First of all, please accept my grief on this devastating earthquake.
Are the Muslim relief organizations recognized by the Italian government? Are they given facilities to communicate with other relief organizations? And are the Muslim relief organizations working with their own identity?
Thanks.
Wassalam.
Answer
Assalaam alaykum dear Br. Mohammed,
Islamic Relief is the biggest humanitarian Islamic organization in Italy, and the only one working also inside it. After the earthquake catastrophe, Islamic Relief Italy works in coordination with the municipality of "L'Aquila", that is the main city of Abruzzo as the headquarter for help.
Moreover, after long discussions, Islamic Relief has been given permission to work by the Italian Civil Protection which is subject to the Italian Government.
Islamic Relief Italy is working under its own identity and even the Islamic Relief Italy workers wear a special uniform to distinguish them as much as possible (even the cars and vans have the logo "Islamic Relief Italy - Abruzzo Eemergency."
But we have to say that Islamic Relief Italy reached such level after having shown with its presence and its work that it can be of considerable help. This made our organization gains the trust of everybody.
Jaaal Allah khayran wa salaam.
Name
Abeer
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Profession
Question
Can we say that Muslims in Italy enjoy a tolerant way of life, or are they under much pressures and challenges?
Answer
Assalaam alaykum dear Sister Abeer,
I think the truth is in the middle. I mean that Muslims in Italy generally enjoy a tolerant way of life even if full of challenges, but it depends on the areas where they live. In some areas where the far right is strong or is ruling, Muslims have to face hard pressures and challenges and have to strive hardly even to have a small room to pray in. There are still some cities in Italy where Muslims up till now still have to pray in the open air, such as in the parking areas and this is very sad. In other areas they enjoy rights of full citizenship.
But I feel optimistic about the future: I see that Muslim community is always more accepted and his role is appreciated.
Jazaaki Allah khayran wa salaam.
Name
Nabil
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Profession
Question
What is your comment on the Israeli initiation to send urgent help to the devastated area in Italy. How do you evaluate the Muslim countries' attitude in such crisis, does this affect Muslims status in Italy?
Answer
Assalaam alaykum dear Br. Nabil,
I have to confess I didn't know about Israeli initiation to help the quake victim. As much as I am concerned, all these things are on a national and governative level, while Muslim response to the quake is based on the grassroots level. The only connection with political institutions is the cooperation with the Italian Civil Protection that is coordinating the support of the non-governamental organizations on the ground and on the side of humanitarian insitutions with the Italian Red Cross.
Jazaak Allah khayran wa salaam.
Name
Salahudin
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Profession
Question
How do you evaluate Muslims' integration in Italy?
Answer
Assalaam alaykum dear Br. Salahudin,
As I as said before, Muslims in Italy are always moving towards more integration, keeping their Muslim identity but wishing to play a positive role within the Italian society.
Unfortunately, the word "integration" has a bad connotation in the common sense which has to be modified. It always means that the only good and integrated Muslim is the one who doesn't practice his religion, but we must make people understand that we can be a very positive element in the Italian society based on Islamic values.
This earthquake can be an occasion to show that we are not a "problem" but we are a "source" we can play a very positive role inside our society. I think this is a slow but an ongoing process.
Jazaak Allah khayran wa salaam
Name
IOL Reader
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Profession
Question
I read today that there were six Muslim victims of the earthquake. Is that true? Were there also any Muslims among the injured?
Is the hostility of the far right still increasing against Muslims in Italy?
May Allah be with you all
Ameen
Answer
Dear Reader,
At the beginning, reports said that they were six, but a much as I know they increased to eleven.
Unfortunately, as you mentioned, in Italy we have some parties in the far right and some personalities in the governing parties that made Islamophobia their "core-business." That is why Muslims in some cities can build, rent, or buy a place for prayer, while in others it is not. Because such personalities do whatever they can to prevent Muslims from even renting a place to held their prayers.
What is worse is that some media gives much space for these personalities to express their views, without giving space for Muslim leaders or for Muslim community to reply to their claims. This represents a clear prejudice against Muslims.
