Mosque construction in Hanover: Controversial Ditib plans are causing a stir!

Mosque construction in Hanover: Controversial Ditib plans are causing a stir!

Something is happening in Hanover: The plan for the construction of a new mosque by the Turkish-Islamic Union of the Institute for Religion - better known as Ditib - is taking shape. The Merkez community has big ambitions: It is planning a 25-meter-high mosque in the city center that will accommodate 600 men and 300 women, as the current mosque is already overcrowded. The building application could be submitted as early as next year, with completion within the next three years. A budget of 10 million euros is available for the project, as the NZZ reported.

But the plans are not without challenges. The mayor of Hanover, Belit Onay, expresses his concerns - particularly with regard to the suspected influence of the Turkish state on Ditib. In the past there have been repeated tensions from his side as well as from the ranks of the CDU and FDP. The skeptical attitude of politicians is underlined by the extensive connections between Ditib and the Turkish religious authority Diyanet, which reports directly to President Erdoğan. Critics like Eren Güvercin warn that Ditib could be more than just a religious organization and even document political events by Turkish politicians in Ditib mosques. This leads to a tense debate about the Turkish government's influence on the local community.

An eventful story

Ditib is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year; the association was founded in Cologne in 1984. A lot has changed during this time, the Turkish immigrants who came to Germany in the 1960s organized themselves into mosque communities to meet their religious needs. Ditib is now the largest Islamic association in Germany with over 900 affiliated mosques and represents more than 70 percent of the living Muslims in the country BR reported.

The challenges that the association has overcome in recent years are considerable. Since the coup attempt in Turkey in 2016, Ditib has been suspected of acting as an extension of Erdogan's government. The agreement that funds will be sent from Turkey from 2023 and no more imams will be sent from Turkey in the long term shows the pressure to reform that Ditib is exposed to. The organization could ultimately develop into a modern voice in German Islam, provided that its structures also change.

The danger of misunderstandings

The desire for change is supported by many in the Ditib communities, based on the need for imams who are well versed in the German language and culture. There are many volunteers at the grassroots level who do not want to be influenced by politics and are actively working to promote a positive perception of Islam in Germany. The DITIB chairman from Marktredwitz is an example of integration: He speaks perfect German and brings traditional Franconian customs into the mosque work.

The opening of the new mosque in Hanover could depend on the new credibility of the Ditib community, with political tensions and the association's background still under suspicion. The local community therefore sees itself in an area of ​​tension between tradition and modernity, between Turkish roots and local needs.

The coming months will show whether the hopes for an independent and reformed Ditib community in Hanover can become reality or whether old ties to Turkish politics will continue to cast a shadow over the new mosque. The path seems challenging, but the first stage for the project has been laid.