Khola Maryam Hübsch, Writer and speaker
“Does Islam belong to Germany?” It’s hard to believe, but this question has indeed dominated the public debate about Islam in Germany for years.
While a few historians and Germanists would point out the cultural heritage of the Muslims, which affected German literature, philosophy and science, some leading politicians have held the opinion that Islam does not belong in Germany.
However, something changed. In 2013, nearly all prominent nationwide German newspapers headlined, “Islam officially belongs to Germany” So what happened?
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat was acknowledged as the first Muslim association accepted as a corporation under public law. Since then, the Jamaat is equated to the Christian church. Many other Muslim associations have attempted to receive the status of a corporate body for decades because the status is connected to the opportunity to build Islamic kindergartens and graveyards or to teach Islam as confession-oriented religious education in schools but to no avail. Why were all applications of other Muslim associations neglected? Why was the application of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat accepted alone?
In Germany, it is important to have a consistent teaching and organisation for the legal equalisation of Muslim communities with churches. Other Muslim communities have not been able to ensure this to date.
Through the beneficial institution of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat is a unit worldwide, its teachings are consistent, its structure and organisation is consistent and it is independent from the funds of foreign states. It is because of the system of Khilafat that as a consequence, the Jamaat in Germany – although it is seen as minority with its 45,000 members compared to 5 million Muslims in Germany – could achieve something that other Muslim communities couldn’t. Alhamdolillah.
As a result, Ahmadi teachers are now teaching faith-oriented Islamic education in German schools since 2013.
May Allah enable Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Germany to achieve great success by constant attachment with Khilafat and to reach the hearts of the German people. Amin.