Source: MITTELDEUTSCHER RUNDFUNK
In a part of Erfurt the first new construction of a Mosque is coming up. On Tuesday the foundation stone should be laid. From the beginning the project was accompanied by protests. A review.
By Peter Sommer
It was on 11th May 2016 when the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community first presented construction plans of a Mosque to the public. A construction request was submitted and there were discussions with the town council of the Erfurt-Marbach municipality. A ‘room for ‘encounter’ the Mosque should be, the President of the Erfurt Ahmadiyya Community, Suleman Malik, stated. With two prayer rooms in a one floor building, a dome and an eight meter high minaret. The building should cost 600’000 Euro, the amount being collected from country-wide donations. The land was purchased by the Community for 150’000 Euro from the Thuringer Landesentwicklungsgesellschaft.
Signatures against the construction.
Protests did not wait long to materialize. The opponents of the Mosque collected more than 1000 signatures and submitted them to the local authorities. The argument was that possibly the mosque construction will endanger public security and the rights of neighbors. If necessary relevant laws should be changed on a federal level. This did not happen. After long discussions and hearings the relevant authorities considered the matter as ‘settled’ – against the votes of the CDU political party members.
Laying of the foundation stone of the Erfurt Mosque
On Tuesday Afternoon the foundation stone will be laid in the Marbach part of Erfurt. MDR THURINGER reporter Peter Sommer will be present.
More and original article in German
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Mostly it is now very difficult to get permission for a mosque construction in Europe. After any Ahmadiyya Mosque has opened after a short time all neighbors are ‘relieved’ and ‘happy’. The Ahmadis are a ‘no problem’ neighborhood community !
Allhamdolillah! InshAllah the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will be able to build many more mosques around the world.