Eco-friendly mosque planned for Germany

islamirama

www.netmuslims.com
Eco-friendly mosque planned for Germany

Norderstedt's Muslim community to build a £2m mosque with wind turbines in its minarets

Siobhan Dowling - 13 June 2011

A small Muslim community in northern Germany is pioneering renewable energy sources by planning to build a mosque with wind turbines in its minarets.

The €2.5m (£2.2m) project would see the mosque in Norderstedt, near Hamburg, become one of the first to turn the minaret, the place from which the muezzin called the faithful to prayer, into a wind-fuelled power source.

The eco-friendly building is the brainchild of the Hamburg architect Selcuk Ünyilmaz, who has long incorporated energy efficiency into his work. "I thought about how we could give sacral architecture an ecological focus," he said. "My design combines the modern with the traditional, so I wanted to give the minarets a contemporary function."

The wind turbines will be housed in two 22-metre-high minarets and Ünyilmaz plans to install a pair of 1.5-metre glass rotor blades in each tower. At certain times of the day light will be beamed at the blades to create a kind of light show.

Until now the 200-strong congregation, part of the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs, has made do with a 100-year-old building ill-equipped to house a religious community. But last month local authorities approved plans for the project, which will measure about 1,300 sq metres and comprise two parts, the mosque and a larger building containing shops, travel agents, a cafe, hairdresser and offices.

"We want to create a meeting place for people from all religions and nationalities," Ugur Sütcü, the chairman of the Norderstedt congregation, told the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper. "There will be advisory services on offer, as well as social, cultural and sporting activities."

In order to persuade some of the more sceptical members of the congregation of the merits of his design, Ünyilmaz looked for other mosques with similar wind turbines. But he could not find any other examples that had already been built.

The German mosque will not be the first of its kind, however, as the Islamic missionary group Tablighi Jamaat is also planning to build an environmentally friendly mosque with wind turbines in its minarets in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

Ünyilmaz's scheme has come at a fortuitous time. Germany has approved a 2022 exit from nuclear energy and there is pressure to make up the shortfall by boosting the renewable energy sector.

The community in Norderstedt might be in tune with the energy zeitgeist but does not yet have funds for the project. However this is not something Sütcü is too worried about. "We are confident that we can raise the money," he said.

The coastal town is perfectly situated for wind energy production, and the minarets will help cover the building's overheads, providing about a third of its energy. Ünyilmaz said that was one of the reasons he opted for turbines instead of solar panels, which would not produce electricity at night. "We are in the north and I don't think there's a day here that isn't windy," he said.

 

esperanza

revert of many years
Eco-friendly mosque planned for Germany

Norderstedt's Muslim community to build a £2m mosque with wind turbines in its minarets

Siobhan Dowling - 13 June 2011

A small Muslim community in northern Germany is pioneering renewable energy sources by planning to build a mosque with wind turbines in its minarets.

The €2.5m (£2.2m) project would see the mosque in Norderstedt, near Hamburg, become one of the first to turn the minaret, the place from which the muezzin called the faithful to prayer, into a wind-fuelled power source.

The eco-friendly building is the brainchild of the Hamburg architect Selcuk Ünyilmaz, who has long incorporated energy efficiency into his work. "I thought about how we could give sacral architecture an ecological focus," he said. "My design combines the modern with the traditional, so I wanted to give the minarets a contemporary function."

The wind turbines will be housed in two 22-metre-high minarets and Ünyilmaz plans to install a pair of 1.5-metre glass rotor blades in each tower. At certain times of the day light will be beamed at the blades to create a kind of light show.

Until now the 200-strong congregation, part of the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs, has made do with a 100-year-old building ill-equipped to house a religious community. But last month local authorities approved plans for the project, which will measure about 1,300 sq metres and comprise two parts, the mosque and a larger building containing shops, travel agents, a cafe, hairdresser and offices.

"We want to create a meeting place for people from all religions and nationalities," Ugur Sütcü, the chairman of the Norderstedt congregation, told the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper. "There will be advisory services on offer, as well as social, cultural and sporting activities."

In order to persuade some of the more sceptical members of the congregation of the merits of his design, Ünyilmaz looked for other mosques with similar wind turbines. But he could not find any other examples that had already been built.

The German mosque will not be the first of its kind, however, as the Islamic missionary group Tablighi Jamaat is also planning to build an environmentally friendly mosque with wind turbines in its minarets in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

Ünyilmaz's scheme has come at a fortuitous time. Germany has approved a 2022 exit from nuclear energy and there is pressure to make up the shortfall by boosting the renewable energy sector.

