropology stated that “The world is getting smaller and all the necessary information about Islam can be available from everywhere”

Norwegian Monica Salmouk, who became a Muslim 4 years ago, stated that she has done a lot of research about Islam and read books and that when she went to the Oslo Islamic Cultural Center Mosque for the first time, she was very impressed and finally decided to become a Muslim there.

Mrs. Salmouk said that she was exposed to many reactions because she was a Muslim and moreover a middle-aged Norwegian spat out her face.

Another Norwegian, Silje Aaliya Nilsen, said that “I was very influenced by Islam and so became a Muslim at the age of 16. But many people were looking at my headscarf with suspicious and curious eyes.  I would like them to ask me questions on the matter and to get information from me"

As a few other examples of those who converted to Islam;

Mrs. Solva Nabila Sexelin, 42,  stated that her family was taking care of  refugee families and that she was influenced by the children of Muslim refugee families and therefore she chose Islam.

Mrs. Sexelin reported that she has been a Muslim for 20 years and wears a headscarf.

Mr. Truls Noor Ahmad Bolstad, 77, one of the first men to choose Islam in Norway, said that he” became a Muslim at the age of 15.

Translated by ÖZDEN ATUKEREN.