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Protecting Freedom of Religion: Issues Facing Islam and Other Minority Religions in Europe

The principles of freedom of religion are upheld inconsistently across various parts of Europe. So says Mufti Nedzad Grabus, Co-Chair of the Muslim Jewish Leadership Council (MJLC), and Mufti of Slovenia’s Islamic Community.  In theory, says the Mufti, every European can say that there is a law in their country that protects religious values.  Yet in practice, a look at countries like France (whose anti-separatism bill, critics say, is aimed at suppressing Islam) and Switzerland (whose population recently voted for a ban of face coverings in public, including those worn by Muslim women) has highlighted a growing schism between freedom of religion in principle and freedom of religion in practice.

Under the guise of defending European values, some nations are attacking Muslim culture (through “burqa bans”, circumcision bans and bans on ritual slaughter) and, in so doing, forsaking meaningful efforts to create cohesion among their increasingly diverse communities.  This results in two major issues that need urgent redress at the European level, says the Mufti.  The first is the problem of hate speech, which predominantly thrives online, against followers of minority European religions like Islam and Judaism. The second relates to limitations being placed on minorities who want to practice their religious beliefs.

Mufti Nedžad Grabus, Mufti of the Islamic Community in Slovenia

It is no secret, says the Mufti, that across Europe, politicians have their own agendas for Muslims. “In some places, they actively work to support initiatives that counter hate speech, or protect freedom of religious expression. In other places, they choose to be blind to issues that disproportionately affect Islam, or other minority religions,” says Grabus.

According to the Mufti, a major part of the challenge is the underrepresentation of Muslims in mainstream society, a fact borne out by a 2020 study published by Cambridge University Press, which highlighted a disproportionally low representation of Muslim communities in Europe. “This is the reason behind the lack of Islamic perspectives in the types of repressive legislation now coming into force in some European countries”, says the Mufti. “Muslims need to be able to amplify their legislative voices. That is a crucial issue.  Because, in a number of European countries, they live in marginalized areas.  I don’t just mean physical marginalization.  It’s much broader than that. There are very few Muslim intellectuals contributing to the discussion on how to develop legislation that respects the rights of all people.”

The dearth of influential Muslim figures in academia, politics and culture in Europe, translates to low levels of representation for Muslim priorities in European legislation, adds Grabus.  And the only way this can be resolved is in partnership with stakeholders from Europe’s majority religion:  Christianity.  “We can’t address any serious religious rights issues in Europe without consulting with our Christian friends in the Catholic and Protestant Church.  We need their help.”

Icons like Yusuf Islam (the singer formerly known as “Cat Stevens”) and Mohammed Ali (the boxer formerly known as “Cassius Clay”) are often cited as models of how to translate global recognition into a greater understanding of Islam.  However, these conversions happened nearly half a century ago.  And the stars’ message of peaceful Islam has become much harder to recall than the present narrative of Islam as a security threat, propagated in parts of present-day Europe.  This has resulted in the religion of Islam being framed through the singular lens of a “security issue”. A disastrous narrative, says the Mufti, as it needlessly creates enmity amongst the very societal groups governments must harmonize, if they are to achieve social cohesion.

Minority religious groups – especially Islam – need to engage the right stakeholders, says Grabus.  The right partner is also one who can command an audience. Drawing an analogy between the standing of various religions with the geopolitical power of EU member states, the Mufti says,  “There are countries which, while they are part of the European Union, wield little to no influence.  And the reverse is also true.  When one of the major Western European powers makes a statement, everybody pays attention.  But if somebody from the eastern part of Europe makes a similar statement, or even says the same thing first – no one listens.”

This is not fair.  But, says the Mufti, such is life. “It is why we are very thankful to our colleagues from the Jewish side of the MJLC, and also to our Christian brothers.  The believers, not the politicians. Our partners in the MJLC and members of the Catholic and Protestant Churches have shown that they support dialogue, integration and understanding.”

The Mufti is skeptical of  politicians who center their rhetoric around claims of protecting Christian values, while advocating for practices antithetical to the teachings for that religion. “They say they want a revival of Christian values, yet they speak very negatively about others.  We have the same problem in Islam,” adds Grabus.  “There are those who claim to be Muslim, yet they misuse the religion for their own selfish purposes. The weaponization of religion, in any context, is very problematic.”

