Credit; Spiegel-Germany
What does Islam look like in Germany? Can you tell if somebody is Muslim just by looking at them? These are the questions that Zenith, a German-language magazine specializing in Middle Eastern issues, challenged German photographers to consider in a recent photo contest.
The first-ever Zenith Photography Competition, offering prizes worth €4,500, was awarded this week, and attracted professional photographers as well as amateurs from around Germany.
Many of their images dismantle traditional perceptions of Islam and offer a more rounded and complex picture of the faith. The German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees estimates that there are 4 million Muslims living in Germany, only half of whom have German citizenship. Islam in Germany is often viewed with suspicion, which can make it hard for Muslims to integrate with those around them.
German media personality Hadnet Tesfai says the competition is an important platform for photographers as it gives them “the courage to present new, unbiased images of Islam in Germany.”