“Humanity and love of neighbor are not only Christian values,” says one of the most famous Islam experts in Germany. DW met the co-founder of the Liberal Islamic Association in Cologne.
DW: your organization brings together Muslims who want to live a modern Form of Religion. What exactly is liberal Islam in comparison to conservative Islam?
It puts: If you want to interpret the Scriptures and interpret, you can try, of course, the Scriptures literally interpreted. Then you are a Fundamentalist.
You can try to transfer the Meaning in the present time, particularly the mind as a medium: What makes sense, what is logical, what is in Today? Then you are more likely to be liberal.
Or you say: I would like to bring some traditions to the present time, but certain values are still very important to me. Even if I had to develop them theoretically, through the mind, I’ll stick with it, so I am a Traditionalist. This is likely to be conservative.
Islam Scholar Lamya Puts
As has been recorded, the message of the Liberal-Islamic Federation from the modern, renewed Islam?
The resonance is positive. It was well received. But of course there are still a lot of work. Most Muslims do not know us. Most Muslims have a hard time with it, even a club or organization to join in. Because basically the relationship between me and God, and can not be organized.
It contradicts the very meaning of life as a Muslim, any group to join in.
So how’s your message for conservative Muslims?
I not only ask for the things that come to us as liberal Muslims. I would like to say again. This is also what you don’t understand a lot of conservative Muslims or understand. If I say: I don’t think it’s okay if women are allowed to teach with a headscarf, I mean, sure me. I don’t wear a headscarf.
And if I call for Islamic religious instruction must be introduced, then I can’t speak for the liberals alone. If I declare otherwise, concerns of Muslims somehow or politically postuliere, is not that the liberal perspective of Islam, but mostly conservative.
That is to say, the accusations that make me Conservative, I would only represent my own Islam understanding is completely wrong. I keep getting in Trouble and death threats, I tend to the conservative, Islam-understanding with a representative.
Turkish supermarket in Bonn
How do you justify your claim that teachers in Germany should be allowed to Wear a headscarf?
In Germany, freedom of religion reigns. We are not agree on whether or not a headscarf can be regarded as a classic religious Symbol, or as a part of its own commitment. For me, it is part of your own confession and not a mere religious Symbol, what you wear on your head – and not more.
Muslims are German. You have just as the basic law, as every other German in this country. And that’s why I think after 14 years of school experience as a teacher that it would be wrong, women with head scarf and access to the lessons. If we start there, the question is: Where do we go then? And where do we stop?
In the German Public sphere of Islam has often been the subject of a heated debate. What do you think of this debate and the criticism of Muslims?
Man can’t write a sweeping criticism about the Islam and how he lives here. Anyone who tries the, of ignoring the differences and different trends and, ultimately, the very own biographical-subjective access to the Faith. I can’t tell you lump All Muslims are this or that. This is absurd.
Approach to Islam: visitors at the “day of the open mosque” in Duisburg
But suffer we, as Muslims, the confusion between Islam and Islamism. On the one hand, by the Islamists, who are trying to do just that, and on the other hand, by non-Muslims, and perhaps Islam’s enemies, take this mixture. You can use this to get into the mood against Muslims. It is so very difficult in these times, both against the one Extreme against the other Extreme distinguish.
The picture in Germany is characterized by the increasing Islamism. Why radicalize, in particular, young Muslims?
The main incentive for radicalisation is certainly not the Religion. At the beginning of the Religion. At the beginning of normal social needs: together, sitting, homework assistance, common sports, Girls… The connection to a group orientation, the community value. I’m finally going to be perceived as a teenager, I’m as a subject finally, someone, what, I’m not at home maybe even. I am looking for a group that perceives me as a young man – in a world that is increasingly complicated.
Globalization is not stopped, the digital progress – I think these are things that concern us all. I believe that young people suffer much more, especially in puberty, when you ask yourself: Who am I and who I want to be?
Islam in Germany changed?
Suppose a young Muslim says: I want to be a modern-day German. It is him – I don’t want to say impossible in German society – but it is made very much harder to be. Of course, you look to the right and to the left and see if there are offers from someone else, says, we are to take you immediately how you are. You don’t have to change yourself for us. As you listen, of course.
What to oppose the radicalization to the best?
I think it is wrong, if mosques to exclude these young people, who have radicalized. So we have not solved the Problem, we have moved away from us. What we need to do but that would be, perhaps, that we would – be assassin or terrorist society outlaw intra-Islamic is much stronger-which is to say, the people declare: Whoever kills innocent people just indiscriminately, can not be a Muslim. On paper he may be a Muslim, and maybe God sees him as a Muslim. But that’s not our Problem.
Within the Church, we need to agree on a clear position: If a young man toying with the Islamism to join, then he must not know he is in the midst of the Muslim Community.
This is a very important process but he has not yet made a sufficient.
Made far rarer of their right to vote in Germany use: for Conservative Muslims
Islam in Germany changed?
Germany is colorful by Islam. Also, if you would call it, perhaps, as absurd, I believe that Muslims represent values, can do our society good, too. Humanity and charity are not just Christian values. There are also Islamic values. Humility before creation – these are things that Muslims fairly in the first place. I don’t think that Islam changed Germany, but that we can find all together here, at least under these values.
To do this, we can and we must make Muslims in our contribution. We need to communities in the same way as the other religion also. Ultimately, for me, this is a sign that we are becoming more diverse and colorful. Our basic law – and this is the great challenge of democracy is tried, every individual to acknowledge and help everyone to get his right. For the Islam, but also in Germany stands for me.
It puts is one of the leading Islamic scholars in Germany. She has published several books on the topic and in 2010 the Liberal-Islamic Confederation co-founded. Puts was involved in the implementation of the first Islamic studies project at public schools in North Rhine-Westphalia. Their liberal interpretation of Islam pushes a lot of criticism from within and your defense of a conservative Interpretation of Islam outside of the Muslim community. After she had received death threats, she had to give up teaching. Nina Haase and Sumi Somaskanda met you in Cologne.