A wave of strong reactions has emerged among Danish politicians following a controversial speech delivered at the Islamic Faith Community (Det Islamiske Trossamfund) that has raised eyebrows. The speech, given by educator Ahmed Yasin, encouraged Muslim students to avoid social events such as introductory and orientation programs, urging them instead to focus on Friday prayers and to associate with like-minded individuals.

Zenia Stampe, the spokesperson for immigration and integration for the Social Liberal Party (Radikale Venstre), criticized the speech for creating unnecessary divides between religious practices and Danish youth and student life. She emphasized that such a stance could hinder integration efforts and expressed her satisfaction at the mosque’s official disavowal of the sermon. “It is important that the mosque now demonstrates in practice that they support good relationships across different backgrounds,” Stampe wrote.

Mohammad Rona, a member of the Moderates (Moderaterne), has personal experience with the type of social control represented by the speech. He labeled the remarks as “catastrophic” and stressed the importance of integrating young people from different ethnic backgrounds into the community. Rona called for greater insistence from newcomers to Denmark to distance themselves from such messages, even if they are not explicitly illegal.

The Social Democrats (Socialdemokratiet) have also responded to the criticism. Frederik Vad contends that the speech conveys a message that young Muslims do not need to contribute to the Danish community, which he describes as “extremely dangerous.” He views this as a necessary part of the fight against religious social control and calls for political initiatives to be presented soon to address these issues.

This is not the first time the Islamic Faith Community has faced significant criticism. Previous incidents have led to political proposals to revoke the organization’s official recognition and the associated tax benefits.

The question of whether the mosque should lose its status as a recognized religious community remains an open issue. According to Frederik Vad, the government will soon present a policy regarding religious social control to tackle such challenges.

The polarization generated by this topic has led to extensive discussions among ordinary citizens and within the media. This debate continues to evolve as Danish politicians search for solutions to the challenges of integration and cultural differences.