VIENNA, January 31 (IslamOnline.net) – A German university has introduced a new section to teach Islamic subjects, inviting specialized professors and teachers to fill vacancies to start teaching as of this summer.

Erlangen–Nuremberg university in Bavaria state introduced in the 2002/03 semester the Muslim faith as one of its curricula subjects, with eight students enrolling for the course on the spot. The number jumped later to 30.

The new collegiate course includes subjects as Islamic jurisprudence, Qur’an, Hadith (Prophetic Tradition) and Islamic history.

Synopses about Christianity, Judaism and even man-made religions like Hinduism and Buddhism also figure high on the section’s blueprint.

Bavaria’s Ministry of Scientific Research and Arts welcomes CVs from non-German professors on a four-year contract basis that can be extended for more two years.

In practice, students of the new section will also have the opportunity to communicate with other school students studying Islam in Erlangen.

The section’s alumni can teach Islam in primary and secondary schools, and make post-graduate studies on Islamic subjects.

In 2002, Bavaria started teaching Islam in German in 21 schools across the state.

German professors have hailed the move as a concrete step toward consolidating the teaching of Islam at schools.

They said the decision comes in line with the German constitution and is under state supervision.

Religion courses in state schools for non-Christian students who follow an officially recognized faith are enshrined in the German constitution under article seven.

Muslim representative bodies in the country, under the constitution, shall fully supervise Islamic curricula and qualify teachers.

There are 700,000 Muslim students in state schools, according to recent official estimates. Muslim institutions, however, put the number at 1,000,000.

Ministries of education across the 16 German states received this month requests from a number of Muslim associations to supervise and prepare Islamic curricula for Muslim students in state schools.

Most of the ministries have, however, denied the Muslim bodies this constitutional right, arguing that they could not figure out whether such associations had a political agenda.

The German University of Munster inaugurated in April the first institute qualifying Muslim teachers to teach Islam in state-run schools.

The Rhein’s Ministry of Education also started in July teaching the Islamic Guidance subject to some 5,000 Muslim students enrolled at 100 public schools.

Also in July, Germany’s first Muslim Academy opened in Berlin, bringing together a host of scientists, researchers and academics from Germany and several Muslim nations.

Islam comes third after Protestant and Catholic Christianity. There are some 3.4 million Muslims in Germany, including 220,000 in Berlin alone.