Muslim Academy Opens Doors in Berlin

The Muslim Academy in Germany celebrated its opening on Wednesday. The academy opens at a time when the German Islamic community is being closely scrutinized by the public and the government. This will be no different in the case of the Muslim Academy. Even German Muslim associations are exercising a certain amount of skepticism towards the academy.

Nevertheless, Abdul Hadi Christian Hoffmann, president of the academy and a German who converted to Islam, has not noticed any outright rejection from Muslim groups. Hoffmann said all Muslims are invited to come to the academy.

"We are not representative," he added. "We are not elected. We are a group of Muslims that have taken the initiative to offer educational opportunities. We complement that what the [Muslim] associations do. We are not in competition with them."

Attending the ceremony were representatives from government, institutes of higher education and other bodies, including Marieluise Beck, Federal Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration.

Beck said the academy should help make the diversity within the Islamic community more visible. She stressed that given the numerous prejudices towards Muslims, "the language of reason must be given a voice." At the same time, according to Beck, "all the shady zones must be called by name."

Dialog between religions

Thomas Krüger, the president of the Federal Agency for Civic Education, praised the future contribution of the academy in educating adult Muslims. In light of the rising "totalitarianism" within Islam, Krüger said he believes that "an open dialog of cultures would be the wrong path" to take.

Muhammad Kalisch, professor for religious studies at the University of Münster, countered that a dialog between the cultures -- and one that is not "touchy-feely" -- is necessary. The Academy must make the criticism directed towards Muslims a topic. In addition, Muslims had to develop an "ability of self-criticism."

Composition of the Academy's board

The board of directors of the Academy is comprised of a broad spectrum of people from different political and religious backgrounds. Berlin's former Commissioner for the Affairs of Foreigners, Barbara John, the Islamic studies expert Jamal Malik and Rabbi Elisa Klappheck also sit on the board. This was something that the Academy deliberately decided on doing. So far, the reaction from the larger Muslim organizations ranges from "interested to wait-and-see."

Claudia Dantschke, a journalist who has written extensively about Muslims in Germany, said that the new academy could activate liberal and modern Muslims around the country.

According to Hoffmann, those who take little to no interest in traditional Islam are responding to the opening of the academy.

"The interesting thing is that we have received e-mails, phone calls and letters after our first press conference from those Muslims who aren't in organized groups," he said. "They were saying 'That's the right step and finally something interesting where we can learn something.' That means, that Muslims who never took action to present their interests, are showing a great amount of interest for an academy that has an educational program."