Education, says the Mufti, especially in schools, is the solution to the rising tension between followers of faith traditions and an increasingly secular European outlook that is pushing a growing body of legislation to curb religious freedoms. Last December, the European Court of Justice ruled that member states can do away with a religious exemption to ban killing without stunning – clearly interfering with the freedom of Muslims and Jews to manifest their religion through ritual slaughter practices.  “Education can  help us understand that tolerance and social harmony does not come from creating “inferior” and “superior” groups.  It can help us realize that, when we speak against the Other – against Jews, against Muslims, against black people, against different subjects…we create perceptions about the Other that actually lead to tragic consequences and deep divisions in  society.  For this reason, we need to redefine what is happening in European schools”

Mufti Grabus believes that Europe is still a place where people of different faiths can express their religion.  “But we need to be cautious about changing legislation,” he says.  “And singling out one religion for a restriction on their rights to act in accordance with their beliefs.” Looking ahead, the hope remains that all of Europe can learn to move beyond mere tolerance of the Other to a positive embracing of difference.  That is what will sustain authentic co-existence.

By Iris Jumbe

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Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt Reiterates Vital Role of Education in Combatting Hate

Religious hatred often begins in schools. On June 17, the Institute for Freedom of Faith and Security in Europe (IFFSE), initiated by the Conference of European Rabbis (CER), hosted a virtual meeting on how religious hatred can be countered in both schools and the educational sector.

In the online discussion of the Institute for Freedom of Faith & Security in Europe (IFFSE) moderated by the prestigious security expert Peter Neumann, from King’s College London, Co-Chair of the MJLC, President of the Conference of European Rabbis, Moscow’s Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, spoke of a great shadow cast on Europe by religious hatred that is dangerous for society as a whole.

The Vice-President of the umbrella organisation of Jewish organisations in France (CRIF), Yonathan Arfi gave an insight into the situation in the French education sector. “Schools play a central role in the fight against religious hatred”, Arfi stressed. In recent years, however, many Jewish pupils in France have switched to private schools. The background is stigmatisation and attacks. Arfi also recalled the attacks carried out by Mohammed Merah, who killed three Jewish children, their teacher and three soldiers in Toulouse in 2012.

Marcus Scheff, CEO of impact-SE, an organisation that analyses schoolbooks and curricula for compliance with UNESCO-defined standards on peace and tolerance, underlined the power that textbooks hold. “They can serve to either increase the tolerance or intolerance of societies”. He looks with great concern at the Middle East region, especially at the Palestinian territories. “School books there are a blueprint for radicalisation and extremism”, he warned. Values to be taught such as moderation, tolerance and peace-making are completely absent from these textbooks. Even though there has been progress in the curricula in the region and these values are being taken up by some countries, such as Saudi Arabia, there are still negative examples, Scheff underlined. In Turkey for instance, under President Erdogan, a radicalisation of the curriculum is taking place in which jihad is glorified in schools and an aggressive neo-Ottomanism is taught as a central value. Iranian textbooks call for the demonisation of Jews and Israel and convey Iran’s hegemonic claim in the region.

Monika Hohlmeier, member of the European Parliament and former special rapporteur of the Committee on Terrorism, condemned the Palestinian Authority’s failure to act against incitement in textbooks and insisted that educators receiving EU-funds abide by UNESCO standards against hate. She called on the EU’s executive body to ensure funds promote peace and tolerance in schools. “It has to be ensured that all third entities only use Union funds to provide for textbooks and teaching material that reflect common values and fully comply with UNESCO standards promoting peace, tolerance and co-existence in school education”. She emphasised that teaching tolerance should be a priority for every European government, and that no government should allow this vital task to be “outsourced” to third countries.

Yonathan Arfi illustrated how important it is to overcome stereotypical narratives and also to convey historical contexts correctly, using the example of how the Holocaust is addressed in French schools. Teachers often reported that they encountered protests from pupils during lessons on the Holocaust, Arfi explained. Many students had the impression that enough is enough with the memory of Nazi crimes. “But there is a need for exchange, also about the commemoration of historical events,” he warned. Moreover, Jews are often treated only as victims; their positive contributions to French and European culture are rarely a topic at schools.

In general, the issue of hate and false narratives in the educational sector continues to be underestimated. It requires an urgent change of course across the education sector and more engagement.

Peter Rosengard, who founded and chairs Since 9/11, a UK charity which teaches students about the events, causes, and consequences of 9/11, demanded that teaching tolerance and harmony, respect and peaceful coexistence should be the basis of any curriculum. “Just as we are currently vaccinating the world against Covid-19, we must also vaccinate the world against hatred”, he said.

“The most important goal of school education must be to convey a sense of complexity to reconquer lost territories in schools”, Yonathan Arfi pointed out. This also applies to current topics such as the Middle East conflict.

