Muslims in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein are set to receive two additional public holidays, while preparations are also underway for Islamic studies to be introduced as a regular subject in schools. These measures are part of an agreement between the Schleswig-Holstein state government and the Northern German Association of Islamic Cultural Centers (VIKZ).
According to the Ministry of Culture, officials, employees, and students of the Muslim faith will be able to take time off on the first day of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha.
The agreement was signed on September 24 by Minister of Culture Dorit Stenke of the center-right CDU and Murat Pırıldar, chairman of VIKZ. Muhlis Şahin, vice president of the Federal Board of VIKZ, welcomed the step, saying:
The treaty makes it clear: Islam is a part of our social life. It has taken deep root here and continues to thrive—through people who were born and raised here and who live in this country as their homeland.
Stenke called the contract “an important sign of recognition and equal treatment of religious communities. People of the Muslim faith are part of our society. We are confirming this with this agreement.”
The agreement also lays the groundwork for ‘Islamic religion’ to become a regular school subject, though “certain requirements—such as student numbers and teacher qualifications—must be met for this to happen.”
The VIKZ, founded in 2014, currently comprises twelve congregations in Schleswig-Holstein and represents around 12,000 members. The treaty guarantees the association’s right to operate cultural and educational institutions and to train imams.
Not everyone, however, shares this positive assessment. Islamic scholar Susanne Schröter, director of the Frankfurt Research Center for Global Islam, expressed skepticism in an interview with WELT TV. She described VIKZ as “very conservative,” adding that Germany’s official dialogue with Islam often gives too much weight to conservative associations while liberal or moderate Muslim voices remain underrepresented. Schröter also warned that if Muslims receive formal public holidays, other minority groups might demand similar rights.
