Converting to Islam in Norway: Where to Find Support

Norway has a small but real community of people who became Muslim as adults. If you are one of them, or thinking about it, you might feel like the only one. You are not.

I am a revert in Norway myself. I took my shahada, did not know how to pray, and was too embarrassed to ask at the mosque. This list is the kind of thing I wish I had.

Everything below is based on what these organisations say on their own websites. Offers change, so check the site or send a message before you show up.

Taking your shahada in Norway

You do not need an organisation, a certificate, or a mosque to become Muslim. The shahada is a sincere statement of belief, and it is valid when you say it and mean it.

That said, many people like to say it in front of others, and some later need a written confirmation, for example for Hajj or for marriage. Mosques in the larger cities are used to this. Just ask.

Dawah Norway

Website: dawahnorway.com

Dawah Norway is a non-profit that shares information about Islam, with local teams in several cities. Their new Muslim page lists:

• A “Talk to a Mentor” option for questions
• Free copies of the Quran in English or Norwegian, sent anywhere in Norway
• Guides on wudu, ghusl and the five daily prayers
• Help finding a mosque near you, with teams in Oslo, Østfold, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Trondheim and Tromsø

You can reach them through the contact options on their site.

Konvertitter i Norge

Website: konvertitternorge.no

A free guide for new Muslims in Norway, in Norwegian and English. The site has a step-by-step guide that covers faith, purification, prayer, fasting and daily life. It also lists courses and one-to-one guidance, with availability confirmed when you get in touch, and shares stories from other converts.

If you want to read about others who have been where you are, in Norwegian, this is a good place to start.

Rabita (Det Islamske Forbundet), Oslo

Website: rabita.no

Rabita was founded in 1987 as the first mosque in Oslo that was not tied to a specific nationality or ethnic group. That matters for reverts, because you will not be the odd one out in a community built around one home country.

Their site lists a course for new Muslims (“Kurs for nye muslimer”) and help with taking the shahada. Their Friday prayer information mentions a sermon in Norwegian, which makes it one of the easier places to start if you do not speak Arabic yet.

Rabita is building a new mosque and cultural centre, so check their website for the current address and prayer times before you go.

Islamsk Råd Norge (IRN)

Website: irn.no

IRN is Norway's largest Muslim umbrella organisation. According to its website, it has 85 member organisations across the country, including mosques and student associations. It works on the interests of Muslims in Norwegian society and on dialogue with the wider public.

IRN is not a support service for individual converts. But if you live outside the big cities and cannot find a mosque, contacting them to ask about a member congregation near you is a reasonable step.

Your local mosque

Most Norwegian towns of any size have at least one mosque, and the bigger cities have many. They are often organised around a language community: Urdu, Somali, Arabic, Bosnian, Turkish, Albanian and others. That can feel intimidating. In practice, most mosques are happy to welcome a new Muslim, and there is usually someone who speaks Norwegian or English.

A few tips:

• Try a few mosques. The right fit for you might not be the closest one.
• Go on a weekday first. Friday is packed. Our first mosque visit guide explains what happens inside.
• Ask for the imam, and ask if anyone at the mosque works with new Muslims.
• Women: check whether there is a women's section before you go.

Norway-specific things to know

Prayer times swing hard

In December, the whole day of prayers can fit inside a few hours of daylight. In June, Isha can come very late, and in the far north the sun does not set at all for weeks. Scholars and local mosques use different methods for these extreme times. Pick your local mosque's timetable and stick to it. Our post on prayer times explains the basics, and our free prayer times for Norway (in Norwegian) show today's times for your town, with the rules for light summer nights, midnight sun and polar night spelled out.

Ramadan in summer is long

Ramadan moves about eleven days earlier every year. When it falls in summer, fasts in Norway are very long. Many mosques publish guidance on this. Ask yours before your first Ramadan.

Praying at work

In winter, Dhuhr, Asr and sometimes Maghrib all fall in office hours. Our guide to praying at work or school has wording for asking your employer.

Telling family

Many Norwegian reverts come from secular or Christian families that know little about Islam. See our post on telling your family you became Muslim.

If you are not ready to walk in anywhere

That is okay too. You can pray at home for months before you set foot in a mosque. You can email an organisation before you meet anyone.

Revertly teaches wudu on day one and a first full prayer within a week, in private, on your phone. If you cannot afford it, ask for a free code. And if you run a mosque or community in Norway that works with new Muslims, there are free codes for mosques too.