face covering in public which more deepened distance between Muslim and non-Muslim society in help Muslim women in their struggle, they will open the door for the integration of their Muslim society in Europe is large and at the moment the number of Muslims in Europe is around 23 million. Most Muslim women in Europe living in Germany, France and Britain. European Muslim women have an important role in cultural, professional and economical sphere. Muslim women are very influential in Europe and present in every sphere of life. They are often wrongly victimized and presented negatively which makes their life in Europe more complicated. European Muslim women have to deal with prejudice other people have about them as poorly educated and restricted. Despite of their everyday struggle with prejudice, these women are proud of living and belonging to Europe and also proud of being a Muslim.

European Muslim women are a new generation of Muslim women who are economically independent and career oriented, educated and ready to follow their dreams. Still it is very hard for them to face patriarchal traditions and also suspicious non-Muslim society in Europe. Most of them come from poor Muslim families who came to Europe looking for work and a better life for their families. They are ready to take charge of their life but still many of them keeping balance between new lifestyle and religion choosing to wear hijab. Hijab is often one more way they distance them self from non-Muslim society but also showing that they are free to make own choices.

Muslim women in Europe are facing two fronts and struggle on both. One if within their society where sometimes is hard to live as a career oriented woman and on the other side non-Muslim society where they are labeled because of their dressing code and religious belonging. Most governments in Europe started to realize that if they communities into mainstream society in Europe. That on the other side becomes problem for these women because the closer they are to European culture, further they move from their tradition.

Often Muslim women in Europe are discriminated because of the way they dress and that makes difficulties in getting a job. They face double tasks which require from them to be both, modern member of European society and to represent family honor and follow the Muslim street dressing code. There are also a number of women who refuse to have arranged marriage which is a tradition in Muslim society and they decide to marry a person they choose and not their parents.

Some young Muslim women whose mothers didn’t wear veil but they chose to cover themselves completely leaving only face, hands and feet visible. On the other side many young women shifting to a new way of dressing which is still modest but modern which provide more freedom to women and helps to be easily accepted in non-Muslim society.

France in 2010 voted to prohibitEurope and covering

of Muslim women in public became daily topic across Europe. Belgium in 2000 expressed that the veil should be banned and in 2010 that bill almost passed but it was halted to avoid crisis in government. Such politics spread similar views to Italy, Austria and Spain where authorities began plans of proposing similar bill.

Islam was spread in Europe in many ways and in the 12th century was first time mentioned Muslim community. Islam was spread to Europe quickly after establishing when Arabs fought against the Byzantine Empire. They managed to take over Constantinople twice but Byzantines managed to defend and take over control in Anatolia. That way was blocked expansion to eastern Europe.
During the 10th century Volga Bulgarians accepted Islam as their religion and qadis and Sharia law teachers were brought to Volga Bulgaria to make relation with people there and also to build mosque and a fort. There are also mentioned Rus and Muslim traders which were also converted to Islam. In 13th century Golden Horde started its conquer of Ukraine and Russia and in 14th century Mongols accepted Islam as their religion. Between 13th and 15th century more than half of European Russia and Ukraine were under the Turks and Muslim Tatars.
Islam expanded to the Balkans during 14th and 15th century when the Ottoman Empire expanded to Europe. They took Hungary in the 16th century. Their expansion to Europe ended in the Great Turkish War when the Ottoman Empire was defeated and lost most of Central Europe. Over next few centuries the Ottoman Empire lost almost all teritory in Europe and finally 1922 Ottoman Empire became Turkey after collapse.
Between 13th and 15th century Ottoman Empire was spread over Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Hungary, Macedonia and Bosnia. During their retreats many Muslim refugees who were actually those who converted to Islam, mostly followed them. Some number was left in Croatia, Romania, Hungary and Bosnia. Population in Bosnia was mostly converted to Islam and the same happened in Albania. Northern Albania population was Roman Catholic and the Southern Albania population was Christian Orthodox. That way Islam was quickly spread to the Balkans.
The current number of Muslims in Europe is more than 53 million which includes European Union where the number of Muslims is 16 million. More than 9 million Turks living across Europe. Regions in Europe with Muslim Majority are Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Volga region and some parts of Russia. Countries between two continents Kazahstan, Turkey and Azerbaijan also have Muslim majority.
Macedonia has over 30% Muslim population, Kosovo 91%, Turkey 99%, Azerbaijan 93% and Albania 70%. Montenegro that number is one sixth of the total population while only in Moscow, Russia living over 1.5 million Muslims. Some calculations showing that the Muslim population in Europe is growing 6% every year and it is expected by 2100 that 25% of population in Europe will be Muslim.
Islam has changed in Europe making new branches of Islam and each country has different laws. In Albania polygamy is banned and hijab is not mandatory for Muslim women when they are in public. In Poland Muslim society is relatively liberal and there are a number of examples of religious tolerance. They became integrated socially and culturally with Christians who live there and some Muslim women such are women in Lipka Tatar society have equal rights with men. European Islam is trying to combine culture in Europe and Islamic principles.