During the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, Sveriges Radio is actively campaigning for Hässleholm to be Islamicized by building a new mosque. This is because the city’s Muslims “feel excluded.”

The Muslim congregations Assalam and Al-Ihsan are currently without a prayer facility during this year’s Ramadan, something that has prompted the national broadcaster to dispatch a reporter to highlight the situation and emphasize the need for a large gathering space.

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State reporter Andrea Pettersson states in the feature that it’s about 700 members currently without a facility and that the “hunt for a mosque” has been ongoing for several years, but the Muslims have still not received what they seek.

But the congregation currently has an ongoing process, making it clear that Sveriges Radio has stepped in to help the congregation influence decision-makers regarding the need to get the mosque established.

Last year, the congregation was denied planning permission for a prayer hall in the old train sheds, but the matter is now pending with the County Administrative Board for consideration.

READ ALSO: Authority defends Ramadan campaign: “Reflects our everyday life and society”

According to the state reporter, the lack of premises means an important part of the holiday is lost for Muslims in Hässleholm, and she says they experience the situation on “an existential level.”

– “We feel a sense of exclusion, not being able to have a mosque and practice our religion,” one of the Muslims tells SR.

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