INDONESIA'S biggest Muslim group condemned today a Swiss vote to ban the construction of new minarets as a manifestation of religious hatred, but urged a restrained response. Earlier the Egyptian Mufti also expressed anger at the ban.
A majority of Swiss voters yesterday backed a far-right initiative to outlaw new minarets, the towers attached to mosques from which the call to prayer is announced.
Maskuri Abdillah, the head of Nahdlatul Ulama which has 40 million members in the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, called on followers not to be provoked by the vote.
"This is the hatred of Swiss people against Muslim communities. They don't want to see a Muslim presence in their country and this intense dislike has made them intolerant,'' he said.
"It's very regrettable... obviously this is a narrow-minded way of thinking about Muslims.''
Do you agree with the Swiss, who build nice buildings which suit the ethnic origin of the Swiss people and are a defining image you expect to see when you go to Switzerland. Or should Muslims be able to build the Cry towers so they can call to Pray. Should Swiss Culture and building designs be dictated to by a religious group.
Would you like to see these towers and hear the Islamic cry every morning at sun up and sun down bellowing through the chalets and hills of Switzerland. Is it a case of Religion acceptance or of a country enforcing its rights to say what can be built within its own borders. I know in Australia, you cannot, in a lot of Beach side towns build any structure above the height of the Palm trees (3 story's) and there have been building rejections of these towers based on this height restriction.
A lot of Churches in these towns are single level home type buildings. But the Muslims wanted to build these huge towers.. I think it is black cat syndrome and not about religion.Does a Mosque really need a Tower?
Do you agree or Disagree with the Swiss?
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Comments: 10
~M
Further, they are normally the size of church steeples. Here's a picture of one of them. They are of comparable size. If you make the argument that a mosque doesn't need a minaret, then you should make the same argument that a church doesn't need a steeple.
Yes, they should be allowed to as much as Christians are allowed to build church steeples for ringing bells. Otherwise, I can't see how it does not violate the Swiss Constitution which guarantees freedom of religion.
"go back to the Middle East"
Yugoslavia is in Europe, genius.
Switzerland is a predominantly Christian Country and they had a democratic vote in a referendum. Swiss Guards guard the Pope and are the police in the Vatican. The Papal Swiss Guard is one of the oldest military units in the world, having existed in its current form since 1506.
There are only 100,000 Muslims in Switzerland, less than 1% so they have no rights to demand a change to the laws the people of Switzerland voted for.
In the news reports AND Images out of Switzerland, the towers they rejected are at least 3 story's higher than the building, and looked like a huge eyesore in the town centers.
In European countries, first the church was built, and the town was built around the church, so the church is as old as the town. When you come in some centuries later and attempt to upset the culture of the country, you are going to get objections.
The toll of the bells in Europe at 12 noon is in remembrance of the defeat of the Islamic forces which invaded Europe during the 15,16, 17 and 1800"s.
And the Church bell has always been there for a warning for towns people when there was a danger, when there was a meeting, when there is a need for reassurance you are not alone in the world. The bell doesn't scream out, it is a pleasant sound.
Also...
Most of these countries were invaded by Islamic armies in the past, and hold a real desire to protect their country form a religion they regard as evil.
An instance of this is Hungary, who was invaded by the Turks, and they set about demolishing castles and churches, and set about changing the whole country over to Islam over a period of 200 years of occupation of Hungary.
Sometimes Islamic people need to understand what they did in the past has endeared them to be regarded as a curse in Europe and not a healer or friend of the people. You need to understand some of the history of Europe, and you will realize this decision should be taken as a warning, Islam is pushing too hard in its quest for domination of the world.. which is its main objective.
Part of the legislation preventing the building of "NEW minarets" was because they were used for the call to pray. And this was possibly the trigger for the ground swell from the Swiss against minarets.
"I swear I will observe faithfully, loyally and honourably all that has now been read out to me! May God and his saints assist me!"
This stuff bothers the rest of the world. You wonder why they are upset about it???? Seriously?
~M
There was not one sentence in it which said live in peace and live in tolerance of others..
My first opinion of Islam is still my opinion today. They have done nothing to change this opinion over the last 41 years, in fact they have reinforced my views of them in my mind. I look at how the world would be if there was just Christians, Buddhism, Hindi, etc, and Religions like that of Australian Aboriginals, and North American Indians only in the world. What a peaceful world it would be.