The presence of the Muslims and Islam in the Netherlands is a social and historical fact. Since the 60’s, Muslims have been allowed to establish their own mosques, foundations, and organizations by virtue of the Dutch law. In consonance with constitutional rights, Muslims have very recently founded Islamic primary and secondary schools within the framework of the financial support of the Dutch government and under the laws organizing the educational system in the Netherlands. Since 1997, the IUR has been founded as a result of initiatives taken by Muslims living in the Netherlands. Since then, the IUR is established as a Dutch University and more importantly as an intellectual contribution of Muslims to the Dutch society. There has been a general agreement among the founders, being responsible citizens, as regard the IUR as a social necessity for Muslims and non-Muslims in the Dutch society. There are currently more than 900.000 Muslims living in the Netherlands. With a view to fulfill the social and religious needs of the Muslims, the University can make, for instance, contributions with respect to imam and moral guide education for candidates whose starting point has been the Dutch school education. In the Netherlands, most Muslims stem from a migration background. Consequently, they are found in a disadvantageous situation in almost all the vital fields: education, labor, income, and health. Rather than passive migrants, Dutch Muslims have expectations to act as responsible Dutch citizens of the Dutch community with their own rights and obligations. Through academic education and research, the IUR aims at contributing to the concretization of the following anthological synthesis: "Live as a Muslim and as a responsible citizen of the Dutch society."

So it has happened...