PARIS,
November 23 (IslamOnline.net) - Muslim students and teachers in France
will be granted an unofficial holiday to celebrate Eid al-Fitr (lesser
Bairam), which falls Tuesday, November 25, in Europe.
Muslims
will make a conspicuous absence during the Eid holiday, which is a
typical school day in the Western European country.
"Jewish
students are also granted a day off during Yom Kippur (Day of
Atonement)," she added.
Jean
Baptiste Ohmaver, a teacher, decided to delay a routine exam till after
Eid, respecting the feelings of his Muslim students.
"I
used to hold this exam on Tuesdays, but this time Muslim students said
in one breath 'Eid starts this Tuesday' and I decided to wait until
they come back from their holiday," Oumvier told IOL.
Turks
and Moroccans make up the majority of the six-million-strong Muslim
population in France.
Eid
Charity
 |
|
One
of the money-boxes used in collecting Zakat al-Fitr in France
|
Gamal
Masrawi, Le Secours Islamique's public relations officer, said this
Eid's charity work will extend to prison inmates, Muslims and
non-Muslims.
"It
is a sign of solidarity with them in their distress, given that they
will spend the Eid behind bars," Masrawi told IOL.
"We
send parcels containing writing materials, stamps, Eid cards, Kahk
(cookies) etc., for the inmates," he added.
The
organization's effort is financed by this year's Zakat al-Fitr (food
or money given to the needy and the poor to make up for one's errors
during Ramadan).
This
year's Zakat is fixed by the European Council for Fatwa at five euros,
which is collected through money-boxes
in mosques and supermarkets and even by credit cards and the internet.
