Muslim Life in Germany - Deutsche Islam Konferenz

304 Concise profiles of the migrant groups
Muslims from other parts of Africa are similarly devout
to the group of Muslims as a whole. 87 per cent are very or extremely
devout. They practice their faith exceptionally actively.
More than half of them pray daily, almost half of them frequently
attend religious events and a good three quarters observe
religious rules pertaining to food and drink.
With regard to the frequency of contact with Germans
among family or relatives, the neighbourhood, the workplace
and friends, Muslims from other parts of Africa are shown to be
relatively isolated. However, the lack of contact with Germans
seems to be less the result of disassociation processes and rather
due to a lack of opportunities. This is the group that most frequently
expresses the wish to have more contact with Germans.
6.9 Alevis
The group of Alevis migrated from Turkey and has a special
position among Muslims. Their faith differs markedly from
orthodox Islam. Notwithstanding the fact that the affiliation of
Alevism to Islam is controversial among the Alevis themselves,
this study shows that the majority of them regard themselves as
Muslims. If the Alevis are counted as Muslims, at 13 per cent they
make up the second largest faith group after Sunnis. A total of
between 480,000 and 552,000 Alevis live in Germany and more
than 95 per cent of these come from Turkey.
Around three quarters of Alevis have their own experience
of migration and were born abroad. Slightly more than
half of Alevis have taken on German nationality or acquired it
at birth, subject to the statutory obligation to choose between
German or foreign nationality by the age of 23. At 33.2 years,
the average age is higher than that of both Turkish Muslims and