Dear Minister Nancy Faeser,

We expressly welcome the ban on the Islamic Centre Hamburg (IZH) and its subsidiary organisations that you have issued and enforced.

We see this as an opportunity to realign Islam policy in the state and federal government and to align it with the interests of all - including non-organised and secular citizens of Muslim faith or origin and an open society based on fundamental rights. Until recently, the previous representatives of the IZH also had a significant influence on the ‘Central Council of Muslims’, which is ideologically and organisationally allied with SCHURA and Milli Görüs.  For example, the head of the IZH, Mohammad Hadi Mofatteh, is still in the country.

The ban on the IZH has also resulted in the closure of the ‘Imam Ali Mosque’, the Blue Mosque on the Alster. The aim of this measure was certainly not to close a mosque, but to limit the influence of the Iranian mullah regime on German society and believers. It was the right decision, and we thank you for it.

According to Islamic doctrine, mosques are not ‘houses of worship’, but places where the community ritually prostrates itself before Allah and ‘the place where the triumphant power of the “best of the community” (Sura 3, 110) is enacted.’ (Tilman Nagel Mohammed, p.964).  Mosques have always been places where politics was proclaimed. A current example: The Turkish religious authority Diyanet and all the mosques under its authority at home and abroad - including the DITIB mosques in Germany - were instructed to hold funeral prayers for the slain Hamas leader Haniya. The lack of separation between religion and politics turns mosques into political places. It is time to change this.

In future, the Blue Mosque can be a different place, a house of culture and prayer and be called the ‘Jina Mahsa Amini Centre’. In addition to the practice of religion, it can above all document and bring to life the long culture of the multi-ethnic state of Iran, its connections to Hamburg and the many exiled Iranians and Iranian merchants.

Such a centre should definitely be designed together with the democratic and secular forces, but also with the various ethnic groups from Iran, such as the Kurds, Baluchis, Azeris and Iranian religious minorities (Sunnis, Bahais, Zarathustra, Jews, Christians, etc.) and the Islamic communities that profess secularism. They have been living here in exile for years, are in opposition to the Mullah regime and have criticised the activities of the IZH for years. 

The idea of transforming the Blue Mosque into a cultural and prayer centre ‘Jina Mahsa Amini Centre’ is inspiring. The support of the German government in establishing such a centre could send a strong signal. The memory of Jina-Mahsa-Amini as a symbol of the struggle for democracy and is a powerful element that this centre could embody.

We are ready to participate in the planning and realisation of a concept. A cultural council, citizens' council or round table could also provide a suitable framework to involve all stakeholders and drive forward the realisation of this vision.

Pending your decision, thank you very much for your attention.

With best ‘Jin Jiyan Azadi’ (Woman, Life, Freedom) greetings from Hamburg

Yours

Dr Necla Kelek, Chairwoman 'Verein Säkularer Islam e.V. (VSI-HH) für Säkularität und Menschenrechte', Mobile: 0176 31223195, vsi-hh.de, neclakelek@outlook.com

Hourvash Pourkian, Chairwoman of ‘Kulturbrücke Hamburg e. V.’, Papendamm 23, 20146 Hamburg, Email: info@klulturbrueckehamburg.de Tel. 040 37 51 73 73

Ali Ertan Toprak, Federal Executive Board, Kurdish Community Germany (https://kurdische-gemeinde.de/), Mobile: 0151 42634054, ali.toprak@gmx.de

Dr Ulrike Becker, Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin,Kleiststraße 19-21, 10787 Berlin

Tel. 030 22412700, Email: ulrikebecker@mideastfreedomforum.org