Just a few days ago, I attended a trail of a terrorist who belonged to the Extreme Left Party in the 70s and then he joined the Extreme Right, the man threw benzine bombs and pipe bombs against some Islamic centres and associations, risking to kill anyone near by. It is not surprising to know that the man revealed that he was inspired by some journalists and some public personalities of this islamophobic area. This just to make an example on how biased press can have negative and deadly influence on weak minds and how dangerous the game of using islamophobic feelings is which is used to get votes.
Jzaak Allah khayran dear Reader
Name
Marwan
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Profession
Question
Are there any Muslim casualities in the quake? What are the procedures Muslims all over Italy take to help their brothers and sisters in L'Aquila?
Answer
Assalam Alaykum dear Br. Marwan,
Unfortunately there are 11 Muslim victims in the quake.
The first group of operators and volunteers from Islamic Relief Italy moved immediately to to Abruzzo and settled in the Islamic Centre of Avezzano as an operational headquarter that is in the area hit by the quake. Then we searched for the Muslim community in the most hit areas to help them. During the tour among the refugees camps, we visited the camp where most of the Muslims are staying. We helped our brothers and sisters as much as we could, and the same for our non-muslims Italian fellows in all the other refugees camps.
Jazaak Allah khayran
Name
Fatma
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Profession
Question
Salam wa'alikum,
In what way would the earthquake help integration of Muslims in Italy?... also what is the population of Muslims in Italy ? Are they Italian or mostly just immigrants.
Thank you in advance
Answer
Assalaam alaykum dear sister Fatma,
I have previously answered your second question. As for the other questions, Muslim population in Italy is estimated by 1 million and two hundred persons. Mostly they are immigrants from Moracco, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Albania, Bosnia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Senegal. But Alhamdulillah the number of Italians who convert to Islam is always increasing. They are are between 10.000 and 15.000 people and are often very active in their respective region inside the local Muslim community. Every week there are at least two Italians converting to Islam.
About the quake, I think yes, it would strengthen the integration of Muslims in Italy, especially because many people see the efforts exerted almost by all the mosques and Islamic centres to collect money and to supply blood donation to help the victims of the quake. Moreover people who are living now in tents in Abruzzo since they lost ther houses do appreciate Muslims' efforts to help them in such ordeal with no other intention but to help. The media, for the first time, started to show the Muslim side of the society as curiosity arose from what we are doing. The first articles talking about Muslims' contribution in this catastrophe appeared on national press.
Jazaaki Allah khayran
Name
Huda
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Profession
Question
How are the Muslims in Italy represented in the Italian government?
To what extent do they feel integrated in that society?
Answer
Unfortunately up till now there are no Muslim representation in the government. But the second generation of immigrants, Muslims who born and raised in Italy, are our hope now; they are more apparent now in the society. We can say that those young people have their own role nowadays.
Integration is a very sensitive issue, since Italian Muslims have been accused several times of not having the real desire to integrate, but whoever proclaims such accusations often hides Islamophobic feelings. In fact, young Muslims with their organisation GMI (Young Muslims of Italy) are well integrated in the Italian society, for example they join Italian universities, and young Muslim children go to Italian schools and interact normally with their italian peers.
Beside this we can say that mosques and their responsibles, especially in some areas, are working in cooperation with the Church or with local Institutions to strengthen Muslim integration in Italy. The Same thing is true for the organisation that gathers most of the mosques, the UCOII, and as I said before, the President of the UCOII, Di. Dachan, called for the funeral of the victims of the quake.
I think also that the commitment of UCOII to help the people hit by the quake is a clear sign of how much the Musilm community feels part of the italian society. Jazaaki Allah khayran
Name
Suoad
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Profession
Question
I wish to know more about the Islamic organizations in Italy, and are they doing their job well or not?
Answer
Assalaam alaykum dear Sister Soad, do you mean during this earthquake or in other issues?
Because during this earthquake, the main organisation of Muslims in Italy, the UCOII, had a quick response encouraging all the mosques and Islamic centres to collect Friday's donations after Prayer sermony "Khutba" for the people harmed in the eartquake. Moreover Dr. Dachan, the head of UCOII, performed Muslim funeral prayer (Salat al-Janaza) for the Muslims who died in the quake.
Moreover, many Islamic centres promoted campaigns for blood donations. But mainly the Islamic Relief Organization is working since the first day of the quake to help people of Abruzzo, distributing goods, covers, and food.
Jazaaki Allah khyaran.
Name
Editor
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Profession
Answer
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