How Somali Muslims Become Christians in Europe

Somali Christians constitute one of the world’s most persecuted religious minorities, yet their experiences have received remarkably little scholarly attention. This book offers the first in-depth examination of conversion from Islam to Christianity among Somalis and presents the first empirically grounded theory explaining how individuals in the Global North navigate this transition and eventually disclose their new faith to Muslim relatives and communities. Focusing on Somali converts living in the United Kingdom and Sweden – the two European countries with the largest Somali immigrant populations – the study sheds light on the complex and often precarious process by which individuals move from initial doubts to open commitment. It not only traces the stages of this journey but also highlights the moral dilemmas, intellectual challenges, social dynamics, and practical decisions that shape a convert’s path. By exploring both internal struggles and external pressures, this book provides a rare and nuanced account of what it means to leave Islam for Christianity. This volume will be of interest to scholars of religion and migration, leaders in Muslim communities, Christian workers ministering among Somali and other Muslim-background populations, as well as policymakers and human rights professionals. How Somali Muslims Become Christians in Europe invites deeper reflection on the lived experience of religious freedom in contemporary societies.