Islam, Brussels and Tolerance

By Rose Kelleher

BELGIUM. “At sunset, when my kids said to me ‘ I want to eat this and that’ I said ‘No. We are going to have soup.” Nadia Hachim is tired. But that’s okay. It’s all in the name of God. The past month she has been fasting, reflecting and avoiding excesses, particularly culinary ones. Since August 11, Brussels Muslims have put down their forks during the daylight hours, and lived a simpler and more careful existence.

*Ramadan was celebrated almost three weeks ago. The following story shows how it went down in Belgium.

How “trendy” has become Ramadan?

Supermarket Géant Casino in French city of Arles @David de Grunelius

By Elif Kayi

France. With an estimated Muslim population of about 5 million – the figure is disputed but I will not discuss it in this article – together with hundred thousands of so-called French “black feet“ repatriated from North Africa in the 1960s, and who had previously become acquainted with the practice, the fasting period of Ramadan is no complete alien in the “country of Marianne”.

Jerusalem, first Friday prayers of Ramadan end peacefully

Report and photos by Alessandro Di Maio

Jesusalem. The first Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month ended uneventfully today.  Although over 90,000 Muslims participated in the religious event in the Old City of Jerusalem, the crowds dispersed as soon as the prayers were over.

Holy Land gets prepared for Ramadan

Report and Photos by Alessandro Di Maio

Israel. In a few hours, just after the sun sets and three stars appear in the sky above the Holy Land, Ramadan will start and many Muslims families will start praying and reading the Koran in a festive atmosphere.