Albanian Muslims celebrate Fitr Bayram

Many have celebrated with the dear ones in their families, while others have visited the mosques in different towns.

In Tirana, the Muslim devotees prayed in the boulevard “Deshmoret e Kombit”, where they celebrated under Albanian folk music.

Bajrami, celebration in towns

In all mosques of the country, Albanian Muslim devotees followed the ceremony of the Islamic saint day of Fitr Bayram.

The devotees gathered in front of the mosques and different squares of the bigger cities, such as Durres, Kavaje, Elbasan, Shkoder, Vlore, Korce, Gjirokaster, Berat. They proceeded with the ritual of namaz, an obligation for every Muslim.

Topi: More tolerance and understanding

The Albanian President, Bamir Topi felicitated all Muslim Albanians for Fitr Bayram, saying that the Albanian political class should show tolerance and understanding in their public declarations.

“Bayram is a blessed day. According to the philosophy of Prophet Mohammed, this is the day when people should show more tolerance and understanding, and according to this doctrine, the entire Albanian society should give more. This goes more for those who have the country’s fate in their hands, since their declarations amplify the society”, Topi declared.

The head of the Albanian state declared that today is the day to think for the people who need more attention and solidarity.

“Only this way Albania will be able to take safer steps towards the big European family”, Topi declared for the media, after visiting the Muslim community.

Berisha: Honoring spiritual leaders

The head of the Albanian government, Sali Berisha, wished all Albanian Muslim devoteed a happy Fitr Bayram day.

After visiting the new headquarters of the Muslim Community in Tirana, Berisha expressed his deep honor for all spiritual leaders of the Albanian nation, leaders of all faiths for their extraordinary contribution.

The head of the Albanian government refused to give other comments for the latest developments, emphasizing that today is a day of religious felicitations.

Parliament Speaker: Wishing a happy Fitr Bayram

The Albanian Parliament Speaker, Jozefina Topalli wished all the Albanian Muslim devotees a happy Fitr Bayram.

Topalli declared that after one month of sacrifices during Ramadan, the best redemption is the joy in family and peace.

The Parliament Speaker gave her felicitation message after a visit at the Muslim Community Headquarters.

Tirana Mayor, presents for Bayram

The Mayor of Tirana, Lulzim Basha passed the Bayram with the children of the SOS village, to whom he gave not only his support, but also packages with basic food.

The Mayor then visited the senior citizens and the young people who are staying at teh Communitarian Center in “Kombinat”. The economic situation of these people is very difficult, and the Mayor vowed to keep all electoral promises.

Clinton felicitates Albanians for Fitr Bayram

The Albanian Muslim community received a felicitation by the US State Department from the Secretary Hilary Clinton. In a telegram for the Deputy Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinasto she wished a happy Fitr Bayram to the Albanian Muslim devotees.

“This is a good occasion for celebrating, when the Muslims join for reflecting the values and importance of family, charity and community”, says Clinton in her message, as quoted by the Albanian Foreign Ministry.

With the same message, Clinton praises “the great efforts of the Muslims all around the globe, including the new generation, who are committed to strengthen the community where they live through education, business and development”.

The head of the US diplomacy underlined that a specific attention towards the Muslim Community in Albania, a country that although is dominated in numbers by this religion, has a great friendship with USA. The same goes for Kosovo, which partially owes its existence to the West and USA.

The Papal Council sends wishes to Muslim Community

A special wish for the Muslim devotees for Fitr Bayram has come from teh head of the Papal Council for interfaith dialogue, Gian Louis Cardinal Toro. The Cardinal underlined the significance of believing in God and transmitting the human and moral values to the new generations.

The Cardinal also emphasized that it is time for Christian and Muslim believers to condemn prejudices, polemics and discriminations towards other beliefs in the political and social life.

Prisoners Praying

At 6:30, some of the prisoners who are awaiting trial at Prison 313 in Tirana left their cells for gathering in the minifootball field, where they prayed for Fitr Bayram as in all other mosques.

This institution took all necessary measures for respecting the religion of 32 men and 12 women who are awaiting trial and who have fasted for one month, by also calling in a theologian, who kept the ritual of “nahmaz”.

Together with them was the former director of the Sportive Center “Qemal Stafa”, Gazmend Sollaku, who was fasting during the time he was arrested for corruption, after police placed a hidden camera and filmed him asking a citizen for money in exchange of continuing renting the Sportive Center’s premises.

Among them were other notorious people, such as Lulzim Berisha and Bujar Gashi, charged for drug traffic. All of them kneeled in front of God, together with some prison guards. The Bayram ritual of house visits was replaced by a handshake between each other.

The Prison 313 served the Fitr Bayram dinner to the prisoners, reporting that 512 prisoners in total have fastened in the prisons of the entire country, with the highest number in Peqin, with 130 fasting inmates.

Kosovo Muslims are celebrating the Fitr Bayram

Since the first hours of the day, they prayed in Prishtina’s “Big Mosque”, where was present the Mufti Naim Ternava.

In his word, Ternava appealed all devotees to cultivate tolerance, love and humanism.

“We pray Allah that his mercy and bounty might be always available to our families”, Kosovo’s Mufti declared.

Other felicitations came from Kosovo state and political leaders, together with several foreign diplomats accredited in Prishtina.

But Mufti Ternava criticized Kosovo institutions for not fulfilling the devotees’ request for making religious education a school subject.

This request was rejected by the Kosovo Parliament with a majority of votes.

 

 

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