Greek Defence Minister Venizelos to the Muslim community: behold the mosque and cemetery
March 8, 2010
Source: inews.gr
© Translation Muslim Association of Greece
The way has opened for the construction of the mosque in Votanikos and the creation of a Muslim cemetery in Shisto, after a meeting held between the Mayor of Athens Nikitas Kaklamanis and the Minister of National Defense Evangelos Venizelos. The problem is that the “path” will pass – if it does – through the middle of the Naval Base, cutting it essentially in two and having already caused “frustration” in the Navy, as beyond the procedural issues, the cost is also high. The Navy, of course, cannot do anything enough though they are annoyed, as it has already been agreed by Mr. Venizelos and Mr. Kaklamanis.
The two sides have also come to an agreement regarding the creation of a green park, area of 500acres, in Goudi. The Minister of National Defence has given instructions for the actions needed, as we mentioned above, the land for the construction of the mosque belongs to the Navy and the launch of solutions for both issues. If this happens then a major problem concerning the Muslim community in Athens will be solved.
We remind that discussions had taken place in 2006 as well as a year ago. Then the matter of direct implementation of governmental commitments to build mosque in Athens and a Muslim cemetery in Shisto was brought back by the Muslim Association of Greece.
The President of the Association, Naim Elghandour, had sent letters to the relevant Ministers of Interior and Education Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Aris Spiliotopoulos, requesting the immediate breakout of procedures required.
According to the information then, the president of the Association had stated that due to the obstruction of the Greek state, Muslims find the opportunity to create informal places of worship “with the difference that they do not have as central reference the harmonious coexistence of people and the good of Greece, but promote their own aspirations for their own benefit.”
For the records Mr. Naim Elghandour, the man who played a major role in the Quran story is Egyptian in origin. He lives in Greece for the past 35 years and is naturalized as Greek citizen. As he stated in an interview, “The Muslim Association of Greece is the largest Muslim union in Greece. Our members are Greek nationals, immigrants and refugees coming mainly from Arab countries. We also represent the majority of informal places of worship in Athens. In Athens today live hundreds of thousands of Muslims, from various professions and social statuses, while thousands of children study in Greek schools and universities.”
The Muslim Association states that today in Greece live roughly 1.000.000 Muslims – that is to say, 10% of the Greek population. It is therefore understandable how important it is to resolve these issues. Particularly, regarding the creation of the first Muslim cemetery, according to information available, that particular land belongs to the Navy but is used by the Army. The municipality requested, the land to be transferred so that the first Muslim cemetery can be created as well as the installations for the combustion of dead; however they examine as an alternative the third cemetery.
Regarding the botanical area, today there operates the Central Marine Car Station, a 20 year old building. If, therefore, the area was freed, the Navy and the Ministry of National Defence have requested the payment of the relocation costs, which makes it almost unaffordable. Regarding Goudi Park, the municipality has asked the Ministry to grant them 500 acres – from the 4500 total in this particular area – so, in cooperation with the Municipality of Zografou, the creation of a single green space. According to the municipality of Athens, that will create a green belt with bicycle paths, and the execution place of Nikos Belogiannis will be designated.
Translated by: Elena Nikolova-Pouliasi
Elena, the Muslim, the mosque and cemetery
February 19, 2010
Source: Protagon.gr
© Translation: Muslim Association of Greece
I have never met Elena in person. We have been talking on the phone for the past two months. She has a bright smile, nice voice and is very polite. She is 23 years old studying Business in England. The only thing I knew about her is that she was wearing hijab. She started learning about Islam from stubbornness. She wanted to prove to her colleagues at university that they were wrong. She studied the Quran quickly to gain more arguments against it, but that made her change her own beliefs and religion.
The last emails we exchanged were regarding the French ban of religion symbols. Elena wanted to point out two things regarding that, the cemeteries and the worship places. I am copying what she wrote to me.
“Greece is the only European country that does not have a cemetery and a mosque. I am a Greek citizen and I pay tax as every other citizen in the country, I obey its laws, I defend its rights when they are correct. What hurts me is the behaviour of the reliable people regarding that matter. What we are asking for is to praise God in its place, to marry and die next to our families as every other human being on that planet.”
”The Muslims in Greece are a minority but not only in Thrace, the northern part of Greece, but also in Athens where they are almost 700.000 Muslims working and living. But except the everyday problems they have to deal with, they also have to consider what will happen with their bodies when they will die. And this is because in the European Athens today there is no cemetery, a basic need for a human being and especially a Muslim. And this is because in the Islamic tradition the body must be buried no more than 24 hours after death and under some conditions. Something that Muslims in Athens today cannot even think or dream of. Nowadays the bodies are sent to Thrace or to the country of origin, if that is possible. What happens though with the many Greek Muslims or with the second generation children that do not know any other country except Greece? Don’t they have that ‘luxury’ or they are excluded from the life circle.”