The community in Norderstedt might be in tune with the energy zeitgeist but does not yet have funds for the project. However this is not something Sütcü is too worried about. "We are confident that we can raise the money," he said.

The coastal town is perfectly situated for wind energy production, and the minarets will help cover the building's overheads, providing about a third of its energy. Ünyilmaz said that was one of the reasons he opted for turbines instead of solar panels, which would not produce electricity at night. "We are in the north and I don't think there's a day here that isn't windy," he said.


thank you for this interesting article,,,did you know that germany has more mosques than the usa.....
 

islamirama

www.netmuslims.com
thank you for this interesting article,,,did you know that germany has more mosques than the usa.....

You are welcome.

I was about to doubt Germany has more than USA. It is smaller than state of Montana. Then a little research proved me wrong.

2,500 mosques in Germany
http://engforum.pravda.ru/index.php?/topic/208396-2500-mosques-in-germany/

1462 (according to the 2007 survey done by The Muslim Group of America)
http://www.allied-media.com/AM/

But still surprised to see how anti-Muslim Germany is or becoming more and more despite that many mosques and possibly Muslim population.
 

esperanza

revert of many years
You are welcome.

I was about to doubt Germany has more than USA. It is smaller than state of Montana. Then a little research proved me wrong.

2,500 mosques in Germany
http://engforum.pravda.ru/index.php?/topic/208396-2500-mosques-in-germany/

1462 (according to the 2007 survey done by The Muslim Group of America)
http://www.allied-media.com/AM/

But still surprised to see how anti-Muslim Germany is or becoming more and more despite that many mosques and possibly Muslim population.

yes what a surprise such a big country yet america has relatively few mosques,,,,
yes in germany becomes more muslim ,the anti muslim feeling grows...i wonder how i would be accepted im german and muslim but dont live there

i think the problem is most ,especially turks live in communities quite seperate from german society and germans resent that lack of integration
 

islamirama

www.netmuslims.com
yes what a surprise such a big country yet america has relatively few mosques,,,,
yes in germany becomes more muslim ,the anti muslim feeling grows...i wonder how i would be accepted im german and muslim but dont live there

i think the problem is most ,especially turks live in communities quite seperate from german society and germans resent that lack of integration

Many communities are like that, in that they do not integrate or reach out the communities of the country they live in. This mostly where you have a majority of the people. For example, in the US you will see blacks, latinos, desi or arabs cozy within their communities only when they have a large presence in the area. But if they don't then they will be more open to communicating with other members of the society. As bad as this sounds and as unhappy Germans are of the Turks, it's not not worst than what these non-Muslims do in Muslim lands. They have whole villas surrounded by walls and guarded by metal gates and all these expatriates are living within those villas like they are living the west and they do not associate with the locals or anyone outside their villas. Someone should show this to the whining westerners and tell them this is how you do it in Muslim lands, why don't you integrate first then point at others.

I'm surprised there are that many mosques and Muslims in Germany considering how racist and anti-islam Germans are and getting worst. It seems we will see more and more of Europe going back to those crusade days as the extremist islamophobes gain more and more power. Perhaps this will lead to the fulfilling of the hadith that Turkey will be taken over by them and I think we'll have to take it back then.

Anyways, are there not any Muslims in your area? how is it living there as revert?
 

esperanza

revert of many years
Many communities are like that, in that they do not integrate or reach out the communities of the country they live in. This mostly where you have a majority of the people. For example, in the US you will see blacks, latinos, desi or arabs cozy within their communities only when they have a large presence in the area. But if they don't then they will be more open to communicating with other members of the society. As bad as this sounds and as unhappy Germans are of the Turks, it's not not worst than what these non-Muslims do in Muslim lands. They have whole villas surrounded by walls and guarded by metal gates and all these expatriates are living within those villas like they are living the west and they do not associate with the locals or anyone outside their villas. Someone should show this to the whining westerners and tell them this is how you do it in Muslim lands, why don't you integrate first then point at others.

I'm surprised there are that many mosques and Muslims in Germany considering how racist and anti-islam Germans are and getting worst. It seems we will see more and more of Europe going back to those crusade days as the extremist islamophobes gain more and more power. Perhaps this will lead to the fulfilling of the hadith that Turkey will be taken over by them and I think we'll have to take it back then.

