Original article (in Albanian) was published on 08/10/2025; Author: Patris Pustina
A Patriotik Media article claims that “some public schools in Hamburg (Germany) have started removing music lessons from the curriculum because, in Islam, it is considered ‘haram’ (sin).”
However, this claim is false. Although German media have reported isolated incidents where some Muslim students refused to participate in music classes, there has been no suspension of music lessons in Hamburg.
For example, a Die Welt report in June 2025 described isolated cases in which students did not attend lessons for religious reasons.
The article also mentioned rare incidents where girls were harassed by Muslim students in various schools. Ksenija Bekeris, Hamburg’s Senator for Education, was quoted saying that while these behaviors are not widespread, they will not be tolerated.
The local newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt also reported in June on allegations that Muslim students had threatened or insulted classmates and that there is some “religious pressure” regarding clothing and behavior.
Therefore, although there is evidence of occasional tensions between individual Muslim students and their schools, there is no proof that German authorities have banned music lessons out of fear of being seen as Islamophobic.
The Hamburg Education Board explicitly lists music as a subject that must be taught in schools, providing information about the curriculum, educational plans, and examination regulations on its website.
