Limits of Muslim Pastoral Care

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Photo:PantherMedia / Lisa Vanovitch

How is Islamic pastoral care organised in prisons? How is the situation of Muslims under arrest? How can it be improved? And which projects deal with Islamic Pastoral Care at all?

Islamic pastoral care in prisons is still in its very early stages, even if there are (improvised) cooperations between prisons and local mosques, partly even for decades. Mathias Rohe spoke in an interview with the Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian Broadcasting) about new results and his impression of the situation.

He stated: The problem awareness regarding radicalization in prisons does exist, but for an “adequate pastoral care” there is a need for qualified staff and certain basic parameters. Pastoral care is necessary for two reasons: “as a prevention of radicalization and also for basic supply”. Rohe sees MUSA (Muslim Pastoral Care Augsburg) as a promising project: Those project operators had done an important first level work, but they could not “cover such a large area like Bavaria from Augsburg”, said Rohe in the interview. Therefore, considerations would be rewarding on how such projects could be established in other parts of Bavaria as well.

In his new publication (2016) Mathias Rohe also focuses on Islamic pastoral care in Germany: Islam in Germany. A Stocktaking (p. 214-220).
In his journal contribution (in Forum Strafvollzug – Zeitschrift für Strafvollzug und Straffälligenhilfe) he works on the topic “Importance and perspective of pastoral care in prisons” (1/2014, p. 53-58).

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