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French Muslims shopping for `Eid's. (IOL photo) |
PARIS — "Bonne Fete" [Happy `Eid] has become the favorite `Eid greeting for the second and third generations of French Muslims, eclipsing traditional Arabic ones used by their parents and grandparents.
"It is obvious from the outpour of best wishes I have received that French greetings like "bonne fete" have replaced traditional ones like the Algerian 'Sah `Eidek' [May God bless your `Eid]," Murad Allani, a Muslim activist, told IslamOnline.net on Monday, October 23, the first day of `Eid Al-Fitr in France.
He said "bonne fete" marks a tendency to "Frenchize" Muslim greetings by the second and third generations, estimated at some two million out of a total Muslim minority of five million people.
Though the Arabic world 'Eid has entered the French lexicon and is used by politicians to wish Muslims a happy feast, "bonne fete" has become the favorite among the younger generations.
Alani also note that young French Muslims find it difficult to pronounce the Ain - the 16th letter in the Arabic alphabet.
"It is difficult for them to use the Arabic world, particularly those who don't speak Arab in the first place."
`Eid Al-Fitr is a festival that comes at the end of Ramadan, a month-long observance highlighted by fasting each day, and prayer.
Muslims start the day with special prayers shortly after dawn, often in large open areas, and spend the `Eid visiting family and friends.
Traditionally, everyone wears new clothes for `Eid, one of the two most important Islamic celebrations together with `Eid Al-Adha.
Multi-Cultural
`Eid Al-Fitr greetings in France also reflect a multi-cultural sizable Muslim minority.
"Sah `Eidek" is the most prevailing as Algerians make up the majority of the sizable Muslim minority, nearly numbering two millions.
It is the most used in mosques and Islamic centers linked to Algeria, including the Grand Paris Mosque, the oldest in France.
The greeting is also very common in areas heavily populated by Muslims of Algerian descent such as the Parisian suburb of Barbas.
Moroccan "Sah Awashrak" (May God bless your last ten days in Ramadan" and Tunisian "`Eidek Mabrouk" (Happy `Eid) are less common are a few but to mention examples.
There are approximately 900,000 French of Moroccan background and 500,000 of Tunisian origin.
The rest of the sizable Muslim minority hails from Turkey, Pakistan, India and South East Asia.
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