Islam is one of the most widespread religions in Austria, and the largest minority religion practiced by 8% of the total population in 2016 according to the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

Muslims have lived in Austria since ancient times, as historians mention that the first presence of Muslims on the land of Austria was in the year 895 AD. Which was at the hands of the Asian tribes that inhabited that region (its name was certainly not then Austria), and in the late 15th century, coinciding with the Ottoman conquest, the number of Muslims increased further, and in the late 17th century the Habsburg Empire regained control of the region and Muslims were expelled from there. In the year 1718 AD, the rest of the Muslims signed the Treaty of Passarro, which recognized their right to remain, and in the year 1874 AD, Austria approved the Recognition Law in order for Christian sects to be recognized as well as Muslims, and in the year 1912 AD the Islam Law was approved that regulated the freedoms of the Islamic community.

The rise in the number of Muslims began in the 1960s, when they came to Austria as immigrants from Turkey and also some Afghans in addition to groups from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Their estimated number in 2017 was 700,000 and statistics indicate that the number of Muslims has increased in the last 45 years about 31 times, according to one of the reliable websites in Austria, Statista.

Muslims enjoy many rights under the law of Islam such as the right to practice religious rites, having the Islamic holidays (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha) stipulated by law, the availability of Halal food, and Muslim cemeteries.

In Austria, a citizen is free to practice his/her religious rituals and beliefs provided that he/she abides by the law and the constitution and does not violate the freedom of others.

Source: gmuslim.com