Religious Freedom, Civil Rights, and Islam in Spain

Despite legislative attempts to facilitate freedom of religious practice for Muslims in Spain, the current challenges exceed the scope of legal recognition and lie within the political and social spheres, as well as education and research. In addition to the lack of compliance with civil and religious rights formally granted since 1992 – e.g., access to cemetery space for Islamic rite burials or the availability of halal menus at publicly funded schools—, a large part of Muslims in Spain face discriminatory practices such as foreignization and criminalization, which limit their capacity to participate like other citizens in Spanish society. Circumventing the sole interlocutor appointed by the State, a number of Muslim civil organisations have joined forces to fight anti-Muslim discrimination and secure recognition of their citizenship in law and practice. The State and its institutions should assume their responsibility in the construction of alterity of Muslims and guarantee compliance with the civil and religious rights of its Muslim population.