“Education is a crucial key, because everything in life is shaped by the impressions and experiences one gathers as a child”, Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt said. “At the same time, it must be ensured that religious education does not hurt any child, but takes other faiths into account”. The President of the Conference of European Rabbis called also for a better education of religious leaders. “Hate and false narratives increase the danger of growing extremism and terrorism. Therefore, not only students but also religious leaders must be taught the fundamental principles and values of Europe”, he underlined.

END

About the MJLC

The Muslim Jewish Leadership Council – Europe (MJLC) is a leading voice for interfaith dialogue in Europe.  Founded in 2016, in response to a rising tide of populism and xenophobia in Europe, including islamophobia and antisemitism, the Council is made up of nearly 40 leaders and lay representatives of Europe’s Muslim and Jewish communities.  Together, they consult on, and coordinate, interreligious activities at European level in order to encourage trust between followers of the Jewsh and Muslim faiths, and to foster an appreciation for the differences among European citizens.

For media enquiries: office@mjlc-europe.org

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Portugal, Dialogue and Hopes for Interfaith Harmony in Europe

At a time when tensions among religions and cultures are simmering all over the globe, from the fight for racial equity that escalated so dramatically in 2020 in the US, with the murder of George Floyd, to tensions in the Middle East, and the escalating border conflict in the State of Israel in May 2021.  It is easy to come to the belief that harmony among people of different religions, or cultural identities, is a farfetched utopia.  

Yet a look at Portugal, a country renowned for discovery and exploration, shows what can happen when a society sees ‘the Other’ not seen as a threat to be repelled, but rather as a welcome variation on the common themes that unite our shared humanity. 

Rabbi Ruben Suiza leads Lisbon’s Jewish community, and Sheikh David Munir is Imam of the Central Mosque of Lisbon. The two leaders shared their perspectives on why Portugal has been so successful in integrating different religious and cultural identities and what leaders of other European states can learn from the country’s pluralistic success. 

Rabbi Ruben Suiza, Rabbi of Lisbon

“Portugal certainly has a tremendous tolerance. In fact, the country welcomes the idea of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and every other religion in the world to live in peace. It is actually the mandate of the Portuguese government that people of different faiths be granted freedom to express their religion without any hindrance,” says Rabbi Suiza.

Imam Munir agrees that Portuguese policymakers are consultative and inclusive when it comes to minority religions. The military engages him as a cultural expert, before they go on missions to Muslim majority countries, and local leaders, recognizing rising anti-Islamic sentiment across Europe, are quick to reach out to offer support to Portugal’s Muslim community. Even the Portuguese President, H.E. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, is seen regularly at the Lisbon mosque. In fact, in Ramaan 2021, he broke a fast with the Muslim community, an act by a leading figure in national politics, which would be unheard of in many parts of Europe today.

Imam David Munir, Imam of the Central Mosque of Lisbon

But the interfaith harmony of Muslims and Jews in Portugal, seemingly easily won in a country where these minority groups make up less than 1% of the population, can quickly be lost. Look at the plight of Muslims in other parts of Europe, says Sheikh Munir.  From what he terms “religious ghettos” predominantly populated by Muslim migrants, who feel they have been excluded by their host societies.  The Imam is also critical of the propensity for some migrant-led institutions in part of Europe, to create parallel societies within their host countries. He cites an example of a conference on the future of Muslims in Europe that was held in Germany, but conducted in Turkish. Such a move, says Imam Munir, is symbolic of some Muslims excluding themselves, rather than being excluded, from the societal mainstream.

A mainstream into which Portugal has managed to integrate both Muslims an Jews. “In Portugal, the Jewish community records several educational programs that are regularly broadcast on the national television channel, to educate the Portuguese public about Judaism and celebrations of the Jewish faith,”  says Rabbi Suiza.

Indeed, Portugal is a vibrant model for religious inclusion in action.   “Also, government bodies often call on me to give them a background of cultural and faith practices so that when they go to Muslim majority countries, they know how to behave in a way that shows respect to the local culture,” added the Imam.

The Rabbi and the Imam agree that education must be the fulcrum of successful religious pluralism in European society. This education needs to be conducted along three distinct prongs.  The first being to tackle what Imam Munir calls “radical Islam”, fostered by predatory religious leaders who exploit the sense of disenfranchisement among, predominantly young, Muslim migrants. “The religious ghettos, like the ones you see now in Germany, France and England, were created by socio-economic disparity. Some religious leaders take advantage of this and say: ‘Come to my mosque. The Europeans don’t care for us (Muslims). They don’t consider us human. That’s why they don’t help us.’ ”  This messaging, which Imam Munir calls brainwashing, is particularly attractive to first-generation Muslim citizens of European countries, whose parents were born outside the EU, and who are now seeking a purpose, as well as a community in which to belong. 

