“What has happened to the Council for Italian Islam?”
Rachid Amaidia, the Imam for Salerno, talks to Sara Colantonio 9 February 2009

In your opinion, how is Islam seen in Italy?

Italians previously only vaguely knew of the existence of the Islamic religion; however, during the Nineties they experienced it first hand through immigration. The Council has the duty to make heard the voice of Islam, to make known how Muslims think and live so as to encourage Italian politicians to pass laws better suited also to the Muslim population.

On the subject of an Islamic Council, what has happened to it?

Let us say that in recent times the Council has been ‘frozen’ and I do not know why. The former Minister for the Interior, Giuseppe Pisanu, set it up and considered it to be extremely important. This was confirmed by his successor Giuliano Amato, and now it has been put aside. Let us hope that the Council will resume its activities and continue with its work. In every European country as well as in America there is a Council of this kind, or a group that the government can call upon at any time for information about the Muslim point of view. I ask this government to reinstate this Council. There are some who would like to change it completely, but I ask that it should remain as it is. Later on one could decide whether to change its members.

Battipaglia has been the setting of episodes of intolerance. Three years ago a petrol bomb was thrown at the mosque; while exactly one year ago a bomb was thrown inside the mosque, and a few days later a Moroccan boy was attacked. How do you interpret these events?

As far as the attack is concerned there are two possibilities. Either it was a personal matter carried out by a group of youngsters against immigration, or it was the consequent of mistaken policies. The first hypothesis is not excessively serious, because it could have been a gesture dictated by ignorance, although one must state that there is increasing intolerance in Italy and hatred for immigrants. I informed the Italian government regards to my perception, because if immigrants are attacked there may one day be reactions against Italians.

And what about the second hypothesis?

The second hypothesis involves the continuous demonization of immigrants by television channels and people are incited against foreigners. No one says that Italy is obliged to accept immigration; should politicians decide not to accept foreigners, in the event perhaps there are not sufficient jobs for everyone, then they can stop them from coming. Italian policies, however, must be clear. On one hand there is the Flow Decree and on the other hand they say that immigrants are not needed, or that they are against Italian culture or simply criminals. A well-defined position is needed, not double-dealing. The attack on the mosque should be addressed at the same level as when something happens to a church or a synagogue. When there are attacks on such places of worship even the secret services become involved to understand what has happened. When a mosque is attacked they instead let things go and say it was done by youngsters or a madman. The same criteria should be applied to all cases. One cannot speak of equality, of justice, or of interreligious dialogue if mosques are treated differently to churches or synagogues. When one enters a mosque one must know that the government guarantees security.

Is this security currently not guaranteed?

If someone attacks a mosque and sees that the police does nothing, that the police are not committed to discovering who is responsible, tomorrow that same person will do something even more serious. They still have not caught the person who threw the bomb last year; it is disgraceful. If one thinks in terms of “I am Italian, he belongs to another race”, then there will be no progress made. Salerno was one of the first Italian provinces that promoted interreligious dialogue. All the religious communities visit each other, we speak to parish priests, and we visit the synagogue. Often the representatives of other religions comes to the mosque and so do school children, to learn about Islam, and ask me questions as the Imam. They see that no weapons or bombs are made in the mosque and that it is not a dangerous place filled with chemical material and kamikaze.

What do you think of Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Gianfranco Fini’s idea that only Italian should be used to preach in mosques?

There has never been such a proposal anywhere else in the world. Islam is Arabic, the Koran is in Arabic, the Prophet was an Arab. In non-Arab countries, on Fridays we can preach in Arabic and then add the language of the host country for those who are not Arabs, those who have converted or immigrated. But Friday prayers must be in Arabic and then translated into Italian. Using only the Italian language would be a great mistake, but not because we are against the Italian State. Praying or preaching in Italian will not make immigrants feel like Italian citizens. Integration does not start in this manner. When a Muslim feels really integrated, then he himself will start to speak in Italian.

Translated by Francesca Simmons

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