Austrian law rules imams must be able to speak German

[Melech 9,900]

 

 

Austria's parliament has passed a bill amending historical laws on Muslim organisations which will ban foreign sources of financing and require imams to be able to speak German.

The text aims to promote what conservative Integration Minister Sebastian Kurz called an "Islam of European character" by muting the influence of foreign Muslim nations and organisations, and offering Austrian Muslims a mix of increased rights and obligations in practising their faith in the central European country.

However, the law has generated opposition from several quarters, including Austrian Muslim groups that call it "discrimination" that imposes restrictions on Islam that other religions are not saddled with.

Mehmet Gormez, a leading Muslim cleric in Turkey, has decried the bill as "a 100-year regression," arguing that no complaints have ever been lodged about the fact that Turkey funds many imams in Austria.

Austria's current "law on Islam" dates to 1912, after the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina by the Austro-Hungarian empire.

The two-year-old bill predates the recent shootings in France and Denmark but is designed to "clearly combat" the growing influence of radical Islam, Kurz said.

Earlier this month, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls similarly raised the notion of banning foreign funding of Islamic organisations.

Kurz says officials in Germany and Switzerland have also expressed interest in the bill.

'Positive approach'

The passing of the law comes amid estimates indicating about 200 people from Austria - including women and minors - have gone to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

A poll published by the OGM institute on Tuesday found 58 percent of Austrians feeling "radicalisation" of the nation's Muslims was underway.

The legislation bans Islamic cultural organisations and imams in Austria from receiving funding from abroad.

It also requires the nearly 450 Muslim organisations in the country to demonstrate a "positive approach towards society and the state" in order to continue receiving official licensing.

Imams will be obliged to be able to speak German under the law.

"We want a future in which increasing numbers of imams have grown up in Austria speaking German, and can in that way serve as positive examples for young Muslims," Kurz explained.

The legislation also accords Muslims the right to consult Islamic clerics on the staffs of hospitals, retirement homes, prisons and in the armed forces.

Muslims in Austria will also have the right to halal meals in those institutions as well as in public schools, and will be allowed to not come to work on Islamic holidays.

Muslims make up roughly 560,000 of Austria's total population of 8.5 million. Most Austrian Muslims are of Turkish and Bosnian origin, as well as ethnic Chechens and Iranians.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2015/02/austrian-law-rules-imams-speak-german-150225174349959.html

 

I hope other European nations will follow that! 

[Nemo 4,410]

I certainly hope not. From a U.S. point of view, this kind of restriction on freedom of religion and speech is very backwards. (Not that there aren't plenty of Muslim-hating Americans who'd endorse it, but it would never get past our First Amendment.)

[teo 609]

I certainly hope not. From a U.S. point of view, this kind of restriction on freedom of religion and speech is very backwards. (Not that there aren't plenty of Muslim-hating Americans who'd endorse it, but it would never get past our First Amendment.)

But how are they supposed to explain to the others what they're preaching? And you guys have the westboro baptist church so it's not like your law is flawless anyway...  

[AlphaMonster 1,806]

I certainly hope not. From a U.S. point of view, this kind of restriction on freedom of religion and speech is very backwards. (Not that there aren't plenty of Muslim-hating Americans who'd endorse it, but it would never get past our First Amendment.)

That is necessary tho ... I have been in central europe so many times, the biggest muslim minority in central europe (germany, france etc) is turkish ...

 

This is coming from a turkish person. Most of the turks who immigrated to central europe was unqualified workers, and immigrated when there was economical crisis in mid-20th century. They were from the lowest socio-economical tier a.k.a. very uneducated... 

 

Education is power, independence and self-defense/security... Education is also a family culture. If you check different researches/surveys, you can see that kids from uneducated families generally tend to be less cultured/educated than the rest of society too... 

As a turkish person, when I stayed in Strasbourg for 1 month, I was even sometimes embarrassed for them, they act that much uncultured, they are very open to manipulation due to lack of knowledge. 