Anyways, are there not any Muslims in your area? how is it living there as revert?[/QUOTE

ITS OK I DONT ACTUALLY LIVE IN GERMANY

ilive in one of these muslim countries where non muslims live in compounds protected by soldeirs and inside can do almost as they like ..even against norms of the country..that makes me mad too
 

islamirama

www.netmuslims.com
ITS OK I DONT ACTUALLY LIVE IN GERMANY

ilive in one of these muslim countries where non muslims live in compounds protected by soldeirs and inside can do almost as they like ..even against norms of the country..that makes me mad too

So are you living in one of those compounds like the Gulf or more out with public in a normal place like in Egypt and other non-gulf states? Guess that's easier to do when your married to an arab.
 

esperanza

revert of many years
So are you living in one of those compounds like the Gulf or more out with public in a normal place like in Egypt and other non-gulf states? Guess that's easier to do when your married to an arab.


no idont live in one of those compounds ,i live among the community..have done for many years,,,
 

justoneofmillion

Junior Member
Many communities are like that, in that they do not integrate or reach out the communities of the country they live in. This mostly where you have a majority of the people. For example, in the US you will see blacks, latinos, desi or arabs cozy within their communities only when they have a large presence in the area. But if they don't then they will be more open to communicating with other members of the society. As bad as this sounds and as unhappy Germans are of the Turks, it's not not worst than what these non-Muslims do in Muslim lands. They have whole villas surrounded by walls and guarded by metal gates and all these expatriates are living within those villas like they are living the west and they do not associate with the locals or anyone outside their villas. Someone should show this to the whining westerners and tell them this is how you do it in Muslim lands, why don't you integrate first then point at others.

I'm surprised there are that many mosques and Muslims in Germany considering how racist and anti-islam Germans are and getting worst. It seems we will see more and more of Europe going back to those crusade days as the extremist islamophobes gain more and more power. Perhaps this will lead to the fulfilling of the hadith that Turkey will be taken over by them and I think we'll have to take it back then.

Anyways, are there not any Muslims in your area? how is it living there as revert?
:salam2:

I beg to respectfully disagree with you on one point if you allow..I don't think that Germans are more racist than anybody out there outside of the Hollyahood propaganda machine think people...You will find Race pride even in Ouagadougou ,Hongkong or Jedda,that is how some people are, for some complex of inferiority they might wanna push under the rug some kind of Immune system reaction for the helpless and bored individual!

I live in Germany I am half German from my mother side go figure how I came to be if generalization was to be taken for an exact science(Even after that Bin Laden story, Multiracial Babies are popping out like mushrooms..).

People live their lives,they work and try to manage their everyday living and are not obsessed hating on any particular group or ethnicity.Now we can't rely on anecdotism to build and educate discerning minds as Muslims ,the general mood however is peaceful in Germany,You have mosques A lot of Muslim Communities of all races and the rule of law is very strict when in comes to discrimination unlike in a lot of "Muslim"countries.

We Muslims are not victims,we have to stop seeing ourselves as such and finally take the responsibility to become the protagonists of our own history again.

Yallah take care be well,got to run...

Wassalamu Aleikum Wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.
 

strive-may-i

Junior Member
Minarets to turbine... functional,do any of you see it as frictional??

:salam2:

Am verily curious!!
Now for all I know that would be the first religious place to adopt, wind turbine as part of its design!!! They for sure are setting a precedent not just for mosques but for all buildings..... Much better that the Clock in mecca...

And i have questions, how are the mosques in Germany, do any sport the Minarets. How does the German society react when they have a mosque in their neighbourhood (Minaret/ no minaret)? [Am told germans are frigid to outside cultures]

Now how many hear feel that the design of minaret should not change?Do you seem Minarets as a cultural symbol or religious symbol??
 

islamirama

www.netmuslims.com
Pregnant woman stabbed 18 times to death in a German court

:salam2:

I beg to respectfully disagree with you on one point if you allow..I don't think that Germans are more racist than anybody out there outside of the Hollyahood propaganda machine think people...You will find Race pride even in Ouagadougou ,Hongkong or Jedda,that is how some people are, for some complex of inferiority they might wanna push under the rug some kind of Immune system reaction for the helpless and bored individual!

I live in Germany I am half German from my mother side go figure how I came to be if generalization was to be taken for an exact science(Even after that Bin Laden story, Multiracial Babies are popping out like mushrooms..).

