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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
World
Andrei Scintian & Mostafa Darwish

Muslim communities in Ireland celebrate Ramadan

Muslim communities in Ireland celebrate Ramadan when, over 30 days, people fast from sunrise to sunset.

There are mosques across the country where Muslims gather, especially in the evenings during Ramadan, to celebrate it.

Ayman Eisa is the Imam of the Islam centre of Tallaght and speaking to The Irish Mirror, Mr Eisa said, "the month of Ramadan is for the sake of the greatest gifts that God has bestowed upon us."

READ MORE - What does a Muslim Premier League footballer eat during Ramadan around fasting?

As is the case every year, Ramadan plays a hugely important part in the lives of Muslims - it's a month when Muslims learn many values and principles.

"Ramadan is not only about abstaining from food and drink. The Prophet Muhammad says fasting is not abstaining from food and drink but rather from idle talk and obscene speech," Mr Eisa said.

"This is the spirit that Muslims eagerly await every year,'' he added.

In these blessed days, especially in this society and this country, every person must know that everyone has a role they have to play.

Mr Eisa explains that one of Ramadan's main aims is to connect with others struggling to put the food on the table.

''Our religion is the religion of participation, the religion of equality. The religion of mercy is the religion of justice.

''The Prophet Muhammad used to warn that none of us is satisfied while our neighbour is hungry, whoever the neighbour is. So Islam urges us to exchange, sympathise and show mercy to each other,'' Mr Eisa continued.

He went on to say that ''the most beautiful meaning of Ramadan is what we feel in this place. We see how everyone cooperates in providing Iftar meals for expatriate Muslims, especially our brothers who have recently arrived from Ukraine and many countries."

Sameh Hassan is working in one of Ireland's high-profile tech companies. He joined the Islamic community as a volunteer during Ramadan to help in preparing meals. He has been in Ireland for more than six years now.

"I mean, people in Ireland are very welcoming. And you know, we fast this month, from sunrise to sunset. And, for example, at work, people are very accommodating.

"Ramadan is a month of giving and a month of charity. And here we are helping the community to prepare Iftar for everyone to come and to be welcome to have Iftar together and break the fast together.

"We are preparing this for people who would like to come together and share their time having Iftar together, especially for people from abroad," Mr Hassan said.

He concluded: ''Everyone is welcomed, not necessarily Muslim; if there are non-Muslims as well, they are welcome to come and have the Iftar with us sharing the time with us as well."

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