November 12 2010
Amsterdam’s liberal mosque as announced that it will have to close due to an inability to pay rent for its location in a former office complex. The “Polder mosque” opened two years ago and was hailed as a moderate institution in which activities are conducted in Dutch. While coverage from Radio Netherlands Worldwide suggests that the mosque is closing because Dutch Muslims are “not ready for Muslim Islam”, the article quotes Tijl Sunier, Professor for Islam in Europe, stating that “the fact that the Polder mosque is closing due to lack of money says nothing about the feasibility of the idea behind it.” The mosque’s organizers hope to reopen next year in a more affordable location.
