DANIEL STREICH EMBRACES ISLAM

(Swiss Politician Bans Minarets then Converts to Islam)

 

       The Swiss politician Daniel Streich, who rose to fame as a result of his opposition to mosques in his homeland, Switzerland, has now embraced the faith he reviled, according to an article published in www.globalmuslim.com received by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).

         Daniel Streich was a member of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) in Switzerland. A well-known politician, Streich led the calls for a ban on minarets across Switzerland. He was active in building anti-Muslim sentiments throughout Switzerland.

 

         This sustained campaign led to him being given a high ranking position in the Swiss Army.

 

         Daniel Streich (born in Bulle, Canton of Fribourg) is a Swiss military instructor, community council member and a former member of Swiss People’s Party. A Protestant that converted to Catholicism and then to Islam.

 

        Daniel Streich, left the Swiss People’s Party over the campaign for the national ban on the construction of new minarets.

       Streich was founding member and president of the Gruyères section of the party from 2003 to 2007. His followed conversion to Islam in 2005, before which he was a devout Catholic, with one of his given explanations on this conversion is that this newly discovered religion offered him “logical answers to important life questions”.

     He then resigned from his presidency in June 2007 citing his discomfort with certain “extremist” positions of the party, especially the campaign to ban nationwide the construction of new minarets.

      While Streich in 2007 stated that he had “many Muslim friends” he did not make public his personal conversion to Islam until early November 2009, when he left the Swiss People’s Party in protest against their campaign for the impending referendum of 29 November 2009. He then participated in setting up the Conservative Democratic Party cantonal section.

      Steich’s case was reported by the most read daily newspaper in Switzerland – 20 Minuten on 23 November, during the week preceding the referendum and the story was picked up by the tabloid newspaper Blick on the following day.

 

Switzerland Minaret Ban and Daniel Streich

 

         Streich was an important member of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP). His importance could be estimated from his influence on party’s policy making, in which he always had a prominent role.

 

        His movement against minarets was aimed at gaining political attention and interest. He won the slot of military instructor in the Swiss Army due to his popularity. He was also committed to his party (SVP) and stood as a local politician in the commune of Bulle.

 

Daniel Streich Conversion to Islam

 

        Streich attempted to understand the Qur’an and Islamic teachings in order to argue against Muslims on tenets of their faith. In the course of his efforts the ex-Christian began to agree with and acknowledge the proclamations of the Qur’an.

 

        Born in a Christian family, Streich had a comprehensive study of Islam merely to malign and confront, but Islamic teachings had a deep impact on him.

       Eventually he de-linked himself from political activities and he embraced Islam. Streich has termed the SVO activities against the Muslims as satanic.

 

       He says that he used to read the Bible and often went to chapel, but now he recites the Holy Quran and offers his prayers five times a day.

 

      He further says that he cancelled his party membership and made public his conversion. Streich says that he has found the truth of life in Islam, which he could not find in Christianity.

 

     “Islam offers me logical answers to important life questions, which, in the end, I never found in Christianity,” says Streich. He is now a committed Muslim, who attends the mosque, recites the Qur’an and prays five times a day.

 

      According to figures from the Union of Islamic Organizations and Communities, some 3,000 to 5,000 Italians have recently converted to Islam from Catholicism.

 

Post-Conversion Life for Daniel Streich

 

       Recently the question of ban on minarets was put to voting in Switzerland, wherein the Swiss nationals gave the issue a legal status.

As per voting results 42.5 per cent people voted in favour of the minarets and 57.5 per cent supported the ban, while the Muslim population in Switzerland is only 6 per cent.

 

       The most wondrous thing in this regard, therefore, is the support of 42.5 per cent of population for only six percent Muslims. The analysts claim that ban on minarets and Islamic rituals has attracted the people towards Islam.

 

       Streich has now focused his intentions on participating in the building of the new Conservative Democratic Party in the canton of Freiburg.

       Freich’s new movement is in contrast to his previous one and he aims to promote religious tolerance and peaceful cooperative living, in spite of the fact that ban on mosques minarets has gained a legal status.

 

      He is vehemently opposed to the Minaret ban and is hoping to establish Switzerland’s fifth mosque and the most beautiful in Europe. (T/R-025/R-006)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)