Austria’s Harsh New Laws Risk Provoking Islamic Extremism, Not Stopping It

Can a language on its own cause extremism? Well it seems that according to Austria the answer might be yes. This would account for why they’ve passed new amendments to a 103 year old ‘Law on Islam’ which bans the Qur’an in any language but German and forbids imams (the ‘pastors’ of mosques) to hold any sermons in Arabic. The law also bans any foreign funding of mosques, even when that money is coming through well vetted channels.
The lawmakers have said they want an “Austrian” version of Islam, although none of them specified exactly what they meant by that. The amendments were voted in by the majority Roman Catholic Parliament, and backed by Christian religious groups within the country. However, the passage of the amendments led to demonstrations in front of Austria’s Parliament building with over 200 people lining up and chanting for no new Islam Law.
Many of those angered over the law point out that no other religion has had their sacred texts effectively banned. Jewish members of the community are still free to study the Torah in Hebrew, and hold worship in their synagogues in Hebrew. Roman Catholics are also still allowed the use of Latin in their sermons and scripts.
Classical Arabic is considered extremely important in Islam as this is the language Mohammad used to recorded his revelations from God. Although the Qur’an has been translated into hundreds of languages from all over the globe, many Muslims believe that every Qur’an that is translated from the original Arabic version contains small mistakes, with meanings of passages becoming lost in translation. The importance of Classical Arabic is cornerstone to many aspects of the faith, including taking the ‘Shahada’ (the proclamation of faith) and reciting daily prayers.
Even further, banning the use of Classical or Qur’anic Arabic in mosques and religious scripture is exactly the sort of tool ISIS would use to point out hypocrisy in the West. When many European Muslims are facing alienation and dangerous levels of Islamophobia, instituting measures which push European Muslims further into the margins, and send signs their culture is not welcome, could be playing right into the hands of ISIS recruitment.
Interestingly, although around 170 Austrians have left to fight in Iraq and Syria (half of them Chechen according to the Washington Post) there are few issues with extremism inside the country, with Austria not suffering attacks like those in Paris or London. Writer Shadia Nasralla referred to relations inside Austria as, “relatively unproblematic,” noting that this legislation was introduced long before the Charlie Hedbo attacks that killed 17 in Paris.
The law does include some positive provisions as well, though. Under the new rules Muslims will now be able to seek religious council from imams while in the military or hospitals, with certain imams receiving funding for training. In addition, Muslim holidays will now be recognized by Austrian businesses, and food distributors will allow Muslims to produce food in a halal manner, according to Islamic law.
However many feel the provisions banning a language seen by Muslims as the sacred word of God is taking reforms too far, and constitutes an unfair punishment on the 6 percent Muslim minority inside the country. Some have also voiced concerns that these laws could open up Austrian Muslims to a slew of new laws on Islam, which would only increase division at a time when cohesiveness and unity is more important than ever.

Credit to Lizabeth Paulat