The Muslim Minority in Germany. Mosques as a place of radicalisation and integration

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Essay from the year 2017 in the subject Orientalism / Sinology - Islamic Studies, grade: 10, , language: English, abstract: On the 19th December 2016, Tunisian national Anis Amri drove deliberately with a hijacked truck into the Christmas Market at the Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, killing 12 and injuring more than 50 people. In the morning he had been visiting the Mosque Fussilet 33, which according to the police was a meeting point for Islamists. The terror attack triggered a public outcry and led to an increasing securitisation of Islam in public debates. Mosques as a contact point - both for Muslims in Germany and for those which come as migrants - thus form a special point of interest to be able to understand which values and beliefs influence Muslims in Germany. To this end, this paper investigates the potential of Mosques for both radicalisation and integration. It firstly analyses the factors that facilitate radicalisation, and secondly offers ideas on how to use mosques for integration, particularly pointing out the special responsibility of Imams. To offer a well-balanced analysis, this paper employs quantitative sources such as official data by the Ministry of Migration and Refugees and qualitative sources including speeches held at the German Islamic Conference and the work of Islamic Studies scholars. This paper argues that Mosques are of great influence as they form a contact point for Muslims in Germany and offer guidelines and lifestyle advice. Mosques thus have great potential: as a place for radicalisation but also as a place for integration. Mosques can be used by Salafists and radical returnees from fighting to promote a radical agenda. To use the 'positive' potential for integration, the role of the imam is of particular significance, here it is essential that the imam is integrated both into his home and host society, in order to function as a bridge. Furthermore, the potential of women has to be further expanded, to enable them to take on more active roles in shaping the community. This paper is structured as followed: firstly, an overview is given on the emergence of Islam in Germany, the organisation and the role of Mosques and the function of Imams. In the analytical section, the potential for radicalisation is first explored, followed by an outline of the potential for integration, including ideas of how to fully use this positive potential.