Greece: the Church, the Mosque and the lost vote
February 10, 2010
Source: Enet.gr
By Thomas Tsatsis
© Translated by the Muslim Association of Greece
Ten years ago, when the issue of the identity cards and the indication of the religion was hot, the former bishop of Alexandroupolis – Anthimos was supporting the position of the official Church in an…unorthodox way.
Referring to a fact that was never clarified if it had a real existence, the bishop was saying that about 70 Muslims that were living in the wider region of Alexandroupolis had asked a “voting paper” to sign their claim to mention religion on the ID cards.
This is the same bishop that gave a battle after – out of solidarity – against the Muslim mosque at Peania, as was ordered by the law that was voted by the parliament.
And now he starts a new battle against the law that gives Hellenic nationality to the immigrants who many of them are Muslims. With a simple argument: “The Church was not asked about that. You can’t bring 700 thousands Muslims in the country and make them Greeks without even asking the Church.”
The Thessaloniki bishop (Anthimos), whatever they charge on him, one must admit that he knows about politics. The governments many times are acting according to the perception of the “lost vote” from the “side-church” that prevails inside the hierarchy. That means that the bishop will shout from the pulpit, the Christian crowd will be terrified, the MPs will feel pressures and they will transfer this to their parties to convey the message.
Thus with the populism of the opposition party and with the fear of the vote that can be lost, the government goes backwards and turns 180 degrees. The issue of the identity cards confirms the above. There were only two or three MPs and ministers of PASOK during 2000-2004 that defended the omitting of the religion from the identity cards publically. The rest had disappeared in order not to be indicated as opponents of the Church.
Four years now the governments do not take over the political cost of the construction of the Mosque at Eleonas as mentions the law of New Democracy government of 2006. But they are also scared to proceed to the construction of the Muslim cemetery in a field that the Church has bestowed! Yes, of the Church!
The government has not many choices. Either they will proceed immediately and solve the problem of the thousands of immigrants – and not only – Muslims that live in Attica and will confront a part of hierarchy in front and behind stage, or they will confront issues that cannot solve.
The scattered mosques-warehouses that are more than 100 in Attica are not under any control. Whatever is heard by “imams” that are self-announced small “prophets” many times are dangerous and cannot be confronted by the police. The legitimacy, the operation of one or more mosques with rules and conditions, official, with moderate imams and not with competing “Mujahidins”, can be a start.
Unless the government is waiting to finish first with the law for the immigrants and after that to take counsel with the Church. And just the day before yesterday the Hoy Synod stated that they believe that the law for the nationalities does not coincide totally with the immigration problem and that the government should consider the opinions of the bishops.
Bishops that “on one hand they preserve the teachings of Christ for love to everyone, on the other hand they do not know the partial national and social sensitivities, thus their opinions should be co-calculated to face such crucial matters.” This is the Holy Synod whose president is Archbishop Ieronymos.
Question to the parliament for mosque and cemetery by MP Gr.Psarianos
February 4, 2010
MP of SYRIZA party, Grigoris Psarianos applied yesterday a formal question to the Parliament about the construction of the official mosque and the Muslim cemetery, as this issue seems to be forgotten once again.
Below you can read the entire question
Question To Ministers
- National Defense
- Education, Life Learning and Religions
- Internal Affairs, Decentralization and Electronic Governing
- Infrastructure Transportations and Networks
Subject: “Construction of Muslim mosque and construction of Muslim cemetery”
The Muslim immigrants that live in our country are estimated to be about 700-800 thousand and most of them live in Attica. According to their biggest organization, the Muslim Association of Greece, despite the fact that they do not face problems with the Greek citizens, the same does not happen with the Greek State, which seems to totally ignore their community.
The proof is in the long procrastination of the Hellenic state to fulfill two major issues of the Muslim community: the construction of an official mosque and of a Muslim cemetery in the Attica region.
Today in Athens there are only unofficial praying places, about 100, and the Arabs, Pakistanis, Bangladesh and Kurds that are the majority of the Muslim immigrants. The Muslims from other nationalities pray at the places of the Arab community.
The places are undergrounds, garages, stores, some are neat and others in a miserable situation, depending on the potential of every group. Also in Athens there is not a Muslim cemetery, nor a section for Muslim burial.
