A group of Indonesian journalists and scholars recently visited Germany at the invitation of the Goethe Institute Indonesia to obtain first-hand information about Muslim communities in the European country. The Jakarta Post’ writer Safrin La Batu explored the various expressions of Islam there as well as the challenges the communities face as a religious minority in a country that guarantees freedom of faith
by Safrin La BatuAn elderly couple relaxed in front of Şehitlik Mosque, one of Berlin’s most important landmarks and best attended mosque. The place of worship belongs to a segment of the Turkish Sunni-Islam community that calls it Sehitlik Camii in their native language. Şehitlik boasts a distinctive architectural design. The huge dome is flanked by towering minarets, a hallmark of 16th and 17th Ottoman architecture. It is a popular hangout spot among senior Turkish migrants. There, they chat and sip Türk çay, or Turkish tea. The Turkish language is a medium through which they can relate to their roots. In Germany, where secularism separates the state from religious institutions, Muslims are divided into various complex organizations. Many are associated with major sects, such as Ahmadiyah, Syiah and Alevis, while others join nation-based Islamic groups. Arabs, Turks and Indone...
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