Claim: A viral video suggests that a significant number of Argentines are converting to Islam, as evidenced by footage of a woman visiting a mosque, converting to Islam, and reciting the Shahada, in accordance with Islamic traditions.
Fact: The video in question is misleading; it was actually filmed at the Islamic Centre South West Ontario on 21 November, 2014. Furthermore, statistical estimates from the Islamic Centre and the United States State Department indicate that the number of Muslims in Argentina has remained consistent since 2019, with no evidence supporting the claim of mass conversions.
On 5 May 2024, the YouTube channel Islamic Vibes, along with various other social media users, released a video (archive) titled “Christians Are Shocked, Thousands Of Argentines Queue To Convert To Islam.” The video featured visuals of individuals, who appeared to be of European descent, visiting a mosque. They were shown engaging in Islamic traditions, including listening to a mosque sermon and participating in a congregational prayer.
Shortly after these scenes, the video cuts to a man on screen who is seen guiding a woman, presumably a new convert to Islam, in reciting the Shahada—a declaration of faith that marks one’s conversion to Islam. As the video progresses, a narrator claims that “this scene was seen at the King Fahd mosque in Argentina.”
Accompanying this narration, the video is captioned with the provocative statement “Christians Are Shocked, Thousands Of Argentines Queue To Convert To Islam,” suggesting a rapid and widespread conversion to Islam within the Argentine population. This claim, as presented in the video, implies a significant religious shift occurring in Argentina.
Fact or Fiction?
Upon investigation, it is clear that the video uses footage out of context and the claim that “thousands of Argentines converting to Islam” is not supported by any recent statistical data.
The pivotal scene of a man guiding a woman through the Shahada, which appears between 0:11 and 0:31, and then again at 3:55 in the video, is misrepresented. This event did not occur in Argentina as claimed. A reverse image search revealed that the footage was actually captured at the Islamic Centre South West Ontario (SWO), featuring Dr. Munir El Kassem leading a Canadian woman in her conversion to Islam on 21 November 2014.
The claim that “thousands of Argentines are converting to Islam” is directly contradicted by the numbers reported by the Islamic Centre and the United States State Department. Since 2019, the estimated minimum number of Muslims in Argentina has been consistently reported at 800,000, and the maximum estimate has remained unchanged at 1 million since 2016. These figures do not reflect a recent surge in conversions as suggested by the video.
Lately, the King Fahd Islamic Cultural Centre and Mosque, which the video implies is witnessing a newfound influx of visitors, has been a cultural landmark since its opening in 2000. Over the past two decades, it has hosted more than 40,000 advocacy activities, as reported by the OIC’s cultural organisation Sawt-Al-hikma. The portrayal of the mosque’s activities as a recent phenomenon is therefore misleading.
Virality
The post has gained significant traction, with over 367,000 views and 12,500 likes on YouTube. It has also spread across LinkedIn, X ( formerly Twitter) and Facebook, garnering more than 60,000 views and interactions.
The claim was also shared on Instagram here, here, here, here, here and here.
Conclusion: The video’s claim that there is a rapid spread of Islam in Argentina, with thousands queuing to convert, is false. The footage used is from a different time and location, and the statistical data does not support the narrative of mass conversions in Argentina.
——————————
Background image in cover photo: Britannica
To appeal against our fact-check, please send an email to appeals@sochfactcheck.com