email circulating widely profess the expanding view of many countries that Islam, and specifically Sharia law, are not welcome. Is this true or just some hoax?

We did a little investigation.

Below are 13 countries (in no particular order), plus 21 states in the USA, that we could verify are concerned enough about Islamic radicals to have banned Islam (in some fashion) in their country.

Denmark reject UN demands ‘to help European countries’ by taking in more refugees.

China Bans Islam And Says It Does Not Give A Darn To All The Cry Babies Who Complain

Another African country bans Islamic veil for women over terror attacks; Chad, Congo-Brazzaville

France was the first European country to ban the full-face Islamic veil in public places.

Angola: As of late 2013, the Angolan government does not legally recognize any Muslim organizations; as a result, mosques in the country have faced restrictions and many have been shut down by the government

Cuba's communist government has turned down a plan to open a mosque in the capital.

Japan. While Japan strives to maintain civil relationships with Islamic countries for economic reasons, inside the country, Muslims are required to practice their religion quietly in their own homes and are prohibited from overtly endeavoring to convert anyone to Islam. Out of Japan’s nearly 127 million occupants, only 10,000 of them, less than one hundredth of a percent, are Muslims. Part of that has to do with their ban on Islamic evangelism but perhaps even more so on their ban of Muslim immigrants.

Germany banned all activities of the Islamic State militant group in the country. German court ends ban on Islamic headscarves for teachers

Austria passes law requiring imams to speak German

Poland. From January 1, 2013, Poland's Muslims and Jews were both affected by a ban on ritual slaughter after lawmakers deemed halal and kosher practices "incompatible with animal rights legislation", specifically the Animal Protection Law of 1997. In December 2014, the Constitutional Tribunal ruled the ban unconstitutional on the grounds that it violated freedom of religion guaranteed by the Polish laws and constitution.

Now the Netherlands bans Islamic veil

UK. Ramadan ban part of UK’s profiling of Muslim kids

Pew Research Center publishes findings on European attitudes towards migrants and Muslims

United States. These 16 (21) States Are Trying To Ban Sharia Law. Alabama joined Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee with similar foreign law bans. Other states considering similar bans include Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.