Germany
Germany, officially Federal Republic of Germany is a European country, situated in north-central[1] Europe and includes 16 constituent states and covers an area of 357,021 square kilometers. Its capital and largest city is Berlin. With estimated 81 million of inhabitants, Germany is the most populous member state in the European Union.
Ottomans prisoners of war and Turkish and Iranian immigrants have made Islam a noticeable religion in Germany. Currently forty thousand Shi'a Muslims are living in this country. The Islamic Centre of Hamburg and the Scientific-Islamic Academy] are the main Shi'a centers in Germany.
Geography
Germany is bounded at its extreme north on the Jutland peninsula by Denmark. East and west of the peninsula, the Baltic Sea and North Sea coasts, respectively, complete the northern border. To the west, Germany borders The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg; to the southwest it borders France. Germany shares its entire southern boundary with Switzerland and Austria. In the southeast the border with the Czech Republic.[2] German territory covers 357,021 square kilometers and its population is estimated 81 million in 2014.
Islam in Germany
First appearance of Muslims in German-speaking countries goes back to Ottomans' prisoners of war after they conquered Balkan. Population of Muslims in Germany was not significant until 1960s. In 1958, refugees from USSR and Yugoslavia have formed a religious office for Muslims' refugees in Federal Republic of Germany in Berlin while their number was increasing regularly. Having been the third major religious group in Germany after Protestants and Catholics, Muslims are followed then by less number of Buddhism and Jewish followers.
Currently, officially eighteen mosques exist in Germany.
Population of Muslims
The number of Muslims are increasing more rapidly than any other religion in Germany, as 40% of Muslims are under 18 in Germany. This growth does not necessary only means increase in their number but also it shows tendencies toward Islamic culture are growing.
According to Bulletin reports, more than 95% of Muslims in Germany are foreigners; 76 percent are Turkish, and the Iranians are in the second place, while German Muslims are only 4% of the total Muslim population in Germany. Immigrants from Morocco with 3%, Lebanon with 2%, Tunisia and Pakistan with 1% are the other nationalities of Muslims in Germany.
As estimated in 1995, 2,500,000 Muslims have settled in Germany; while 2,250,000 are Sunni, 150,000 are Alids, 40,000 are Twelver Shi'a, 10,000 are Ahmadiyya and few number are Isma'ilis. But According to the latest research in 2009, almost 5.4 million Muslims were living in Germany with two third of them are Sunni.
Shi'a in Germany
Turkish immigrants are the bulk size of Muslims in Germany. Shi'a and Alids among these Muslims have established Shi'ite centers in Germany. Also a number of Sunni Muslims gradually converted to Shi'ism who are called Mustabrisun; they live in Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Bochum and Frankfurt.
A person called "Mr. Owj", has established Shi'ite centers in Munich, Bochum and Frankfurt in order to encourage Turkish immigrants to be attracted by the iAhl al-Bayt (a). He has managed to convert more than four thousand Turkish families to Shi'ism. These centers were also influential in teaching morality and good behavior to young people. Mr. Owj was expelled from Turkey to Germany due to political reasons, where he became familiar with Shi'ite and Imam Khomeini's thoughts. He has also founded branches in the Netherlands, Belgium and France for propagating Shi'ism. Owj provided situation and conditions for young talented people to study in Iran's Universities and learn Islamic theology. Currently a number of them are studying in different majors in Imam Khomeini International University in Qazvin, Iran.
In addition, Iranian, Iraqi, Lebanese, Afghan and Indian immigrants in Germany have been actively working in religious groups.
Ahl al-Bayt (a) Turkish devotees in Berlin have formed European Turkish-Islamic Union which represents 123 associations among followers and supporters of Ahl al-Bayt in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and France. They regularly hold meetings on methods of preaching the school of Ahl al-Bayt (a) and how to resolve critical issues of Muslims.
According to Deutche Welle in 2009, two third of 5.4 million Muslims living in Germany are Sunni. According to some sources, 500.000 Shi'a Muslims are living in Germany; apparently Alids are not included. Except for those Alids converted to Twelver Shi'ism, more than six hundred thousand Shi'a Muslims exist in Germany. They have founded the Federation of Alevi Unions in 1991 in Koln, Germany, which was formed out of nine Alevid-Bektashi communities. In general categorization Alevis are regarded Shi'a Muslims and they have less significant differences with Shi'ites, comparing to Sunni Muslims. However a number of Alevi Muslims have strong relations with mosques and Ahl al-Bayt's thoughts. They also publish Alevikrin Journal since 1993. Salah al-Din Ilmaz, a Shi'a clergyman deliver Friday sermon in Berlin in three languages, Turkish, Arabic and Farsi due to diversity of attendants.