Some deceased are transferred to their countries of origin, if this is possible, as it is very costly. Others have no homeland to bury [their dead] as the Palestinians.
The construction of a mosque is described in two laws. The first was by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2004 describing the construction of a worship place for the Muslims at Peania.
But this plan was abandoned after the reactions of the residents of the area and the Church as well. The second law was voted on in 2006 and described the construction of the mosque at Eleonas.
Also, according to a briefing to Muslim Association of Greece by the special Secretary of Religions Ministry when the minister was Evr.Stylianides, there was a disbursement of 15 million euro for the construction of the mosque taken by the State expenditure treasury, as the law of 2006 describes, and that the only delay was the relocation of the supermarket of the navy base from this area, something that was under the authority of the Ministry of National Defense.
With a relative question from Syriza PM Pericles Korovesis, on March 2009 to three ministries, the National Defense Minister replies that on August 2008 there had been sent to the Ministry of Education and Religions, “document that are mentioned the possible locations that the mosque can be constructed at the Navy Base of Votanikos, as well as the financial demands for relocation of the activities of the Navy to another area…”
The Ministry of National Defense and the navy headquarters are expecting the notification of the intentions from the Ministry of Religions. The Ministry of Environment and Zoning replied that “the issue of the Islamic mosque is being handled by the Ministry of Education and Religions.
And the Ministry of Education and Religions, refusing any responsibility, replies, “We are notifying you that the responsibility of the ministry lies only to the financial management of the Islamic mosque that starts after its construction.”
However, article 3 of Law 3512/2006 defines that, “the construction of the mosque will be done by the administration of Applying Educational Projects of the Ministry of Education and Religions and with expenses of the Program of State Investments.” Nevertheless the minister “washes its hands” while the first disbursement has been made.
A similar case stands with the construction of the Muslim cemetery. The Church has bestowed for this reason in 2005 a field of 30.000m² at the Shisto area. But according to the document of the ministry of internal affairs “after reservations that the Organization “Athena” expressed regarding the suitability of the place in question for the specific usage, from zoning and ground aspect, this case is reconsidered…”
After that on June of 2009 the Church states with a letter to the Minister of Environment and Zoning, Mr. Souflias, that this is a social necessity and moves to the next step. [It] bestows another field in the area and has already prepared and given the blueprint and asks the immediate response of the ministries. Until today the State has not responded.
Because of a multicultural Europe of today, Athens is the only European capital that has not taken care of a place of worship and burial of the Muslim population and because it is an issue of social acceptance and mutual respect to the hundreds of thousands co-citizens, the ministers in charge are asked:
- In which stage are the procedures for the construction of the mosque at Eleonas?
- Which ministry is responsible for the funding of the relocation of the services of the navy that is operating in the area?
- What happened to the 15 million euro that according to the Ministry of Education and Religions has been disbursed by the treasury for the expenses of the construction of the mosque?
- Has a notary action been conducted between the Church and State, with which the specific field at Shisto is being bestowed for the construction of the Muslim cemetery? If not why is it delaying, while the church has all good intentions to proceed with this issue?
- Which ministry coordinates the construction of the Muslim cemetery and when is it expected to conclude the works?
The parliamentarian that asks,
Grigoris Psarianos
See related posts by Enet and Zougla
Rethink’s art picks
January 5, 2010
Source: Zain’s Pics & Text
“This picture was taken at the First Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon Fiesta which was held from 19 to 22 March 2009 in Putrajaya.”
Greece: Religious minorities – second class worshippers…
January 2, 2010
Source: Enet
“If the religious leaders stand to the level of the circumstances, then not only will they prevent the use of religion for other purposes unknown to their mission, but they will promote specific proposals of a flourishing inter-religion cooperation. Such a perspective that can develop through the inter-religion dialogue, is most certain that will be supported not only by the international organizations but from the political and spiritual leaders of all peoples,” was writing at “E” the Prime Minister George Papandreou when he was minister of foreign affairs on January 29, 2002.
Today in Greece the problems of the religious minorities remain unsolved. At the meetings that have the representatives of religions and dogma, most of the time they are focused on the problems that they face with their relations with the Greek state than between them.
Thousands of immigrants
Despite of the fact that the population of “others” has increased dramatically in the last two decades of thousands of immigrants mainly from the Muslim countries, nothing has been done to solve the problems of the religious minorities.
Despite the promises and commitments of the governments of Pasok and Nea Dimokratia, none of the claims has been solved. “E” is recording the problems that Muslims, Catholics and Jews face, who most of them are Greeks and are treated as second class worshipers.