People live their lives,they work and try to manage their everyday living and are not obsessed hating on any particular group or ethnicity.Now we can't rely on anecdotism to build and educate discerning minds as Muslims ,the general mood however is peaceful in Germany,You have mosques A lot of Muslim Communities of all races and the rule of law is very strict when in comes to discrimination unlike in a lot of "Muslim"countries.

We Muslims are not victims,we have to stop seeing ourselves as such and finally take the responsibility to become the protagonists of our own history again.

Yallah take care be well,got to run...

Wassalamu Aleikum Wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

:wasalam:

They may or may not be most racist out there but they sure are getting there. There are handful of European countries that are going towards nazism against Islam and Muslims in Europe. This is evident from the anti-Islam laws they are passing against Musilms. Germany is one of these European countries that is headed that way. Right wing, islamophobe parties are being voted by majority vote of the public into power and they are giving the public what they want, anti-islamism.

I don't see your point of comparing "muslim" countries with Germany. These Muslims countries have had Christianity and other religions coexist amongst them for centuries. They were the ones who gave Jews sanctuary every time Christians when genocidal on them. Now a wave of Islam is spreading in Europe and these so called democratic "freedom and Liberation" hypocrites can't stomach it.

And yes, we Muslims ARE victims here. You may not have faced it because your "German" enough but have you even read of the hate crimes against the Muslims in these islamofascists nations? It's great that you got mixed parents but that don't think that makes you in the majority. Rather I believe you are in the minority here. We are the Muslims because there is a Muslim witch hunting going and its leading to nazism.


“The way European extremist anti-Islam groups today denigrate Muslims and Islam is very similar to the way Fascist and right wing parties denigrated Jews in the 1930s,” - Erna Solberg


------------------------------

Multicultural Germany turning against Muslims

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...-against-muslims/story-e6frg6so-1225936757751


Remember Marwa El Sherbini, Pregnant Muslim woman stabbed 18 times to death in a German court while police stood there doing nothing for 8 minutes and when her husband tried to help he was stabbed by the attacker and shot by the police.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50f9QrrMAGg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtTsBmtERRw

---------------------

In Italy, a Muslim woman wearing the niqab (a garment that covers the face) was fined over six hundred dollars for exercising her right to dress in a manner she believes is appropriate. Belgium also recently embarked on the road to illegalize and stigmatize the burka and niqab with a vote in the Brussels federal parliament. That move mirrors similar efforts in France.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ahmed-moor/europes-anti-muslim-racis_b_565651.html

Wave of anti-Muslim legislation in Europe has broad support

BBC NEWS | Europe | Anti-Muslim bias 'spreads' in EU
 

justoneofmillion

Junior Member
:wasalam:

They may or may not be most racist out there but they sure are getting there. There are handful of European countries that are going towards nazism against Islam and Muslims in Europe. This is evident from the anti-Islam laws they are passing against Musilms. Germany is one of these European countries that is headed that way. Right wing, islamophobe parties are being voted by majority vote of the public into power and they are giving the public what they want, anti-islamism.

I don't see your point of comparing "muslim" countries with Germany. These Muslims countries have had Christianity and other religions coexist amongst them for centuries. They were the ones who gave Jews sanctuary every time Christians when genocidal on them. Now a wave of Islam is spreading in Europe and these so called democratic "freedom and Liberation" hypocrites can't stomach it.

And yes, we Muslims ARE victims here. You may not have faced it because your "German" enough but have you even read of the hate crimes against the Muslims in these islamofascists nations? It's great that you got mixed parents but that don't think that makes you in the majority. Rather I believe you are in the minority here. We are the Muslims because there is a Muslim witch hunting going and its leading to nazism.


“The way European extremist anti-Islam groups today denigrate Muslims and Islam is very similar to the way Fascist and right wing parties denigrated Jews in the 1930s,” - Erna Solberg


------------------------------

Multicultural Germany turning against Muslims

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...-against-muslims/story-e6frg6so-1225936757751


Remember Marwa El Sherbini, Pregnant Muslim woman stabbed 18 times to death in a German court while police stood there doing nothing for 8 minutes and when her husband tried to help he was stabbed by the attacker and shot by the police.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50f9QrrMAGg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtTsBmtERRw

---------------------

In Italy, a Muslim woman wearing the niqab (a garment that covers the face) was fined over six hundred dollars for exercising her right to dress in a manner she believes is appropriate. Belgium also recently embarked on the road to illegalize and stigmatize the burka and niqab with a vote in the Brussels federal parliament. That move mirrors similar efforts in France.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ahmed-moor/europes-anti-muslim-racis_b_565651.html

Wave of anti-Muslim legislation in Europe has broad support

BBC NEWS | Europe | Anti-Muslim bias 'spreads' in EU
:salam2:We can not and should not rely on one or two cases or headlines to describe the general atmosphere of a whole nation,of every village,city, and "Hood" like they say,However much condemnable they are,it is not serious.