Mourning ceremonies of Imam al-Husayn (a) are admirably held by Shi'a Muslims in Germany. Shi'a Muslims of Germany, Belgium and Netherlands mostly gathers in a border region of three countries with their families and hold mourning ceremonies in Ashura.
In recent three decades, tens of Shi'a centers have been founded. Shi'a Muslims are mostly living in Berlin and also all over Germany. Islamic Center in Hamburg, Islamic Center in Munich, Al-Mustafa Islamic Center, Afghanistan Islamic Center in Hamburg (with over three thousand Shi'a Muslims), Ahl al-Bayt Center in Duisburg are among the most important Shi'ite centers in Germany.
Converts to Islam
Shi'ism has inspired and influenced German people, and even a number of them are actively propagating Islam.
Dr. Kruger Tariq Rizlouveder, has studied different religions and schools of thought in his travel to other countries, however after he became familiar with Islam and Shi'ism he converted to Shi'ism and wrote the book The Last Christian of Family.
Peter schütt, German poet and reporter, graduated with Ph.D. of philosophy. He was an active member of Communist party but he left them in 1988. He married an Iranian girl in 1987 and converted to Shi'ism after two years. In 1996 he visited Mecca and Medina and performed Hajj. Currently he is an active member of New-Muslim German community and he is working with Dr. Razavi.
Shi'a Cultural Centers
The Islamic Center of Hamburg
The Islamic Center of Hamburg is regarded as one of the oldest Islamic-Shi'ite center in Germany, which is actively propagating Islam and Shi'ism throughout the country. It was founded in 1953 in Hamburg, with great support of Iranian donors in Germany and also businessmen in Iran and Ayatullah Burujirdi, Shi'a Marja' of the time.
The Islamic center of Hamburg, one of the most important Islamic centers in Germany has been actively engaged in preaching and doing scientific researches. Every Friday hundreds of Shi'a Muslims attend the Friday Prayer which is arranged by this center. The sermons (Khutba) are delivered in three languages: Farsi, Arabic and German. This center has also published a journal in German and then distributed among Muslims and also followers of other dominations.
The Islamic center of Hamburg also hold scientific conferences and seminars with representatives of 120 Shi'a centers in Germany in order to examine situation of Muslims especially Shi'as all over the Europe. They also publish a theological and Islamic journal called Wa al-Fajr in 58 pages and three thousand editions.
Islamic Academy
The Islamic Scientific Academy was founded in 1978 in Cologne. Then in 1995 it was moved to Hamburg. Professor 'Abd al-Jawad Falaturi recognized essential need of western academic communities in introducing Islamic theology and he founded this Academy. Falaturi was a well-known scientific figure and researcher who made great efforts in introducing Islam and Shi'ism in Germany in recent decades. Most of his activities were done in his library in Koln.
After Falaturi passed away in 1996, according to his will, his academy and his rich library were moved and renamed under the name of Islamic Center of Hamburg. In addition, Islamic Center of Hamburg tried to continue and revive scientific and educational activities of Falaturi which were proceeded slowly in the end of his lifetime.
Other Centers
In addition to Hamburg, a large number of Shi'a Muslims are living in Berlin. After significant efforts made by Iran on cultural activities, German people became familiar with Iran, Islam and also Shi'ism; for instance a library with thousands of journals and books was built there.
Different Shi'a institutions are founded by Arabs and Iranians including, German Muslim Women which is active in Al-Kawthar Institution, they also publish a journal.
Dr. Muhammad Amir Misri who was a Shafi'i converted to Shiism, founded an Islamic institution in Berlin with the support of a number of Marja's in order to preach Islamic values and teachings.
Shi'ite Cultural Center or Al-Turath Cultural Center includes Shi'a Muslims of different countries and races. It was founded in 1386 in Berlin; representatives from Ayatollah Sistani and Shi'ite Assembly of London along with other representatives from Iran, Arabs and Turks who attended in its opening ceremony. Surprisingly, its building was previously a church which was sold due to financial problems.
References
- The material for writing this article is mainly taken from آلمان in Farsi WikiShia.