CATHOLICS
They manage without any financial support
Dramatic changes to the Church of Greece brought the massive entering of immigrants in our country
Until recently the Catholics were a small religious minority that counted about 50.000 Greeks and a small number of western Europeans that were in our country due to family or professional reasons. Today only in Athens is estimated that the Catholics are 150 to 200 thousand, while more small Catholic communities of immigrants have appeared at several places in Greece. According to the rules of the Catholic church, those fresh-arrived worshipers, no matter what nationality or origin they have, they do not form their own bishopric, but they belong to the local Catholic bishoprics and parishes. Thus a new status is created for the local Catholic church, a multi-national and multi-cultural congregation at the bishoprics and parishes, where the Greek Catholics are a minority any more (in Athens the proportion is one Greek to nine foreign Catholics).
A number of problems concern the national Catholic church related mostly to the newly-arrived worshippers. And as Greek language is not their primary language, more priests are called from Poland, Iraq, Philippines, Albania, Africa who they find it very difficult to settle and work legally in Greece.
Father Theodoros Kondides, the Abbot of Jesuit monastery in Athens talks to “E” concerning a big challenge, and he clarifies that “the Greek Catholic church attempts to create a Christian community with heterogeneous worshippers regarding their origin, but they are united by the same faith and they belong to the same ecclesiastical body”.
Father Kondides refers also to the financial problems that his church faces in Greece. The church’s income he states, “comes from membership fees and from the exploitation of the real property. They cannot depend on aid from the Hellenic state nor from abroad as Greece is considered a “rich” country – member of the EU and for any support the priority goes to the needs of the poor countries”.
Permanent malfunctions
Permanent malfunctions faces the Catholic Church and due to a not complete and vague legal acknowledgement and a public management, which often is negatively determined towards the “foreign doctrines” and offers very limited financial means. The result is between others that a significant number of ecclesiastic monuments or buildings which is a part of the cultural heritage of Greece as well (in Tinos, Athens, Corfu etc.) not to be able to have maintenance, and they gradually are destroyed. Regarding to this issue two questions to the minister of culture and tourism Pavlos Geroulanos applied recently the parliamentarians N.Alevras (PASOK) and F.Kouvelis (SYRIZA). At both questions it is mentioned the fact that the Catholic church is making constant claims to the related ministers for a long time, asking to intervene to restore the Cathedral Church of St. Dionysius at Panepistimiou Street, that had serious damages at the earthquake of 1999. By not receiving any answer the Catholic Archbishopric expresses their fears that the funding is not approved because they concern a Catholic church and not an Orthodox one.
JEWS
Target of attacks and vandalisms are Jewish places
A veil of silence covers the history of the Jewish community of Greece and only recently the state intervened in order to honor the memory of the oldest organized religious community in our country.
On 2004, with the intervention of the foreign minister of that time George Papandreou the 27th of January was set as a day of memory for the victims of the Holocaust by law 32/18/2004. The first historical report for the settlement of the Jews in Greece lies around 350-250 B.C. Since then the Jewish population increased dramatically in Greece. During the Judaic wars (66-70 AC) 6000 Jews were participating according to testimonies to the construction of Corinth Isthmus.
In the 12th century, it is said that Jews settled in Corfu, Arta, Patrai, Nafpaktos, Corinth, Thebes, Khalkis, Thessaloniki, Drama and elsewhere. Jews also lived at islands Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Rhodes and Cyprus. Those Jews that were called “Romaniotes” integrated in the Hellenic culture, and it is characteristic that they were writing Greek texts using the Jewish alphabet.
A mass immigration stream happened in the 14th century when Jew refugees from Spain and Portugal settled in Greece. The settlement was mainly in Thessaloniki and at cities of Thessaly where the Sephardim Jews brought their language –Spanish-Jewish – and their own customs.
Between 16th and 18th century the Israelite community of Thessaloniki was one of the largest in the world. Significant were also the Israelite communities at Rhodes and Crete.
When the new Greek state was founded on 1830, the Jews enjoyed equal political rights with the rest of the Greeks, on 1882 the Jewish communities were acknowledged as legal bodies.
In the beginning of 20th century, about 10000 Jews lived in Greece. After the Balkan wars (1912-13) and the liberation of the North Greece, Epirus and Aegean islands, Crete (1908) and Chios, the number of Jews reached 100.000.
After the 2nd World War when the Italians (1940) and the Germans (1941) attacked against Greece, 12 898 Jews joined the Hellenic army forces.
