Enlarge image

Al Nour Mosque in Hamburg: Short speech by Malaysia's Prime Minister

Photo: Lars Berg / IMAGO

Three-year-old Yasin stands smiling at the door of the Al Nour Mosque in Hamburg and hands out dates to each of the women who prayed in the separate rooms.

He wears a small white takke, the prayer cap, a white thobe, the garment for Muslim men, and a bag with the words "Ramadan Kareem" in colorful letters.

Not only is it the fifth day of Ramadan, the holy month for Muslims, but also the first Friday prayer of the month.

It is a big event that takes place in the Al Nour Mosque in the Horn district of Hamburg.

The mosque used to be a Protestant church and was rebuilt a few years ago.

“Allah” can now be read in Arabic script on the former church tower.

The mosque is a fixture for devout Muslims, especially during Ramadan.

When a stranger passes by, he sees lively groups of people inside.

A large screen informs you upon entry that shoes and food are not allowed.

Men sit in the main room of the mosque, reciting the Koran and talking, not just about religion or politics, but also about the food for that evening's iftar, the time when Muslims break their fast, after sunset.

Politics in prayer

Until the end of 2018, the mosque was located in an underground car park in the St. Georg district.

After purchasing the Capernaum Church in Hamburg-Horn in November 2012, it moved to its new premises in January 2019.

Daniel Abdin, chairman of the mosque and chairman of Shura, the council of Islamic communities in Hamburg, gets political in his speech before the start of Friday prayers: “Today is the fifth anniversary of the victims of Christchurch in New Zealand.

The ideology of right-wing populism, which is based on racism, is finding more and more followers.

But none of us chose our origins, our language or the color of our skin."

In the terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, 2019, right-wing terrorist Brenton Tarrant killed a total of 51 people and injured another 50. Abdin not only wanted to remember, but also to express that Muslims, whether in New Zealand or in Hamburg, are all brothers and their religion unites them.

This Friday, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, visits the mosque decorated with flowers and a red carpet.

Ibrahim has been in Berlin since Sunday on an official state visit.

Germany is Malaysia's largest trading partner among European Union member states.

Great reception

Samir El-Rajab, the mosque's imam, is proud of the distinguished visit.

"The Friday prayer is an important prayer for every Muslim, and then it's also Ramadan," says El-Rajab.

Ibrahim is a Muslim and really wanted to pray his Friday prayers in the mosque.

The Nour Mosque was chosen because of its good reputation and the colorful and diverse Muslim community here.

Anwar Ibrahim uses the Friday prayer for a short speech.

He begins his speech by reciting verses from the Koran in near-perfect Arabic pronunciation.

The mosque fills up more and more for prayers.

Men stand shoulder to shoulder, in rows behind the imam.

At some point it becomes so crowded that some men have to pray in rows outside in the courtyard.

Every speech before the prayer is given in German, Arabic and English.

Upstairs, Yasin, his little brother and their mother are praying along with all the other women.

Women always pray separately.

The prayer itself lasts no more than 10 minutes.

And the Malaysian Prime Minister also disappears again shortly after midday with his entourage and security personnel.

Short visit

Many believers are surprised by the short visit.

After all, after the prayer, the imam lets the believers in on the conversations he previously had with Ibrahim.

The imam says that Ibrahim spoke to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz for a long time about a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

"That had a very positive effect on the Muslim community here."

When the imam took Anwar Ibrahim's hand and walked with him to his car to say goodbye, dozens of people followed them, filming, waving and smiling.

The full Friday prayer is a good sign for the Imam.

He says the Al Nour Mosque is slowly no longer able to accommodate so many worshipers.

Sometimes people have to pray on the street.

He is now thinking about expanding his mosque.

He's happy about it, but he knows it's likely to spark resistance.

And then he remembers Christchurch again.