Ahmadiyya in Switzerland

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Ahmadiyya is an Islamic branch in Switzerland, under the spiritual leadership of the caliph in London. The Community was founded on October 13, 1946, during the late period of the Second Caliphate, when the caliph directed Shaikh Nasir Ahmad to establish a mission in the country.[1] Today there are two Ahmadi mosques and 14 local branches, representing an estimated 800 Ahmadi Muslims.

History

Early years

Amtul Hafeez Begum, daughter of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. She laid the foundation stone for the Mahmud Mosque, the first mosque in the country. On her right is Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwa, a missionary.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Switzerland was founded in the year 1946, following the

German-speaking Europe, at the request of the second Caliph Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad. On October 13, 1946 the three Ahmadi Muslim missionaries, Sheikh Nasir Ahmad, Abdul Latif and Ghulam Ahmad Bashir met in Zurich, Switzerland, intending to establish a mission in Germany. However, due to the recent conclusion of the war, they were unable to enter the country. As a result, a mission was established in Zurich instead. Soon after, Abdul Latif and Ghulam Ahmad Bashir left the country for the Netherlands, whilst Sheikh Nasir Ahmad continued to serve Switzerland for the following 16 years, until 1962. During this period a German translation of the Quran was published and an Islamic journal Der Islam was founded.[2]

In 1960, in view of growing multiculturalism, the country’s municipal government offered the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community a parcel of land for the construction of a mosque, at a rate of 3000 francs annually, for 60 years.

UN General Assembly. Emil Landolt, the Mayor of Zurich was also present. The mosque was named the Mahmud Mosque.[2] By opening the mosque, the Community set a visible presence of Muslims in Switzerland.[5]

Recent years

Wigoltingen
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Locations of the two Ahmadi Muslim mosques in Switzerland.
Fifth Caliph of the community Mirza Masroor Ahmad heading the 2004 Jalsa Salana Switzerland during his Europe tour that year

Over the years, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community grew primarily due to immigration from

joinery in Haüsern, a hamlet in the municipality of Wigoltingen, in Thurgau.[4] The national president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Switzerland, W. Tarnutzer, wrote to the caliph, in London, requesting approval of the project. After approving the project, the Community proposed the project to the municipal government. On one hand the council disapproved the project and on the other, a number of residents in the neighbourhood began to collect signatures against the project. The Community organized an informational event in response to the negative reaction. In order to avoid self-portrayal, the event featured positive remarks from a non-Muslim journalist and a priest. Following the event, there were no objections.[6]
The mosque is named the "Nuur Mosque".

Modern community

The Mahmud Mosque, the first of the four mosques in Switzerland which have a minaret.

Predominantly aiming at the perceived misconceptions of the place of Islam in modern society, the Swiss Ahmadiyya Muslim Community regularly organizes public lectures, discussions and open house days at their mosques.

There are 14 local chapters and an estimated 800 Ahmadis in Switzerland, many of which are descendants of immigrants from Pakistan.

Zurich and the Nuur Mosque, in Wigoltingen, which is due to undergo construction.[7] Both mosques lie in the German-speaking part
of the country. The current national president is Walid Tariq Tarnutzer and the national missionary in-charge is Sadaqat Ahmed.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Kortmann 2013, p. 102
  2. ^ a b "40 Jahre Mahmud Moschee" (in German). Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Savannah D. Dodd. "The Structure of Islam in Switzerland and the Effects of the Swiss Minaret Ban" (PDF). Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs: 6.
  4. ^ a b Kortmann 2013, p. 103
  5. ^ Kortmann 2013, p. 101
  6. ^ Kortmann 2013, p. 104
  7. ^ "Wo sich Hahn und Halbmond grüssen" (in German). Retrieved September 6, 2015.

Bibliography

External links

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