During the German occupation (1943-1944), by applying the “Final Solution”, the Nazis launched a systematic persecution of the Jews through Greece by tracking, arresting and exiling them at the internment camps in Poland. Eighty six percent of the Jewish population (more than 67.000 people) was perished during the Holocaust. After the end of the war the Jews that survived and returned back to Greece were only 10.000. This population decreased even more due to the migration of many Jews to Israel and USA.
Today in Greece live about 5000 Jews, organized in nine communities.
Despite of the fact that the Jewish community is fully integrated in the Greek reality, anti-Semitic incidents occur often. Target of attacks and vandalisms are often Jewish places (synagogues – monuments – cemeteries). These concern very much the Jewish authorities that ask from times to times from the state to take measures – but with no response – as the enforcement of the anti-racist laws and the protection and guarding the Jewish places. The abolition of anti-Jew customs as the burning of Judas and anti-Jew references to the Eastern Anthems also concern the community. “The matter of anti-Semitism keeps concerning us. In Greece seems to exist the tendency if racist discriminations other circles there is a anti-Semitic spirit,” states the president of the Central Jewish Council of Greece Mr. Moses Konstantinis to “E” and adds, “There are example cases where cleric, political factors find an opportunity to manifest similar feelings. The trial of the abusive and calumnious of the Jews, and supporter of Nazism K.Plevris was an example. The trial that lasted about two years with all phases with different judges revealed to the public opinion district attorneys that the Jews were deliberately attacked and the final verdict (votes 4-1) to not-guilty of the accused made the district attorney of the supreme court to recantation in favor of the law considering that “the five member interpreted and applied incorrectly the relevant law (927/1979) in order not to validate legally anti-Semitism” Mr Konstantinis also refers to the permanent claim without response of the Thessaloniki community where they ask compensation for the destruction of the Jewish cemetery during the German occupation (today in this place is located at the university) and to the salaries of the rabbis that ask to come from the state budget as already happens with the salaries of priests of other religions.
MUSLIMS
The mosque and the cemetery, promises that are not fulfilled
The mosque and the Muslim cemetery remain two of the promises that gave the governments of PASOK and ND the last decade but they have not fulfilled them.
The construction of the mosque is anticipated through two laws.
The first was of the foreign ministry and on the occasion of the Olympic games of 2004 that took place in Athens and was referring to the construction of a worship place for the Muslims at Peania. But the law is not always a law, as often happens in Greece, and the plan was abandoned after the reactions of the residents of the area and the Church authority. It is characteristic that the bishop of the area on August 2004 had confused the matter of the mosque with the rubbish dump. He referred that time with a written statement “if the government wants to show to the international community that we are modernized as a folk and civilized, let them move away the rubbish dumps from Mesogeia, Koropi and Peania that infect our lungs everyday and humiliate our country internationally and then they can build the Islamic center that insults our spirit and history.”
The second law was voted in 2006. It was announced by the Minister of Education and Religions, Marietta Giannakou, and was referring to the construction of a mosque at Eleonas. For a number of reasons the mosque issue had no luck so far.
Regarding the Muslim Cemetery the development was similar
30.000m² at Shisto
The Church had given a field of 30.000m² at Shisto area in 2005. However after about four years the Muslim Association of Greece that was motivated this, was informed through the answer that was given on May 2009 the Deputy Minister Ath. Nakos that “ the area that was offered by the Church of Greece for the construction of the Muslim cemetery was judged by the authorized services as unsuitable for zoning a cemetery.”
After that, with a decision of the Holy Synod, another field was given again in Shisto area. But until now there is no development at all.
The Muslim Association of Greece addressed once more to three ministers of the new government of PASOK to remind them of the chronic problems.
The first letter dated October 26, 2009 that sent addressed to the education minister Anna Diamandopoulou and after they describe what has happened – and not happened – the last years they underline: “According to the latest formal briefing we had from Mr. Angelos Syrigos, special secretary when minister was Euripides Stylianides, the Ministry of Finance had laid out 15 million euro for the construction of the mosque from the state expenditure fund as is mentioned at “Giannakou law” of 2006 and the only barrier was the relocation of the supermarket of the Navy Base from the area and this was under the authority of the Ministry of Defense. We offered to gather this amount for the relocation that is 5 million euro in order to start the project but our proposal was not accepted. As we realized and as the ministers changed, nobody knew what really should be done and no one was in charge any more.”
The second letter dated October 29, 2009 addressed to the vice president of the government Theodore Pangalos and between others they illustrate a numbers of issues that are really serious: “Many times the ‘imams’ of the mosques project all the time the word ‘sin’ in order to cover their ignorance, cutting the bridges that would lead to the integration with the society. So they find in Greece a fertile soil to act without any control and this is something they could not do at their countries of origin. Also there are several that manage the unofficial mosques that they do not wish the construction of a formal mosque because they will lose their privileges, the influence groups and the fees of the worshipers from the alms money.”
