Abstract

Over the past thirty years there has been a marked rise in conversion to Islam in Western Europe and the USA. Unlike the converts one hundred years ago, today’s new Muslims come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are attracted to a diverse array of Islamic beliefs and practices. A growing number of converts are also becoming leaders and spokespersons both within their local and national Islamic communities and in the public sphere. Contemporary Muslim converts, then, are a significant force shaping Islam in their regions.