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Passion Islam I November 2008 ORLD NEWSW I 17
German state legislator backs
Sharia law introduction in Bavaria
officially recognized in Bavaria. become a part of our country,” the minister
Barfuss voiced explicit support for reaffirmed.
building new mosques in his state. There are 3.5 million Muslims living in
“Muslims should be allowed to build Germany of which 2.5 million are Turks.
as many mosques as they want,” he Most of Muslims reside in what used to be
stressed. traditional blue-collar cities like Cologne,
Based on statistics released by Islam- Hamburg, Duisburg, Essen, Berlin,
Archive Central Institute, headquartered Frankfurt and Mannheim.
in the west German town of Soest, there Islam has also become one of the
are presently 159 mosques throughout fastest growing religions in Germany, as
Germany in addition to around 2,600 some 4,000 Germans converted to Islam
prayer rooms, congregation houses as between July 2004 and June 2005 which
A liberal lawmaker from the south well as school mosques and Islamic is four times as many as in the prior space
German state of Bavaria has supported prayer sites. of time.
the introduction of the Sharia law in There are also plans for the construction Some 14,352 out of 3.5 million
his conservative home state, the daily of around 184 mosques mostly in the Muslims in the country are of German-
Sueddeutsche Zeitung. western part of Germany where a sizeable origin, according to figures released by
Georg Barfuss of the Free Democratic Turkish Muslim community lives. the Islam-Archive Central Institute in May
Party (FDP) said the Sharia should The western city of Duisburg has been 2005.
be allowed if there areas which are the home to Germany’s largest mosque. Faced with daily verbal abuse
“compatible with the constitution.” German Interior Minister Wolfgang and racial discrimination, Germany’s
The MP, who is also the integration Schaeuble has repeatedly emphasized Muslim community is also grappling with
commissioner in Bavaria, added that key that the building of churches, synagogues educational problems for their children
elements of Muslim life like prayers, fasting and mosques should not be regarded as a and a chronic lack of job opportunity.
and the pilgrimage to Mecca should be “threat but as an enrichment.” “Islam has
Emirates Islamic Bank’s
quarterly profits jump 207%
Dubai-based Emirates Islamic Bank to the third quarter of 2007 when it was
(EIB) said its third quarter profits jumped Dh1.2bn. Meanwhile, earnings per share
207 per cent to Dh443 million against has risen to Dh0.47.
Dh144m for the same period last year. Ibrahim Fayez Al Shamsi, CEO of
The Islamic bank said its income in Emirates Islamic Bank, said: “These
the third quarter grew to Dh1.17 billion results reflect the continuous success of
from Dh654m, registering a growth of 79 strategic planning and robust execution record breaking end of year results,
per cent. At the end of September, total of our business plans.” Insha Allah.”
assets increased 80 per cent to Dh25.28bn “We continue to set benchmarks on The bank continued to launch
compared to Dh14bn at the third quarter all fronts. One reflection of this reality is innovative products and services. Among
of last year. Customers’ deposits grew by that EIB is still highest profit distribution Emirates Islamic Bank’s key initiatives
81 per cent to Dh21.81bn, compared to on customers’ investment and saving was the launch of Skywards credit card,
Dh12bn in the third quarter last year. accounts for almost three consecutive chip-based credit cards, enhanced SME
Shareholders’ equity reached years despite the adverse developments solutions, new technology implementation,
Dh1.67bn at the end of the period, with in the global financial markets. payment windows, and launch of several
an increase of 39 per cent compared “I firmly believe we will achieve a new branches in the quarter.
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