Instagram : @ moscheatorino A battle over urban space
Besides the misrepresentations of Muslims through media and politics , legislation itself impacts Italian Muslims .
There are as few as twelve official mosques across Italy , despite Islam being the country ’ s second largest religion after Catholicism , according to Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata . Attempts to build new mosques have been countered by local governments , forcing spaces of prayer to be established in informal spaces like garages , basements , and warehouses .
Islam finds itself in this unique situation of a battle over spaces of worship because it has no legal recognition in Italy , unlike other minority faiths , such as Hinduism and Judaism . This distinction means that Islam does not receive benefits like the ‘ 8 per 1000 tax ’, an annual income tax where Italian taxpayers can choose which staterecognised religion receives their contribution . This also means that Islam is not guaranteed any religious freedoms , such as right to burial or legal recognition of festivities .
A 2023 bill proposed by Fratelli D ’ Italia ’ s Tommaso Foti intended to ban mosques in garages and industrial warehouses , which would eliminate what little communal spaces Muslims have . Its passing would infringe religious freedoms and was labelled an attempt to “ incidere sulla libertà di culto ” (‘ cut into the right to worship ’) according to Angelo Bonelli , spokesperson for Europa Verde . And yet , Italian Muslims struggle to have their voices heard , given Islam ’ s lack of legal recognition .
The media has demonised garage mosques as a disruption to urban spaces – Il Giornale described one such mosque in Milan as a “ ghetto islamico ”. Famously a mouthpiece for the right , especially the Berlusconi group , Il Giornale is rife with the same fearmongering language used by Meloni .
The situation of ‘ Garage Islam ’, as it has been dubbed , illustrates how Islam is battling for the basics of recognition and respect in Italy . It is a manifestation of how Muslims have been marginalised , literally and figuratively pushed to the very edges of Italian society .
By Anna Boyd ( She / Her ) // Second Year ; Italian and French
Instagram : @ grande _ moschea _ roma
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