By Anna Reimann
The fundamentalist Al-Nur Mosque in Berlin's Neukölln district focal point draws hundreds of believers. Teachers and social workers are already complaining, the mosque had become a power in the city. Ultra Pious young preacher attract more and more young people at.
A girl, small as a basic student, thin and tightly bound around her head scarf, opens the door. She walks into a room, sits down cross-legged on a chair. Here, behind curtains, sit together four women. It's about the duties of Muslims, praying five times. Therefore, to find "inner balance". New in the round is Abiturientin Yasmin *. "It is the togetherness here," she says. "Outside, I am judged on appearances." She felt very safe in the mosque.
The large prayer hall is filled. Men gather, many in sneakers, jeans. The young imam speaks with rich facial expressions and milled in German. He talks about depression, believe that only Islam can bring salvation. The ARD had filmed the sermon.
There are scenes from the Al-Nur mosque in Berlin. The mosque is the focal point Neukölln district on the edge of an industrial area, the building is a gray concrete block. But the sad facade is deceptive: the Islamic house of worship is full, and the supply is increasing. To internet portals promoting the community to young people shows videos on its homepage conversions to Islam, offers discussion groups where young people can talk about problems. For an Islamic seminary, the community is producing special shuttle service from the Berlin airports available. Service is very important in the Al-Nur Mosque.
And showing effect: for the Friday prayers are about a thousand worshipers, hundreds of students flock to the underprivileged district of Berlin on a regular basis in the church - will be preached in German.
The problem is that Al-Nur mosque is a stronghold of the radicals. To their influence dispute has broken out.
"We do not reach these young people."
social workers, teachers, politicians complain that the mosque rapid gains in influence, "normative (strong) Force" was developing, had an enormous charisma for young people. shall call his name hardly anyone - Concerns about the reactions of the mosque is big. Families from all over Berlin to be because of the al-Nur, pulled into the area, allegedly even from other German cities. Long time since the mosque has become its own power.
In the Al-Nur mosque imams preach fundamentalist extremely strict, ultra-religious Islam - in the direction of the Salafists. Salafis place the Quran literally, their attitude toward jihadism is (holy war) is unclear: most business, public stand against violence, but a minority supports it. Salafists reject integration. The faithful should keep to themselves, the families also. Mixed Class trips are frowned upon, shared physical education of boys and girls a problem. Even within the Muslim community is viewed with Salafists with great distance. Their imams are often extremely missionary, her absolute claim is disturbing, is heard.
fact Salafists have a large supply among young people, not only in Berlin. Parallel worlds are created.
When they return from the mosque to go out into the street, in the normal world, it was like a shock, Abiturientin Yasmin * says in the women's round. The student describes exactly what leaves social workers and teachers are increasingly at a loss. The mosque in groups, are distancing themselves from the outside world, establish a conflict and understand the community as the only refuge, as a home. "We unfortunately have to say quite clearly that we do not reach these young people," said a representative of authorities. She warns of the consequences: some of the young people in Neukölln run into mosques and the ultra-pious, who have always been well integrated and have been a dedicated to a common home in Neukölln would withdraw completely, especially since the debate Sarrazin. "The mix is becoming more explosive."
admit there are problems in the schools, particularly the Arab mothers would always appear uncooperative, complained one teacher. For them, the school was no more authority, if they were the teachers generally hostile. A social worker reported mosque representatives would intrigue to translate conversations with intentionally wrong. The community representatives to be open to the outside refuse, but any cooperation.
"For them we are not real Muslims, it shows on the practice," said the worker, who is a migrant. For violence in schools is not a partner to the mosque.
Imams serve as a social worker at
But not only from the perspective of integration policy is the focus of concern of the mosque. Security authorities have also why the mosque in sight, because a group of Berliners which in 2009 traveled to a terrorist camp in Waziristan (mountain region in northwestern Pakistan), as well as in the al-Nur said to have reversed. Again and again, the town made headlines: the end of May 2010 there should have been for young people with perceptions of the Berlin Constitutional protection in the mosque a missionary seminary. For Christmas, a seminar with the known Islamists Pierre Vogel was planned, which was canceled after public outrage at the last minute, ostensibly for financial reasons. "The mass of young people here will be passed on to hardcore people who use their influence private claims," says one expert. The mosque, acting as a networking opportunity for extremists was a "station pass".
Two years ago, found in the mosque, a brochure that has justified the beating of women. The Berlin Greens MP Canan Bayram laments the way the mosque with women. "The imams feel there is only the men obliged." Women were treated horribly. You've heard of several cases.
as a journalist who visited the mosque is welcomed extremely polite. Equal, the reporter also made to believe how great was their responsibility in reporting how bad the experience with the press in the past.
The mosque is like a magnet
on a green sofa the office of the Imam Mosque in sweet fruit juice Nasser el-Issa sits, black beard, sweater. He was born in Lebanon. The orientation of the al-Nur he calls "medium strict" - unfortunately there is no cooperation with the schools, he would not ask. The mosque, the boys get away from the road, he says. "We have achieved that many young people from crime and drugs have been removed," said Nasser. God directs them to the mosque. "And we know then how can we deal with them, which have become other people." But it will indeed not able to, thus the Imam.
The fact that the young Imam of al-Nur ingratiate as a social worker, describes the Berlin Islamism expert Claudia Dantschke. While the young people would turn away from drugs and criminality, and also try to catch up with training, but would get the same from the preachers, a religious-fundamentalist and anti-democratic worldview missed.
A drug is replaced by another.
"The guys find it fascinating that feel understood because they feel somehow salvaged, even if they are critical and Abi have" a government officials. It is the mosque with skillful maneuvers on Werbezug. Known rapper visited the house of God, the preacher of the al-Nur are young. "They are sexy and cool for the young people." Imam Abdul Adhim especially youth, the Sunday sermon at the mosque, draws the crowds.
The mosque is like a magnet - for small criminal youth, immigrant children from broken homes, but also for German: In search of a new identity to convert to the Al-Nur mosque claims to 10 to 15 people per month. In Neukölln, there is a group in which mothers whose children have converted to Islam to speak about their concerns.
In the Al-Nur mosque, however, will continue working hard to improve a comprehensive youth program. Her feeling was, the greater the prejudice out there against Islam, "the more people come to the Mosque, "says a young woman. She plans to the mosque together with their "sisters" still planning a new offer - a group of girls. "We want to have fun, the girls travel to go camping."
It sounds a tempting offer in the low-Neukölln.
Source: integration problems in Berlin
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