The Law Comes From God

Salafists practice a literal interpretation of the Koran. For outsiders it is difficult to receive access to a congregation. Our reporter Albrecht Metzger succeeded in visiting a Salafist mosque in Aachen

Aachen, Brabantstrasse Number 8. The Rahman mosque is located in a former dance school. Where waltzes were once danced, today about thirty young men are gathering to break the fast together. There is lentil soup, couscous with chicken, and oranges for dessert.

It is not clear if we can participate in the breaking of the fast. Many mosques in Germany now regularly receive outside visitors. Here it is different, as Abu Hafza, the deputy chairman, explains:

"The people are not accustomed to such visits. For the first time a journalist has come into the mosque. Second, they feel that Islam is being attacked by the media. That is why they are afraid of every stranger who comes here. They ask themselves what he wants."

Democracy as human arrogance

Abu Hafza calls himself a Salafi. He declares himself to be an adherent of a particularly strict form of Islam. Salafis orient themselves exclusively to the Koran and Sunna, the exemplary behavior of the prophet Mohammed. They reject all changes that Islam has undergone after Mohammed. This includes, for instance, democracy. According to preacher Omar Babri:

"Democracy means that the people are sovereign. But God says only he is sovereign! Democracy is unIslamic."

"Hello bomber"

Nevertheless Omar Bakri obeys German laws, even though he would prefer a theocracy. What makes Salafism potentially dangerous, however, is the willingness of some Salafis to resort to violence. This includes, for instance, Osama bin Laden, who also claims that the Koran and Sunna are the standards for his actions.

By a long shot not all Salafis support bin Laden's jihad against the infidels. But some do. And this is a cause of much concern among German protectors of the state.

Abu Malik once led a debauched life before he found his way back to his faith. Abu Malik has a long beard and is a believer of Islam. His colleagues at work therefore call him "the bomber."

"I shrug it off as if it's in fun. If they really think that, let them."

This is only half the truth. When the microphone is off, he complains about such discrimination. Omar Bakri, the preacher in the Rahman mosque, calls for self-restraint from his congregation. After German newspapers printed the controversial Mohammed caricatures last year, he warned the outraged believers against taking to the streets.

Jihad and the fall from faith

Not all Salafis are so stoic. Instead there are various schools of thought that are ideologically at war. Two points are in the crossfire of this debate: on the one hand, the jihad, the war against the enemies of Islam; on the other hand, the question of whether it is right to declare Islamic rulers as unbelievers if they violate God's laws. According to classical Islamic law, a Muslim who has renounced his faith may be killed.

The so-called Jihad Salafis support both: the jihad against non-Muslims as well as the battle against allegedly unIslamic rulers. Peaceful Salafis reject this and want to spread Islam through missionary work.

Fearing the tortures of hell

It's midnight, a few believers have gathered in the Rahman mosque for prayers. A prayer leader reads aloud suras from the Koran. Now and then a few of the men start to weep – fearing the tortures of hell that threaten them if they drift from the right faith.

The Jihad Salafis take advantage of these religious feelings. They promise their adherents the direct path to paradise – but only if they die the death of a martyr in the battle against unbelievers. Abu Malik, however, distances himself from these ideas.

"I don't think much of this idea. You can't just go into a country and, well, just because my neighbor doesn't eat lamb, he now eats pork, I should kill him. This doesn't have anything to do with faith."

The Rahman mosque has distanced itself from the Jihad Salafis. Imam Omar Bakir says he wants to spread Islam peacefully. Despite this there are also tendencies among the peaceful Salafis that give cause for concern. Their world view is strongly characterized in terms of good and evil. The protectors of the constitution in the state of Baden-Württemberg are thus keeping an eye on them because of their missionary work.

Islam as the absolutism of faith

For instance, a writ by Saudi scholar al-Utheimen, who is also recognized by peaceful Salafis, appeared in a mosque. In this writ he declared every Muslim an unbeliever who claims that a religion other than Islam could exist before God. This Muslim must be called upon to repent, continues Utheimin. If he refuses, he should be executed as an apostate for denying the Koran.

Benno Köpfer from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Baden-Württemberg responded: "I think such sentences are naturally a clear indication that the idea about how to deal with those who have different beliefs, with agnostics, with atheists is an aspect we need to watch. Which world view, which notion of society will have the most influence here on future adherents…"

Differences in Salafism

In addition, state protectors are increasingly observing peaceful Salafis becoming jihad adherents. No one knows when and how this happens. Yet even the state protectors urge people to take the differences in Salafism seriously. As long as peaceful Salafis publicly distance themselves from the jihad, there is a chance to push back the radicals, they argue.

In fact, young men have occasionally appeared in the Rahman mosque in the past and tried to stir up the congregation. Abu Hafza:

"A Tunisian man frequently came to the mosque and spread ideas that we rejected. He declared the Islamic rulers to be unbelievers and demanded that we attack them. We warned him. When he did not respond, we threw him out."

Albrecht Metzger

Translated from the German by Nancy Joyce

Qantara.de

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