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Italian Muslims flocked to mosques for `Eid prayers |
ROME — Italian Muslims are celebrating `Eid Al-Fitr this year amid a ferocious campaign by right-wing politicians and media, which anew made to much fuss about the niqab issue to cast a pall on the Muslim merrymaking.
"We have got used to such campaigns. We are celebrating `Eid irrespective of this furor," Ali Abu Shwaima, the head of the Islamic center in Milan, told IslamOnline.net.
He was referring to a right-wing campaign against a decision by Vittorio Capocell, the mayor of Reviso district in northern Italy, to allow Muslim women to wear niqab (face-veil) in public places.
Italian politicians has slammed the decision as a violation of Italian law banning face-cover in public.
"This furor aims to distract Muslims and spoil their joy in `Eid," which started Friday, October 12, in Italy, said Abu Shwaima.
Samir Al-Khalidi, imam of Al-Huda Islamic center in Rome, echoed a similar stance.
"We don't pay heed to such debates…It's `Eid and we have to celebrate and take into our strides such trivialities," he said.
He said niqab is not a burning issue for Italian Muslims.
Abu Shwaima agreed.
"There are only ten Muslim women wearing niqab in Milan, for instance," he said.
Khalidi said that Italian Muslims are paying more attention to other important issues.
"Muslims are focusing on issues such as mosque construction, political representation, integration and Islamophobia," he said.
Italy has a Muslim population of some 1.2 million, including 20,000 reverts, according to unofficial estimates.
`Eid Joy
Italian Muslims, just like their peers worldwide, are used to observing `Eid by performing the `Eid prayers (20 minutes after sunrise) and then going to families and loved ones to exchange greetings, wearing their best.
"We flocked to mosques for prayers," Khalidi said. "We then gave gifts to our children and took them to the carousels," said Khalidi.
In Milan, nearly 20,000 of Muslims performed the `Eid prayers in the grand mosque of the city.
"The sermon's theme was how to prepare the younger generations to cope with challenges ahead and strike a balance between their Islamic identity and western values," said Abu Shwaima.
Khalidi noted that `Eid in Italy is virtually an amalgam of traditions from North African countries and the Middle East,"
He said that the North African breeze is blowing across Rome and southern Italy during `Eid.
"This is because the majority of Muslims in Rome and other Italian cities in the south are coming from North Africa," he said.
"On the other hand, `Eid celebrations in the northern city of Milan are carrying an eastern touch," he added.
Khalidi said his center will throw a party on Sunday, October 14, for children.
"We will offer them presents and candies," he said.
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