From Islamic Religious Education to Peacebuilding in Germany's State Schools

Abstract

Under the German constitution, school education in Germany includes religious instruction as a regular school subject (article 7.3 of the Grundgesetz [GG] = Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany). There have been attempts to provide Islamic religious instruction in several German states with a view to ensuring that this constitutional provision applies to Muslims as well and to countering problems regarding identity and integration faced by Muslims in Germany. In this paper, the rationales for this concept are presented and the framework conditions shown. The development of Islamic peacebuilding is discussed under the assumption of the religion of Islam’s potential and will for peace.