Qatar’s Influence in Europe
Qatar’s growing financial influence across Europe has raised significant concerns, particularly regarding its expanding network of mosques, cultural centers, and schools. While these institutions are often presented as charitable initiatives, many observers believe they form part of a broader strategy aimed at extending Qatar’s political and cultural reach within the West.
Critics point to Qatar’s connections with groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and alleged links to extremist networks as evidence of a deliberate, long-term objective: the promotion of political Islam and an ideological shift in Europe. Portugal’s former ambassador to Qatar, António Corrêa, has even warned that Qatar’s ambitions may go beyond cultural influence, potentially seeking to establish a Caliphate.
Charity or Political Agenda?
At the core of this issue is Zakat, one of Islam’s five pillars mandating almsgiving. In Europe, Qatar Charity, the country’s primary philanthropic arm, has invested millions in mosques and Islamic centers that also serve as cultural and educational hubs.
Is this a genuine charity or a strategic effort to advance political Islam in Europe? Qatar Charity presents itself as supported by individual donors. Still, its primary funding comes from the Qatari royal family, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Qatari Development Fund, linking its objectives closely to state interests.
Qatar’s growing financial presence across Europe has sparked concerns about political favoritism and cultural shifts, illustrated by several notable examples:
United Kingdom: The Qatar-funded mosque in London stands prominently among historic churches, symbolizing Qatar’s expanding influence on the continent.
Croatia: The Islamic Center in Rijeka is a vast complex with five interconnected domes, a 23-meter-high minaret, a congress center, a restaurant, and educational facilities, all heavily financed by Qatar.
France: Mosque al-Nour in Mulhouse is primarily funded by Qatar Charity and managed by the Association des Musulmans d’Alsace (AMAL), which has strong ties to the Union of Islamic Organizations of France (UOIF), connected to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Italy: Qatar Charity supports the Islamic Cultural Center Sesto San Giovanni and has invested over $6 million through its “Ghaith Initiative” into various Islamic centers, facilitating the growth of Islamic culture across the country.
Luxembourg: The Le Juste Milieu Mosque, funded about 75% by Qatar Charity, includes worship spaces as well as legal, educational, and da’wah facilities serving more than 3,000 Muslims, highlighting Qatar’s role in shaping local religious life.
Denmark: The Hamad Bin Khalifa Civilisation Center, home to the Grand Mosque of Copenhagen, received $27 million from Qatar. Given the mosque’s links to the Danish Islamic Council, connected to the Muslim Brotherhood through the Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe, concerns about foreign influence on Danish secularism have intensified.
Qatar Charity’s close association with groups like the Muslim Brotherhood is particularly troubling. Projects funded by Qatar often promote veiling, challenge secular norms, and back lobbying efforts such as those by the European Islamic Union, which campaigns against “Islamophobia.” Their ambitions appear to extend beyond integration or combating prejudice, aiming instead to politically and culturally transform Europe in line with Qatari values rather than traditional European ideals.
The Death of Reciprocity
The principle of reciprocity, granting equal religious rights between Qatar and Europe, has been proposed to ease tensions between religious communities and cultural identities. Corrêa summarizes this stance: “One church, one mosque. No church, no mosque.”
In 2008, Qatar made a symbolic gesture by opening its first Christian church. However, this move appears performative mainly in a country where Christians are nearly nonexistent and non-Muslims lack political participation. In contrast, Europe faces a different reality: mosques are rapidly multiplying while historic churches, symbols of its Christian heritage, fall into neglect or close down.
Critics across Europe have voiced alarm over Qatar’s ambitions, with some describing it as “Islamic colonialism.” They argue that left-wing political factions, in seeking alliances with Muslim communities, fail to consider the long-term impact on cultural preservation. As Croatian MEP Stephen Bartulica warns, “If Christianity loses its place in mainstream European culture, something else will replace it. We see Islam filling that void.”
The concern goes beyond the number of mosques to how these religious spaces serve as platforms for broader political agendas. Europe’s challenge is not merely about religious freedom or coexistence; it is about ideologies that could undermine the foundations of secular democracy.
Ultimately, this issue transcends religious rights; it is a matter of safeguarding the very fabric of secular democracy. Europe must choose whether to allow itself to be reshaped by external influences or to uphold the values that have defined its identity for centuries. In this context, reciprocity alone may no longer suffice; the stakes are much higher.
Resistance Without Losing Ourselves
The central dilemma Europe faces is undeniable: How can it resist the spread of political Islam without undermining its democratic principles?
Finnish policymakers, for instance, uphold freedom of speech and the press but are clear in their stance against incitement to violence. Finnish MEP Sebastian Tynkkynen succinctly says, “Imams preaching violence must be stopped, but everything else must fit within free thought.”
This balance between preserving freedom and protecting society from harm is delicate, and Europe must find a way to uphold both.