The third letter dated November 11, 2009 addressed to the Minister of National Defense Vangelis Venizelos. In the letter the attitude of the former Minster Vangelis Meimarakis is being denounced, “He showed in fact a great unwillingness to solve this matter”, they refer and later they report, “To our personal live discussion he did not give us a clear aspect nor he directed us to someone in charge from his ministry in order to solve this matter.” The only one who has responded so far is the minister of Defense Vangelis Venizelos who by his associates, according to sources, asked to be filled in not only for the mosque issue but for everything that concern the Muslims that live in Greece.
Thomas Tsatsis – Elisabetta Casalotti
tsath@enet.gr – casalotti@enet.gr
Iman Kouvalis on Muslimas Oasis
December 2, 2009
I was interviewed by Muslimas Oasis so I thought I would share. 
Source: Muslimas Oasis
I’ve had the privilege of working with Iman for the past couple of years doing web design work for her company Optimize It Designs. Iman is a successful and ambitious sister and an inspiration to many. I am excited to bring you this interview where she talks briefly about the flourishing Global Greek Muslim Community she has developed through Greeks Rethink and what it means to be a Greek Muslim.
Tell us a bit about Greeks Rethink, how it started and the work you do for the Greek Muslim Community.
It all started with a question. Where are all the Greek Muslims? The majority of us are scattered around the world but we have a passion to connect with each other. I started two years ago and now our website is a meeting place for people who want to learn about Greeks who have rethought life.
Do you primarily work with Muslims in Greece or Greek muslims abroad?
Our work is for Greek Muslims globally but we are aligned with the Muslim Association of Greece (www.equalsociety.com) who is the association that takes care of the national Islamic issues in Greece.
You’re a Greek Muslim revert/convert mashaAllah! Tell us a bit about your experience as a Muslim in relation to your Greek culture and heritage?
We are between East and West. If you’ve ever watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding, that’s pretty accurate to who we are. Greece brought a rich civilization to the world as did Islam so I enjoy being part of both.
We see a lot of abuses of Religious Freedom around the world, increasingly in Europe, what is the situation for Greek Muslims in this regard?
Greece is the only EU country without a mosque in its capital city. With 700 000 Muslims in Athens, this is a tragedy. The Muslim Association of Greece is working tirelessly for years to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in Greece.
What other sorts of issues do Muslims face in Greece?
Apart from the mosque issue, Muslims do not have a cemetery and have to ship their dead to external countries or at least eight hours away. The hard reality is that Greece has many misconceptions towards Islam but the average Muslim neighbor enjoys friendship with the average Greek neighbor.
What sort of feedback have you gotten about your work? From the Greek state? Muslims? Non muslims?
Through the Muslim Association of Greece, we have had positive attention from major media networks globally, global Muslim networks and Greek authorities. Even many non-Greeks have told me that they visit our website regularly.
In your experience how does the Greek culture compliment Islamic culture, what are the similarities?
Our traditional heritage and etiquettes are similar to Islamic etiquettes, not to mention great food and a rich history of thinking, reflecting and civilization.
Islam spread to much of Europe in the past, what part does Islam play in Greek history?
Islam was part of Greece for about 500 years during the Ottoman Empire period. Today, you can still see remnants of Islam in Greece through its museums, foods and words.
What sort of goals do you have for the future of your work?
Our annual goal includes the building of five websites:
- www.greeksrethink.com (Connecting Greek Muslims)
- www.equalsociety.com (Muslim Association of Greece)
- www.ora-islam.gr (About Islam in the Greek language for Non-Muslims)
- www.islamfriends.gr (Islamic culture and civilization in the Greek language)
- Fifth website is still a secret to the public!
How can other organizations like yours that cater to specific ethnic groups of Muslims learn from Greeks Rethink?
If you want to run a project like Greeks Rethink, the best thing to do is to contact someone who has already done something like this and ask them a lot of questions. Before I started, I spent six months with high-powered people just learning from them. But to give you a few hints, try this: think big, plan big, start small, make a team, get some business skills and make lots of dua.
Tell any Greek Muslim readers out there how they can get involved, InshaAllah?
Visit www.greeksrethink.com and introduce yourself at our forum. Greek or not, I’m sure you’ll be intrigued by what you find at our website.
