Construction of mosque gives Greek Muslims hope of greater religious parity

It’s time for evening prayers. Shah Malik heads to Masjid Usman, in an Athens neighborhood that is home to immigrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

A handwritten sign taped beside the entrance reads that the prayer space is registered as a library. At least 200,000 Muslims live in Athens, but of the 120 prayer spaces in the city, only three have been able to navigate a maze of legal restrictions to register as mosques.

“You have to hire a bunch of lawyers and inspectors,” said Malik, who came to Greece from Pakistan 14 years ago and serves as the makeshift mosque’s treasurer. “You have to rent a proper space with safety measures, like multiple exits. It’s a shame, but most of us cannot afford to do that.”