The largest mosque in Bizkaia is nearing its opening in Basauri, set to occupy an expansive 800-square-meter area. This new place of worship will be located on a ground floor between Ibargutxi and Foruak streets, in the premises that previously hosted the legendary People's nightclub of the 80s and 90s, and more recently a DIA supermarket. Mohamed Kasmi, treasurer of the Islamic Federation of the Basque Country (Fivasco) and one of the driving forces behind the relocation, explained that the previous mosque, situated on Pozokoetxe street, had become too small, especially during Friday prayers and Ramadan.
“"People come from far away and have to work during the week, so they take advantage when they can."
The community decided to seek a larger venue and, after consulting with the Basauri City Council and receiving their approval, acquired the commercial unit. Currently, the premises are undergoing renovation to install the worship center, a dining area, and a study space, where extracurricular activities for children, including Arabic and Islamic religion, will be offered. The property was acquired exclusively with funds contributed by members of the Islamic community, as these religious entities do not receive public subsidies.
According to Kasmi, although they had hoped to open the mosque this Ramadan, construction work has not been completed on time. It is estimated that the new mosque, the largest in Bizkaia, will be operational "before summer." The opening of the first mosque in Pozokoetxe ten years ago initially generated some apprehension among residents, but the head of Fivasco assures that "there has never been any problem" and that relations with neighbors are good.
Islam is the second religious denomination with the highest number of places of worship in Bizkaia and throughout the Basque Country, after the Catholic Church. In the Bizkaia territory, there are over thirty mosques, six of them in Bilbao. The one on Fika street, in the Santutxu neighborhood, was the first to open in 1990 and remains one of the most frequented. The one on Concepción street, in the San Francisco neighborhood, is the "most central" and requires two prayer shifts on Fridays and during Ramadan to accommodate all worshippers. Other municipalities such as Barakaldo, Santurtzi, Leioa, Amorebieta, Durango, Markina, Igorre, and Bermeo also have mosques.
It is estimated that about 80,000 Muslims reside in Bizkaia. Mostapha Ait Oukdim, from the Moroccan association in Euskadi, points out that "the community is growing and has other needs, such as the education of children." A 2021 study by the Ikuspegi Observatory and the Pedro Arrupe Institute of Human Rights at the University of Deusto revealed that approximately 1.5 million Basques are Catholic, although only 18% identify as practicing. Islam, meanwhile, continues to grow in the Basque Country, gathering 89,500 people four years ago.
