By Hadi Yahmid, IOL Correspondent
MILAN — Defying ferocious campaigns by right-wing politicians and restrictions on their faith practice, the Muslim minority in Italy’s second largest city are enjoying `Eid Al-Fitr.
“Milan Muslims are enjoying `Eid despite difficulties,” Ali Abu Shwaima, the director of the Islamic Center in Milan, told IslamOnline.net.
“`Eid is a time for joy and pleasure for all, elders and children, regardless of all difficulties and restrictions.”
`Eid Al-Fitr, one of the two main Islamic religious festivals, will fall in Italy on Sunday, September 20.
After special prayers to mark the day, festivities and merriment start.
During `Eid days, families and friends exchange visits to express well wishes and children, wearing new clothes bought especially for `Eid, enjoy going out in parks and open fields.
Milan Muslims complain of official restrictions on performing the `Eid prayers.
The Milan Municipal Council turned down a request by Muslim leaders to hold the prayers at an affiliated sports center to accommodate the large numbers of Muslim worshippers.
The Council argued that the center is booked for a meeting of a political party during `Eid.
Muslim leaders have also sought to hold the prayers at an open playground of a local club.
"But the plans were shelved as weather forecasts tell of a rainy day on the first day of `Eid,” said Abu Shwaima.
Facing all these obstacles, Muslim leaders were forced to organize the `Eid prayers at the Islamic Center in Milan, which is not prepared to accommodate for the flow of worshippers during the prayers.
"We have no choice other than the Islamic Center," Abu Shwaima said.
"We will try to make the best use of every inch to accommodate the flood of worshippers who yearn to perform `Eid prayers."
Italy has a Muslim population of some 1.2 million, including 20,000 reverts, according to unofficial estimates.
Tough Time
Italian Muslims have been facing tough time since the far-right Northern League joined Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s coalition government.
“The past 18 months, since the League jointed the government, saw restrictions not only on building mosques but also on holding Muslim celebrations and festivals in big halls,” Abu Shwaima said.
Milan Muslims, estimated at about 100,000 Muslims, are still without an official mosque.
For two years, Muslims have been using gyms and football pitches waiting for a definitive solution.
Dozens of Muslims pray on the paving outside the small scattered mosques.
In the past months, Muslim leaders were forced to rent a big hall with more than 5,000 euros a day to host the weekly Friday prayers.
Even this move is faced with opposition from the Northern League officials.
The Northern League is widely accused of racism with many critics calling it the BNP of Italy, a reference to the British right-wing party.
Its election campaign played on issues such as immigration, crime and economic and cultural fears from immigration.
Portraying itself as a defender of Italy's Christian roots, it started its mission in the new government in May 2008 with bringing down a mosque in the northern city of Verona.
Last September, the League rejoiced the success of its campaign to halt the building of a mosque in the northern city of Bologna.
Last year, League MP Mario Borghezio burst into a church in the northern city of Genoa shouting anti-Islam statements.
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