In recent decades, Germany has been among the countries where the number of Muslims has been growing dramatically. Moreover, the Muslim community in Germany is also expanding due to the so-called "German converters" (ethnic Germans who have converted to Islam). Germans from diverse communities, from social outcast to university professors, from rural as well as metropolitan cities, in both western and eastern Germany, convert to Islam. The subject of the study concerns the features and construction of the religious identity of German Muslims after conversion to Islam, along with the implementation of religious practices. The purpose of this study focuses on the transformation and construction of the religious identity and practices of German Muslims.
Religious practices of German converters evolve over time, being filled with new implications. These changes may be caused by new trends and changes in society, global processes, or personal motives and dreams. Following the religious conversion, German Muslims are gradually making new changes in the Muslim community in Germany, such as the practice of the "Advent Calendar" used by German Muslim women during the month of Ramadan. Specifically, the construction of a new religious practice is based on the use of a model from Christianity. In time, this practice has been adopted by other Muslims living in Germany.
The academic relevance consists in broadening the idea of religious conversion to Islam. Introduction of such terms as "post-conversion syndrome" by the author complements the existing biographical concept in the study of religious conversion, developed by (M. Wohlrab-Sahr 1999). The theoretical framework of the study is based on such works as the biographical approach to the study of religious conversion developed by M. Wohlrab-Sahr, the theory of religious conversion proposed by (L. Rambo 1993), (R. Travisano 1970), and others.
