EXC 2060 C3-9 What is preached in German mosques?

Basic data for this project

Description

Muslims in Germany can pray in over 2,000 mosques, and above all take part in the communal Friday prayer, which is always introduced by a sermon (khutba). But what is preached in the mosques? This is something that we know little about. Politicians in particular often call for the sermons to be held in German, which they hope will increase transparency. The idea is that, if the imams preached in German, they would teach an open and “enlightened” Islam. However, it is often forgotten that most Salafist programmes in Germany are already held in German. The language alone is far from being the problem or the key to a “European Islam”. What really matters is the content of the sermons, which many Muslims absorb week after week. Since the teaching of Islam at schools is still far from nationwide, it is precisely the Friday sermons that shape the image of Islam of many Muslims, and that represent along with digital networks the most important means for Muslims in Germany to understand their religion. The project is analyzing the Friday sermons in several different mosques (mainly Turkish, Bosnian, Arabic, but also German-speaking) in various federal states, the aim being to create more clarity about the content of Friday sermons in the mosques. The findings will have great relevance above all for the question of the content of imam training in Germany, but also for the socio-political discussion about the role of mosque communities in questions concerning the integration of Muslims in Germany.