Farid El Machaoud, spokesperson for the Belgian Muslim League, says that mosques in Belgium don't have enough space for all the believers who come for Friday prayers. In the major cities particularly there's a space shortage. "The Muslim population continues to grow and more and more youth go to the mosque," says El Machaoud. He added that the space shortage is especially felt in Hasselt, Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels, Liege, Charleroi and Doornik.
The imam's popularity also plays a role. El Machaoud says that some imams attract large crowds to their sermons. Some mosques can't handle the influx, while others stand empty.
There are 300 mosques in Belgium, though not all are recognized. There are 5 recognized mosques in Brussels and 6 in Flanders, compared with 43 in Wallonia. The recognized mosques have been recieving a government subsidy since recently. According to Farid El Machaoud the subsidy is not enough, and the procedure to be recognized takes too long.
Source: HLN (Dutch)