The Federation of Swiss Islamic Organizations (FIDS) and the Coordination of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland (KIOS) announced recently their intention to merge and create a “religious parliament” in order to represent the Muslims of Switzerland and receive official recognition from the state. Andreas Tunger-Zanetti, specialist of Islam and coordinator of the Center for Religious Studies…
The philosopher Şeyla Benhabib has identified a deficit in Germany’s democracy. She calls for the right to vote in local elections for non-nationals – and the same legal status for Islam as for other religions. “From the equal rights point of view, Islam has to be acknowledged as a religious community. There’s room for discussion…
The Belgian Security Service advised against officially recognizing the Attakwa mosque in Kortrijk, saying that there are certain teachers in the mosque who take extreme points of view when teaching Quran classes on Saturday mornings. The interior minister and justice minister Stefaan De Clerck agreed, saying that it is possible that the mosque may be…
There are currently seven recognized mosques and 17 mosques in the running for recognition in Flanders, according to a response given by Marino Keulen, Flemish Minster for Home Affairs, Urban Policy, Housing, and Civic Integration. Officially recognized mosques can be financed by the provinces, have a right to Flemish subsidies for renovations, and a salary…
The king signed a decree granting official recognition to 50 imams working in 43 mosques, recognized by the Wallonia region. The imams will receive their salaries from the state beginning next month, just as Catholic parts do. Five mosques in Brussels, and at least seven in Flanders have yet to receive official recognition.