Bar in Cyprus mosque infuriates Muslims
October 27, 2009
Source: IslamOnline.net (Other coverage in Turkish news)
CAIRO – The building of a bar in the garden of a historic mosque in South Cyprus has infuriated local Muslims who warn the provocative action could foment ethnic tensions in the disputed island.
“What they are trying to construct in the garden of the mosque is not in accordance with the values [of Islam],” Hala Mosque Imam ?akir Alemdar told Zaman daily on Monday, October 26.
Greek authorities in South Cyprus announced the construction of a bar in the garden of the historic Hala Mosque to allegedly serve tourists visiting the site. The decision stirred a wave of criticism from local Muslims offended by the provocative action.
“The Greeks know in their territory there are some traces left from the Ottoman Empire,” said Mehmet Dere, the Head of the Religious Worker’s Union. “They should stop the construction.”
Hala Mosque is the most revered Muslim shrine in Cyprus and an important holy site for the entire Muslim world. It reportedly houses the tomb of Umm Haram, the aunt of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him). Most accounts establish a connection between the site and the death of Umm Haram during the first Arab attempts to conquer Cyprus under Caliph Muawiyah between 647 and 649.
According to these accounts, Umm Haram, being of very old age, had fallen from her mule and had died during a siege of Larnaca in south Cyprus. She was buried near the salt lake and her grave became a sacred shrine. The shrine, and later the mosque and the whole complex, was named after her.
Harmful
Muslim leaders warn the construction of a bar would be hurtful to the relations between Turkish Muslims and Greek non-Muslims on the island.
“Religious values should be respected in order for relations between the two sides to remain positive,” said Yusuf Suiçmez, Director of Religious Affairs Directorate in the Turkish Republic or Northern Cyprus (KKTC).
Cyprus, the Mediterranean’s third largest island, is partitioned into two main parts. The area under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus comprises about 59 percent of the island’s area and is a European Union member. The Turkish-held area in the north covers about 37 percent of the island’s area and recognized only by Turkey as an independent state.
Suiçmez said his directorate has recently filed a complaint at the state offices in Greek Cyprus, but has so far received no response. Imam Alemdar said the provocation move is offending to Muslims all over the world not just in Cyprus.
“If the construction goes on and officials do not intervene to stop it, we would make this incident more public to the world,” he said. “It is not an issue related to the KKTC but to the entire Muslim world. Every Muslim should be paying attention to this.”
Call for Athens mosque by Cairo Imam
October 12, 2009
Source: Ethnos
Muhammad Herzullah, Professor of Al Azhar University – Imam of Hussein Mosque Cairo
The request of the presence of an official imam and the existence of a mosque and Muslim cemetery in Athens expressed in his interview at “Ethnos”, Dr. Muhammad Herzullah, Professor of Al Azhar University and Imam of Hussein Mosque of Cairo. Dr. Herzullah defends the ideals of Islam and states that many times Islam is distorted in the West. The imam also rejects the aspect that the division of the Muslims into Shias and Sunnis has religious base and he supports that in fact there are different schools of Islamic thought.
An interview with Paraskevi Vonatsou
The interview was given in the context of the International Conference that took place in Athens the day before yesterday and the translation was made with the assistance of the president of the Muslim Association of Greece, Mr. Naim Elghandour.
In the Western world many times it is attempted to connect Islam with terrorism. How do you interpret that?
There is not the relevant education to understand Islam. In the countries that the one is connected with the other there is not the right information, Islam is something unknown.
Islam is a religion with high standards, respects for others and all opinions. This is the basis of Islam. I wish there were theologians coming from certified universities to many countries, in order to avoid misconceptions.
Then why there are deaths in the name of jihad?
The word jihad is another misunderstood term of the West that connects it with terrorism. It is a fight, and effort, a struggle. The word jihad exists everywhere: when one is going to study, to work, when one tries to solve problems between people, when he preserves his rights, when he defends his country.
In Athens, where there is not an official imam, is there a bad interpretation of the Quran from those who play the imam role at the unofficial praying places?
This is really very dangerous because anyone may interprete the Quran as he pleases. The authorities of the countries that have Muslim population must take care of the wellbeing of the country and for the harmonious coexistence, they must solve this matter, so that the faithful know which is the true Islam.
Does the religious division between Shias and Sunnis exist, or this is a case of political perspectives?
In fact those are different Islamic schools of thought. This hard rivalry between them is provoked by enemies of Islam, as happened in Iraq, where after the intervention of the foreign powers began the inner fight between them.
What is Islam at last? Is this a religion, and ideology or a way of living?
Islam is the vein of life. What gives life. It respects other religions, wants dialogue and thinking, and adopts the exchange of opinions with other religions, in order to eliminate religious conflicts and deaths in the name of religions.
