Muslim Life in Germany - Deutsche Islam Konferenz

Concise profiles of the migrant group 299
6.5 Muslims from South/Southeast Asia
Considerably more than half of the people living in Germany
with a South/Southeast Asian migrant background are
Muslims. This group concerns a total of approximately 165,000
– 205,000 people who originate from Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
India, Indonesia, Malaysia or Pakistan. They make up around
5 per cent of all Muslims living in Germany. South/Southeast
Asian Muslims of the Sunni faith predominate; however, a particularly
high proportion of almost 30 per cent belong to the
Ahmadiyya faith, which is barely represented among the other
groups.
With an average age of 28, South/Southeast Asian Muslims
are a relatively young group who are characterised by a
slightly higher proportion of men. More than half of them came
to Germany as refugees and 15 per cent came to study. The average
age on entering Germany is 18.5 years – slightly higher
than the overall average for immigrant Muslims. 70 per cent of
South/Southeast Asian Muslims are German citizens - a comparatively
high proportion.
63 per cent of Muslims from South/Southeast Asia attended
school in Germany. A substantial proportion previously
attended school in their country of origin. The standard of
school education is relatively high. Around 75 per cent have
an high or intermediate school-leaving qualification. At 43 per
cent, the proportion of gainfully employed Muslims from South/
Southeast Asia is relatively low. This is largely due to the fact
that a third are still in training. The high importance that the
South/Southeast Asian Muslims living here attach to training is
particularly striking with regard to women. The proportion of
women in training is higher than for all other groups. The high