 

And Imams sent by abroad are sent by specific organizations... Think about why logical group of people would do such thing, like why would any clever person care about sending preacher of their religion to another country, if there is demand, there would be supply!!! 

So these organizations are often extremist,and jihadist; they can even threaten national security.

 

I remember, like 2 years ago, there was a news in Turkey, how some imams in Central Europe literally gives pro-terrorist organization speeches to people... While these people who listen to these imams are ignorant, it becomes much more dangerous ... 

 

With this law, government who takes as they should national security as the most important issue will have chance to prevent this manipulation ... Just think generic news about how 2 austrian citizens joined isis...

[Kermit the frog 1,936]

I certainly hope not. From a U.S. point of view, this kind of restriction on freedom of religion and speech is very backwards. (Not that there aren't plenty of Muslim-hating Americans who'd endorse it, but it would never get past our First Amendment.)

 

Yeah, so let's just let them take over the world and destroy European civilisation, CUZ THAT'S NOT BACKWARDS!!!!!!111. Who knows what those people are preaching if they speak arabian?

[Stigma 205]

I certainly hope not. From a U.S. point of view, this kind of restriction on freedom of religion and speech is very backwards. (Not that there aren't plenty of Muslim-hating Americans who'd endorse it, but it would never get past our First Amendment.)

Keep your american "freedom" values for yourselves...In Europe there is a serious problem with radical islam and every possible measure to reduce the risk is accepted. It's easy to preach democracy when you're far away, but Europe is next to the muslim world...

[Luc 4,776]

"Muslims in Austria will also have the right to halal meals in those institutions as well as in public schools, and will be allowed to not come to work on Islamic holidays."

A good deal for everybody. Muslims get to celebrate their own holidays and are supported in their right for religious freedom while integration is supported with German-speaking imams, who are less radical and are themselves already well-integrated into society.

The imams should in my opinion be controlled more and filtered. They're the core problem.

[Morphine Prince 109,645]

I certainly hope not. From a U.S. point of view, this kind of restriction on freedom of religion and speech is very backwards. (Not that there aren't plenty of Muslim-hating Americans who'd endorse it, but it would never get past our First Amendment.)

You shouldn't have mentioned the U.S. People here tend to block out anything you say if you use American values.

[lego 44,165]

Mess. Are they gonna control which language family members of immigrants use between themselves?

Yeah, so let's just let them take over the world and destroy European civilisation, CUZ THAT'S NOT BACKWARDS!!!!!!111. Who knows what those people are preaching if they speak arabian?

You sound paranoid.

It's *Arabic.

The mosques in Western Europe are already bugged and have spies working for secret police of the country.

Learn Arabic or send any orientalist every friday to listen to the sermon, if you're that interested.

.....

What will they do with radical preachers who already speak german and have austrian/german citizenship?

I have read about ME scholars who speak against ISIS and extremism banned from entering UK, while Abu Hamza al Misri, Abu Qatadah, Abu Bashir At-Tartousi and Omar Bakri were for YEARS living on benefits and FREELY spreading hate speech and extremism in British parks.

The language or import from abroad is not the source of extremism.

This law won't even be implemented, majority Pakistani mosque like their sermon in Urdu, Somali in Somalian, Turks in Turkish, Arabs in Arabic, Bosnians in Bosnian. Only if they have an extra translator.

Does this law apply to people of other faiths too? Is it forbidden to talk Hebrew, Yiddish, church Slavonic or Latin? What about financing churches and synagogues from abroad?

It's clearly discriminatory law.

[Melech 9,900]

Mess. Are they gonna control which language family members of immigrants use between themselves?

 

 

You sound paranoid.

It's *Arabic.

The mosques in Western Europe are already bugged and have spies working for secret police of the country.

Learn Arabic or send any orientalist every friday to listen to the sermon, if you're that interested.

.....

What will they do with radical preachers who already speak german and have austrian/german citizenship?