There is the aspect that the Muslim woman has a diminished role in the society. Is this an order from the Quran?
No, this is a wrong aspect. Islam has given rights to the woman and gives her freedom of thinking and will. For example when a woman does not want to marry someone, she expresses that, she cannot get married by force, also the courts issue divorces to women. The Muslim is also a very good husband.
Polygamy is not derogatory for a woman? Why does it not exist for the opposite also?
I invite you to think which is best: a man to have two or three formal wives with rights at heritage, at pension and fortune or to have mistresses? The vise versa does not stand because a woman is not created in her nature to have many husbands. It is scientifically proven that the woman in her nature cannot marry more than a husband. This does not underestimate the woman. It is characteristic that many women accept the role of the second wife instead of being mistresses without marriage.
How do you comment the fact that there is not an official mosque and Muslim cemetery in Athens?
Greece is considered as the Cradle of Democracy and Freedom since those ideals were born here. I also ask the Greek government to make action those that your country represents. Like in Egypt, we have Orthodox churches and schools and communities and cemeteries.
Muslim Conference in Athens
The different schools of Islamic thought but also the hot issue of not having a mosque and a Muslim cemetery in Athens were the issues that were discussed at the first international conference titled “the Muslim Communities and their Cultural Identity”.
The initiative for the organizing this belongs to the Cultural Center of the Iranian embassy in Athens, to the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic School of Thought, and the Muslim Association of Greece. In the beginning at his salutation, Mr. Yunes, representative of the Afghani immigrants in Greece underlined that Athens is the only European country, despite of the existing laws that has not allowed yet the existence of a formal place of worship and a cemetery for the Muslims.
On behalf of the Muslim Association of Greece, Mrs. Anna Stamou underlined, “Islam is a system of life, not just a religion, and takes part at every aspect of people’s life. If someone wants to be called a good Muslim, he must fully respect the laws of the state in the country he lives.” The result of the conference was read by a professor of Tehran university and concluded that the right face of Islam must be shown globally.
Between the speakers were Ayatollah Akhtari, of the International Committee of Prophet Muhammad’s descendents, Ayatollah Taskhiri, secretary General of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic School of Thought, Yashar Sherif Damadoglou deputy mufti of Didymotiho and the unofficial Mufti of Komotini Ibrahim Sherif, to whom the Muslim Association of Greece kept the distances.
Athens: with their thoughts on the mosque and the grand prayer (Eid Al-Fitr)
September 22, 2009
Source: Ελευθεροτυπία, By Georgia Dama
At “Agora” of Olympic Stadium hundreds of Muslims gathered yesterday at 7.30 in the morning for the Eid Al-Fitr prayer.
They wished to have some say for a prayer place for them as well a piece of land to be buried.
In the front line stood the diplomats, the representatives of Muslim communities. Behind them, endless rows with Muslims coming from all Muslim world. Young men that work in our country. Some of them with their sons aside. They pray with devotion forming the last rows.
At the side area the women were standing. Wearing their festive dresses, holding their babies in their arms. The first row was filled by Greek women that embraced Islam.
Arabs from all over the world, Africans, Pakistanis, Iranians met and hugged at the Olympic Stadium. “We will pray all together in the fest that indicates the end of the fast of Ramadan that lasted a month. It is a day of joy. We eat after the fast and we wish peace for the whole planet, Anna responds, one of the Greek women that embraced Islam. An Egyptian woman adds, “Especially to the Greeks we wish better days and peace. I wish at the next prayer Greece to be in a better destiny.”
The echo of “Allah Akbar” spreads the open church. The immigrants kneel touching the mat with their foreheads. They pray with devotion. Only the words of the grand prayer are heard “to preserve our values, not to go away from God, to be always near Him”. The grand prayer is made twice a year. The next follows in 72 days when the Muslims are travelling for pilgrimage in Mecca.
A little later the president of the Muslim Association, Naim Elghandour, that lives 35 years in our country wishes “to follow better days for the Muslims in Greece. To have a place for praying for our children that were born here, study, some of them have Hellenic citizenship, will serve the army and gather in undergrounds and garages to pray. Let there be a place to be buried. In my home country Egypt, Greeks have temples and enjoy their rights.”
He also says that “for the construction of the mosque 15 million euros were given from the Ministry of Finance that remain in the drawers of the Ministry of Education. In Greece there is about 800.000 Muslims. Five hundred thousand of them have permanent residency and another 250.000 have a red card (claiming asylum). We will go to the courts asking for the application of the law that allows the construction of a mosque, and it remains inactive.”
