Generally in Europe, and Germany in particular, almost all masjids are ethnic-based. Everywhere we went to its either pakistani or arab masjid, indonesian or albani masjid. At first, I did not quite fancy the idea of masjids being known according to ethnicity but having spent most of my time in all those masjids for four straight months, I did not see any sign of division among the muslims in them. Muslims of all races and ethnicity bowed down and prostrated to Almighty Allah peacefully following one imam. In fact I began to appreciate the practice more when I compare them with the masjids in Malaysia. Though most masjids in Malaysia are shafie malay-dominant, we also cherish the existence of hanafi indian and pakistani dominant masjids. I only have a complaint against one particular indonesian masjid in Hamburg because it only was unlocked and opened once a week on fridays.
Apart from my unique and enlightening experience spending time associating and fraternizing with my fellow muslim brothers in turkish masjids, I had observed that there were basically three 'types' of turkish masjids. A masjid that has support of turkish government is called Diyanet. A masjid that has political motive swaying against the turkish government is called Milli Gorus. You could easily tell the difference between the two by looking at its carpet. Diyanet has red carpet and milli gorus has green carpet. Another type of masjid is Sulaymani where sufism dzikr was prevalent.
There were certain set of rules and practices that we learnt to adapt in each and every turkish masjid:
1. Wearing of khuff or socks were strictly observed all the time in the masjid.
2. Cleanliness was the utmost priority. One was expected to wipe dry and never left wet toilet seat, wudhu' area and kitchen area.
3. Farting was near absolutely forbidden in turkish masjid. We were told that there was an instance where a Malaysian student got thrown out from masjid by the collar when the poor lad farted and giggled. Seriously, never fart in turkish masjid.
4. Certain words like arabic word "ibnu" or urdu words "sikna sikana" (learn and teach) were self-prohibited or self-censored during bayan as the two words denote dirty words in turkish.
5. Du'a was always close with the word "al-fatihah".
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