I have read about ME scholars who speak against ISIS and extremism banned from entering UK, while Abu Hamza al Misri, Abu Qatadah, Abu Bashir At-Tartousi and Omar Bakri were for YEARS living on benefits and FREELY spreading hate speech and extremism in British parks.

The language or import from abroad is not the source of extremism.

This law won't even be implemented, majority Pakistani mosque like their sermon in Urdu, Somali in Somalian, Turks in Turkish, Arabs in Arabic, Bosnians in Bosnian. Only if they have an extra translator.

Does this law apply to people of other faiths too? Is it forbidden to talk Hebrew, Yiddish, church Slavonic or Latin? What about financing churches and synagogues from abroad?

It's clearly discriminatory law.

 

 

Imans which are sent by Turkey are also very political. It's time to have a Central European islam, not a turkish or arabic one. 

It will just integrate people more in our society. 

 

Yiddish is German btw. 

[RAMROD 116,998]

Is the purpose of this

because people fear these people

will reach hate speech in language the locals don't understand?

[lego 44,165]

Imans which are sent by Turkey are also very political. It's time to have a Central European islam, not a turkish or arabic one.

It will just integrate people more in our society.

Yiddish is German btw.

There is no islam without Arabic, you want people to lose their identity, just ask them straight to convert to Christianity it's more honest.

Whatever, if it doesn't apply to other faiths it's discriminatory.

I'm sure many Rabbis are political too, but that doesn't bother anyone in Austria.

[Melech 9,900]

There is no islam without Arabic, you want people to lose their identity, just ask them straight to convert to Christianity it's more honest.

Whatever, if it doesn't apply to other faiths it's discriminatory.

I'm sure many Rabbis are political too, but that doesn't bother anyone in Austria.

Just because you speak a language doesn't mean you convert to Christianity. What kind of a comment

Some muslim live in a parallel world here, just because they fail to integrate. One factor is the lack of knowledge of language. 

When they speak german mosque it will be easier for them to understand, imans can be better controlled if they use hate speech etc. 

It's simple.

 

Idk why you bring Judaism now in, it's pretty clear that there are less Jews who are radical in Central Europe than Muslims who are radical. 

Also the most Jews I know here speak German in their services, and no they are not Christians including my grandparents. 

[lego 44,165]

Just because you speak a language doesn't mean you convert to Christianity. What kind of a comment

Some muslim live in a parallel world here, just because they fail to integrate. One factor is the lack of knowledge of language.

When they speak german mosque it will be easier for them to understand, imans can be better controlled if they use hate speech etc.

It's simple.

Idk why you bring Judaism now in, it's pretty clear that there are less Jews who are radical in Central Europe than Muslims who are radical.

Also the most Jews I know here speak German in their services, and no they are not Christians including my grandparents.

It is still discriminatory because it doesn't apply to everyone.

Muslims who attend sermons want to hear Quranic verses in Arabic, not translation in German. They should know German to use it in life, but shouldn't be forced to translate their whole religion to German. Soon you'll ask them to pray in german.

Turks are some of the most moderate Muslims and well integrated, yet there is fear of "hate speech". Like there are no people who understand Turkish. Mosques are open for everyone.

[Melech 9,900]

It is still discriminatory because it doesn't apply to everyone.

Muslims who attend sermons want to hear Quranic verses in Arabic, not translation in German. They should know German to use it in life, but shouldn't be forced to translate their whole religion to German. Soon you'll ask them to pray in german.

Turks are some of the most moderate Muslims and well integrated, yet there is fear of "hate speech". Like there are no people who understand Turkish. Mosques are open for everyone.

 

What is so bad in using German? Bible is also translated in 2385025 languages, so could be the Quran and the services.

Islam need to improve. 

 

Western Turks are good integratead, but there a lot turkish persons as well who are not very integrated and live in a parallel world and never mind that they are themselves discriminatory towards gays for example.