Round table on the situation of Muslims in Europe, Strasbourg.

The president of the Islamic Community in Spain, Malik Ruiz, and the vice-president of the Seville Mosque Foundation, Ibrahim Hernández, were invited to participate in a roundtable organized by the European Muslim Union, EMU, in Strasbourg on 3rd and 4th of January 2017.

The purpose of our meeting is an informative and open exchange between European Muslims from different backgrounds and with different experience. We will get to know some of these perspectives more closely and at the same time take stock of the situation through joint discussions.

The meetings, exchanges and discussions were framed in the “situation of Muslims in Europe – lessons and possibilities”. Some of the interventions to be highlighted were:

• Abu Bakr Rieger: the existing discourses and their laws.
• Engin Karahan: the structure of Turkish communities in Europe. Development Perspectives.
• Shaykh Mortada: Council for Moroccan communities in Europe.
• Mujeeb Gallagher: The London community and its plans.
• Dr. Sefer Hassanov: Eastern Europe and the situation of Muslims.
• Ishaq Antoniewiecz: Syrian Refugees in Germany – Report of the experience.
• Malik Ruiz: the strategy of education in Europe.
• Ibrahim Hernández: the mosque and what it represents today.

List of participants, who made contributions from very different angles and experiences:

• Malik Ruiz: heads a community of Spanish Muslims which – by means of the mosque in Granada – has produced one of the symbols of Islam in Europe. Currently he is involved in a visionary educational project.
• Ibrahim Hernandez: heads a community in Seville and is implementing one of the largest mosque projects in Spain.
• Mujeeb Gallagher: is a practicing lawyer and involved in various social and legal projects of the Community of London.
• Shaykh Mortada: is a scholar with classical education and works with the Awqaf in Morocco.
• Othman Mosimann: leads a Swiss community and is active as a business consultant in economic projects.
• Dr Habib Dahinden: is a company consultant and expert on money and financial issues
• Dr Seger Hassanov: is a theologian and represents the largest European Community of Muslims in Bulgaria
• Ekrem Recep Sahin: Head of the EMU office in Strasbourg and expert on institutions of the European Union.
• Sulaiman Wilms: is the chief editor of the Islamic Newspaper and press spokesman of EMU.
• Tarek Bae: works for the Islamic Newspaper’s on-line editorial office and is an expert on social media.
• Ishaq Antoniewicz: is an independent entrepreneur and heads a Muslim community in Potsdam. He is engaged in refugee aid.
• Abu Bakr Rieger: practicing lawyer and editor of the Islamic Newspaper. He is chairman of the EMU.
• Eren Güvercin: is a freelance journalist and expert on social issues regarding integration in Germany.
• Engin Karahan: advises Muslim institutions and organizations and was for many years a decision-maker in one of the largest associations of Turkish Muslims in Europe.
• Armin Begic: is a religious scholar from Frankfurt and is involved in youth work.