There are so much more positive things aswell In "those" countries like :Rule of Law,equality before the law,separation of powers between executive ,legislator and the judicial,you do not need to be the son of this or that to get your rights ....and you won't walk over the head of others if you are!these are very important requisites for the together living of individuals in a society among other...

More pregnant women have being stabbed and even babies have being Boiled during the 90s during the civil war in Algeria for example.In the states a woman is raped every 6 minutes ...etc.Let me give you a brief example of that am trying to convey here :

One woman is beaten by her husband or partner every 15 seconds in the United States. (Uniform Crime Reports, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1991).

Would you say that Americans are violent against women because of this?I will let you ponder about it inshallah!

As Muslims we must see the good in people and cherish it from the rest,promote it so that we might be of some use through their guidance.We would cut our legs short to gnomes,If we shun or label them ,it is not gonna happen...Imagine a German looking for guidance reading this and who can't identify with what he has being portrayed to be...It is not the most tactful way to put forward an argumentation Akhi.

Allah s ways are inexplorable, who knows whom he might guide,and who are we anyways to doubt his Mercy on his people?

Most importantly we must stop complaining, crying , begging, kneeling down and crawling to Mortals,it is not the way of Men.

As Muslims we direct our concerns to Allah swt Alone.Because we believe in his promise...

I leave you in the care of Allah swt I regretfully do not have the time for long discussions these days


Wasslamu Aleikum Wa rahmatullahi Wa barakatuhu.

Respectfully your brother in Islam.
 

islamirama

www.netmuslims.com
:salam2:We can not and should not rely on one or two cases or headlines to describe the general atmosphere of a whole nation,of every village,city, and "Hood" like they say,However much condemnable they are,it is not serious.

There are so much more positive things aswell In "those" countries like :Rule of Law,equality before the law,separation of powers between executive ,legislator and the judicial,you do not need to be the son of this or that to get your rights ....and you won't walk over the head of others if you are!these are very important requisites for the together living of individuals in a society among other...

More pregnant women have being stabbed and even babies have being Boiled during the 90s during the civil war in Algeria for example.In the states a woman is raped every 6 minutes ...etc.Let me give you a brief example of that am trying to convey here :



Would you say that Americans are violent against women because of this?I will let you ponder about it inshallah!

As Muslims we must see the good in people and cherish it from the rest,promote it so that we might be of some use through their guidance.We would cut our legs short to gnomes,If we shun or label them ,it is not gonna happen...Imagine a German looking for guidance reading this and who can't identify with what he has being portrayed to be...It is not the most tactful way to put forward an argumentation Akhi.

Allah s ways are inexplorable, who knows whom he might guide,and who are we anyways to doubt his Mercy on his people?

I leave you in the care of Allah swt I regretfully do not have the time for long discussions these days


Wasslamu Aleikum Wa rahmatullahi Wa barakatuhu.

Respectfully your brother in Islam.

:wasalam:

I understand what you are saying bro. At the same you are making it all as just a normal issue. Yes, all that is true what you said about the states. In fact, a woman is raped every 2 minutes in the US. And yes, evil things may have happened in that civil war but then again such things are to be expected in those situation.

The point I was trying to make is that marwa sherbini was not just another crime in another country, it was a specific hate crime towards a specific person of a specific religion borne out of specific hate-mongering and hate preaching by specific individuals in power in that country.

What I'm saying still stands, German is becoming a racist anti-islamic intolerant state and is moving towards islamophobe extremism like few have already gone in Europe and others are following pursuit.
 

strive-may-i

Junior Member
Eco friendliness... as Way of Life

I wonder how eco-friendliness relates to Islam.

Almighty(s) order
-->demanding to justly meet ones need and not greed (, is the best way to sustainable living )
--> directing humanity to use natural resource but not abuse nor corrupt the earth, which has been set in balance (a directive for responsible co-existence)


Prophet(s) preachings/practices to
--> Plant trees, and nurutre so as to be able to let all beings benefit from it, to be seen as act of charity
--> avoid wasting , because its injustice
--> Importance on hygiene of self and surrounding

Sharia laws for creating reserves (eco), land usage planning, land revival...

(From what i recollect)... All of the above!
 
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