The Friday sermon and some lectures are in Arabic with Hungarian translation, but we usually teach in Hungarian language at the week-end school and the Saturday weekly lectures.
The Organization of Muslims in Hungary has recently opened a weekend school for Muslim children in the Budapest Mosque. We have started the Saturday school in 2011 in the Budapest Mosque. Currently, Nur School teaches about 200 children, which is, I believe, quite a significant number, Alhamdulillah. The school welcomes students from the age of 7 till 16 for whom we teach Arabic language, the correct recitation of the Holy Quran and fiqh in a basic level e.g. how to pray or how to make ablution properly.
What kind of activities offers Budapest Mosque to Muslims?
Besides running the Budapest Mosque, we have summer camps in different places of Hungary and a Saturday school for children. We translate, or compile Islamic books from different sources, because we do not follow one specific school of Islamic jurisprudence (madhab), inspite we try to follow the fiqh rulings with the strongest evidence. Every Saturday, we offer lectures on different aspects of Islam and from time to time, we organize courses in specific topics (this month’s course is about educating our children according to the teachings of Islam) and we have charity activities as well.
The history of Organization of Muslims in Hungary
The Organization of Muslims in Hungary was established on September 22 in 2000 under the law on religious freedom. But this organization was not a new one; it has integrated all the experiences of Islamic activities in Hungary since 1987 when the very first Islamic organization, the Muslim Students’ Association, was founded.
After some time, an opportunity came to us to move into another building, which could provide place for approximately 100 individuals. But the community has started to expend and we needed a much bigger place.
Asking for support from different Muslim countries, al-hamduliAllah, we reached a donator in one of the golf countries who helped us in this project. So, we managed to buy a building and we transformed it into a mosque, naming it Budapest Mosque.
We try to represent Islam and Muslims in all possible forums; we participate in the interreligious dialogue to clarify the misunderstandings that others have about Islam.
Furthermore, we run another mosque in Budapest (in the 8th district ), also in the city of Szeged and we have a good community in the city of Pécs and Salgótarján. We also maintain good relationship with the Hungarian speaking Muslims in Slovakia and Romania as well.
How is the community in Budapest? Do only Hungarians visit the mosque?
The majority of Muslims in Hungary live in the capital. 60 % of them are of Arabic origin, 30% are from different backgrounds like Turkish, Persian or African Muslims and only around 10% are native Hungarian.
How does Budapest Mosque welcome non-Muslims?
We offer Arabic language courses free of charge, and we are open to anyone who wants to visit us and ask about Islam. Not a long time ago, even some tourist groups came to the Budapest Mosque.
Our organization is involved in interfaith dialogue, and participates in any kind of forum where Muslims are welcomed. For instance, there is a project in the National University of Public Service in Budapest concerning the minority groups in the country. We were invited to contribute to a course book writing the chapter on Islam and Muslims. We are were glad to participate in the project and present the real teachings of Islam.
Islamic history in Hungary
Islam in Hungary has a long history; it started even before the Hungarian tribes settled down in the Carpathian basin, and the 150 years Ottoman occupation is also one of the main chapters of this history. Today there are approximately 40,000 Muslim residents in Hungary. Most of them are of Arabic or Turkish origin. However, the number of revert Hungarians is increasing as well. Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, has more Islamic organizations. The biggest one is ’The Organization of Muslims in Hungary’.
The address of Budapest Mosque:
H-1119 Budapest, Fehérvári út 41.
Phone: +36-1-208-4040
E-mail: Ez az e-mail-cím a szpemrobotok elleni védelem alatt áll. Megtekintéséhez engedélyeznie kell a JavaScript használatát.
Mobil: +36-20-204-5852
Fax: +36-1-208-1552
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