HAMBURG: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today performed Friday prayers at the Al Nour Mosque in Hamburg's Horn district here.
Anwar arrived at the mosque at 11.55am and was welcomed upon arrival by Muslim Council of Germany vice-chairman Daniel Abdin, who is also the mosque chairman.
Also on hand to greet him was the mosque's imam, Sheikh Samir El-Rajab.
Anwar was accompanied by International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Malaysian ambassador to Germany Datin Paduka Dr Adina Kamarudin, and other members of the Malaysian delegation.
Daniel said they were honoured by the prime minister's visit, which was all the more significant as it fell on the first Friday of Ramadan.
Anwar, in a brief speech to the congregation, told them of his recent meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and how he had relayed the concerns of the Muslim community on a host of issues and was glad that they were accepted.
He also touched on the importance of Muslims upholding their image.
"The most effective form of dakwah is to set a good example of faith or 'akhlak' for others to see," he said.
The Al Nour Mosque is a former Evangelical-Lutheran church, which was converted into a mosque in 2019. It is understood to be the largest Arab mosque in northern Germany and can accommodate some 1,500 congregants.
Hamburg has around 140,000 Muslims.
Anwar extended some contributions to the mosque in conjunction with Ramadan, including 11 copies of the Al-Quran, one of which is a special edition was while the rest were English translations.
The prime minister, who is on a six-day official visit to Germany, had previously engaged with the Muslim community in Berlin, having performed the Isyak and tarawih prayers in the city's Sehitlik Mosque.
In Berlin, Anwar had also paid a courtesy call on German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and met with Scholz.
He had also held meetings with German captains of industry and major businesses, as well as delivered the keynote address at the country's annual SME Future Day.
In Hamburg later this evening, he is scheduled to give an interview to German media agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA), as well as hold a business meeting with Dutch semiconductor giant Nexperia, which has a factory in Hamburg.
Later tonight, the prime minister is scheduled to deliver a ceremonial address at the 101st East Asia Friendship Dinner (Ostasiatisches Liebesmahl) hosted by the German Asia-Pacific Business Association - also known as the OAV - at the Hamburg City Hall.
He will depart for Malaysia after the event.