To counter this, the Imam calls for ongoing support for incoming Muslim migrants to the EU – not just at the port of entry. And also a more robust implementation of integration policies across Europe. “You have to be open in practice, not just in word.  In some European countries, they talk about integration, but it is like if you invite me to your house, and when I arrive, you say Come in, but you don’t open the door.  What should I do then? Should I jump through the window?” asks the Imam.

Creating dedicated spaces where followers of diverse religions feel welcome to practice their faiths, is the second prong, affirms Rabbi Suiza. Citing the example of Mincha, an afternoon prayer that lasts around 15 minutes, and which Jews need to perform at a set time, before sunset, which could be while at work, or out in public spaces. “If the government, or some other authority, doesn’t understand that I need to perform this specific ritual at this specific time in this specific way, then misunderstandings occur.  That is why we need religious education.”

“Once people understand the religious significance of Muslim and Jewish rituals, they will not feel like any of it is an imposition on them,” says the Rabbi. “On the contrary, they will respect it much more because they know the motivation behind it. So if they see a Jew wearing a kippah (a skullcap worn by Orthodox Jewish men), we need to help them understand that we cover our heads because there is a God who is constantly watching us. And if they see a Muslim woman who covers herself to protect her modesty, and maintain the dignity of her body, a body that only her husband can look at, then they won’t be offended by this type of dress,” he adds.

Failure by leaders of minority religions to educate their communities could result in “tremendous anguish to Jewish and Muslim people”, asserts Rabbi Suiza, citing his concerns over growing movements in countries like Belgium, Iceland and the UK to outlaw sacred practices like male circumcision and the ritual slaughter of animals. “We’re not telling someone who’s not commanded to have a circumcision. We’re not saying to anyone who’s not commanded that you must eat kosher or halal meat. We say: Give us the freedom to be able to implement our religious practices for ourselves. We’re not imposing them on you,” says the Rabbi.

The third prong is the need to reframe “the Other”. Since September 11, says Imam Munir, across much of the West, Islam has been perceived through the lens of terrorism.   He sees this need for reframing as a collaborative effort to be undertaken jointly between European governments, and Muslims themselves. Clearly there is a need to find the balance between maintaining national security and respecting a Believer’s rights to act in accordance with the tenets of their faith.   Much of this comes down to variations in Muslim culture.  “You can’t behave like a European Muslim in an Islamic country, or like an Islamic Muslim in a European country”, says Imam Munir. “Also, Islam teaches that love of country is part of your faith. So when young Muslim migrants in Europe reject their European identities, it is actually a rejection of Islamic teachings.”

Europe’s quest for pluralistic harmony will be achieved by striking the right balance between being inclusive of different cultures and beliefs, and upholding the principles of European society. “There should be a desire on the part of those who don’t understand Islam or Judaism to gain the knowledge and understanding required in order for them to come to terms with the realities of what these faith traditions are, and what they aren’t. We do not wish to create antagonistic relationships within European society. We simply want to be able to implement our religious requirements,” says Rabbi Suiza.

“All Muslims in Europe should integrate into European society.  And we must open the mosques, across Europe, to everyone,” rallies Imam Munir.  “Let’s show them who we are.  Let’s create the conditions where people can come to us. Because when they do that, they see that we are just like them. And they are like us.”

As Portugal has demonstrated, true interfaith harmony can only come from understanding one another’s motivations, and protecting the collective space for people to express themselves, whatever their religious background.

By Iris Jumbe

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MJLC Statement on Austrian “Islam Map”

After the Council of Europe and many other institutions and mainstream media criticised the drawing of the “Islamic Map”,  the initiative for the Islam Map in Austria repeats the errors of the past, such as the Minaret ban in Switzerland, the ban against Halal slaughter and the attempt to ban circumcision in other countries. Instead of fighting all extremist tendencies based on radical interpretation of religion, the respective governments have attacked broadside Islam as a religion.

While claiming to seek to analyze so-called ‘good performance’ and ‘dangerous tendencies’ of Muslim organizations, the fact that this crude map includes interfaith organizations like the MJLC, shows a lack of understanding of the Council’s work, and calls into question the credibility of the entire effort.

At a time when research confirms that anti-Muslim sentiment in Austria, and across Western Europe, is on the rise, this map goes a step further by stigmatizing all Muslims living in Austria as a potential security threat, which can further fuel widespread discrimination against followers of Islam.

The vaguely defined concept of ‘political Islam’ cannot justify imposing such discriminatory measures, clearly targeted at a single minority group. We strongly urge the Austrian government to uphold its obligations to respect the rights to freedom of association and expression.