Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
Town becomes focus of right-wing campaign ahead of controversial referendum.
The normally sleepy Swiss country town of Langenthal has become the focus of a virulent right-wing campaign to ban minarets from all mosques in the Alpine republic on the grounds that they symbolise ideological opposition to the country's constitution.
Switzerland's "stop minaret" movement is backed by the influential ultra-conservative Swiss People's Party, (SVP) which was re-elected in 2007 with its largest ever share of the vote after mounting an anti-foreigner campaign that was denounced by the United Nations as racist.
Ulrich Schüler, an SVP parliamentarian and leading member of the anti-minaret movement, says the edifices are political rather than religious. "They are symbols of a desire for power, of an Islam which wants to establish a legal and social order fundamentally contrary to the liberties guaranteed in our constitution," he said.
Switzerland is home to a population of about 400,000 Muslims, the majority of whom are Turks, Bosnians and Albanians. The "stop minaret" campaign was launched two years ago, prompting a national debate on the subject. A petition in support of its aims has since been signed by more than 100,000 citizens. Under Swiss law the issue now has to be decided by a national referendum which will be conducted in late November.
However, before then, the "stop minaret" campaign is hoping to create a legal precedent by thwarting construction of a minaret in Langenthal, a provincial town halfway between Bern and Basel that is home to 14,000 people and 11 churches.
Thomas Rufener, the town's mayor, said about eight per cent of Langenthal's residents were Muslims. "All the main parties have given their approval for the mosque," he said. The regional canton of Bern has given approval in addition for the construction of a domed mosque. That will stand alongside the planned minaret which will be little more than 30 feet high.
An anti-minaret campaign has now lodged a formal complaint with the canton, claiming that the planned mosque amounts to an "ideological intrusion". Daniel Zigg, a campaign spokesman, said the building would attract more than 100 Muslim believers a day during the Ramadan fast because it was the only one of its kind in the canton.
The anti-minaret campaigners are hoping to force Bern to rescind its approval for the minaret and score an important victory in the run-up to the November referendum. "There may be different laws governing this kind of thing in certain part of Paris or Berlin, but we don't want them in Switzerland," Mr Schüler said.
Two years ago his party fought a general election with famously xenophobic campaign posters depicting a flock of white sheep kicking a black sheep out of Switzerland.
Switzerland has permitted the construction of mosques with minarets in major cities such as Geneva, Zurich and Winterthur where they have been accepted with little noticeable objection. However the inauguration of a mosque with a minaret in the small town of Wangen in June brought protests from the "stop minaret" movement and accusations that the town's Muslim community had links with the right-wing Turkish extremist group, the Grey Wolves.
Switzerland's Muslim community has been largely reluctant to discuss the anti-minaret campaign. Ahmed Sadaqat, Imam at Zurich's Balgrist mosque, the first to be built in Switzerland in 1963, recalled last week how the building provoked vociferous protests at the time. But he added: "Since then there have be no problems at all." He accuses the anti-minaret campaigners of failing to make any distinction between Islam, the burqa and terrorism. "They should accept that Muslims are a fact in this society and that they live here. They must accept this reality," he said.
Re: Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
these banning "fiasco's" are just getting so utterly pathetic, they're becoming quite comical. are they going to ban crosses on churches as well?
they ignore the bigger issues affecting their societies and turn their utmost attention on...two minarets.
They are symbols of a desire for power, of an Islam which wants to establish a legal and social order fundamentally contrary to the liberties guaranteed in our constitution," he said.
says the one whose "pro-ban"
Last edited by Ummu Sufyaan; 08-14-2009 at 08:39 AM.
...desperate for husnul-khitaam...
please make dua that Allah grants me a good end (to my life). please make dua that Allah guides me.
Re: Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
Ulrich Schüler, an SVP parliamentarian and leading member of the anti-minaret movement, says the edifices are political rather than religious. "They are symbols of a desire for power, of an Islam which wants to establish a legal and social order fundamentally contrary to the liberties guaranteed in our constitution," he said.
You wish.
This is stupid.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
Someone said to the Prophet, "Pray to God against the idolaters and curse them." The Prophet replied, "I have been sent to show mercy and have not been sent to curse." (Muslim)
Re: Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
salaam
lol people are realy scared in europe so scared that they are starting blame the minerats of being power hungry!
peace
Do you think the pious don't sin?
They merely:
Veiled themselves and didn't flaunt it
Sought forgiveness and didn't persist
Took ownership of it and don't justify it
And acted with excellence after they had erred - Ibn al-Qayyim
Someone said to the Prophet, "Pray to God against the idolaters and curse them." The Prophet replied, "I have been sent to show mercy and have not been sent to curse." (Muslim)
Re: Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
format_quote Originally Posted by aamirsaab
Ban the hijab...check
Ban the niqab...check
Ban the minarets...check.
Hurrah for freedoms and democracy!
You forgot burkini
This is another case of Xenophobia. They can ban and blame everything on Islam. When problems in the countries shall still continue to rise, they will have no one to blame but themselves.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
Re: Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
France has banned hijab. And there is an increasing interest in banning the niqab, at least in the UK.
Is there??? Pat condell doesnt represent anything about the UK except the extreme Islamophobic element of it.
Do you think the pious don't sin?
They merely:
Veiled themselves and didn't flaunt it
Sought forgiveness and didn't persist
Took ownership of it and don't justify it
And acted with excellence after they had erred - Ibn al-Qayyim
Re: Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
format_quote Originally Posted by Zafran
Is there??? Pat condell doesnt represent anything about the UK except the extreme Islamophobic element of it.
Asslamu Alikum
We are just hearing a few individuals ranting on about banning the Burka. Nothing offical. The government does not have time to deal with trivial matters. Very unlikely they shall introduce a bill to ban the Burka.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
Re: Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
Fine go ahead ban the minaret...and that's supposed to do what exactly? Lol. People are still going to give the adhaan, go to the masjid, have the same "thoughts" as they always do.
They're just running out of things to ban that has anything to do with Muslims or Islam
What a sad and pathetic attempt! Good Lord!
Funny.
*Without Allah, without Islam, life would be meaningless. If I've ever learned patience, it's because of this. Alhamdulillah...*
Re: Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
format_quote Originally Posted by Amadeus85
Mind that You are not in Pakistan, sire.
Does the government of pakistan ban spires?
Do you think the pious don't sin?
They merely:
Veiled themselves and didn't flaunt it
Sought forgiveness and didn't persist
Took ownership of it and don't justify it
And acted with excellence after they had erred - Ibn al-Qayyim
Re: Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
format_quote Originally Posted by Zafran
Does the government of pakistan ban spires?
Salaam.
No I don't think so. I think the Saudi government do.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
Re: Swiss move to ban minarets as 'symbols of Islamic power'
this is too funny.. are they looking for a mob scene when they are too froufrou to fight .. given how often they bend to receive, that I can't imagine it too hard to kick their A$$ from that position. It isn't difficult to challenge that I imagine from how many of their kings and queens lost their heads to an angry mob scene!
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
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