- Title: Muslims in Paris prepare for Ramadan
- Date: 26th May 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 26, 2017) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WALKING PAST GRAND MOSQUE OF PARIS MUSLIM WOMEN WALKING ON PAVEMENT THE STAR AND CRESCENT, SYMBOL OF THE ISLAMIC FAITH ON TOP OF MOSQUE VARIOUS OF MUSLIMS COMING OUT OF PRAYER (SOUNDBITE) (French) 33-YEAR-OLD MUSLIM UBER DRIVER, LAMINE BARRO, SAYING: "No, I mean with what is happening in France, Germany and everywhere in Europe with the attacks and everything, the religion is seen differently, it's unfortunate but then, as a Muslim, no, I find that we are welcomed well in France and frankly nothing is stopping us from partaking in Ramadan, we have no excuse not to observe Ramadan." EXTERIOR OF MOSQUE (SOUNDBITE) (French) 61-YEAR-OLD MUSLIM PENSIONER, DOUNIAJED, SAYING: "No no no, the French are very understanding, very sympathetic. There are some French people that I know who even eat at Muslim's houses. I knew some French people and I invited them to come and eat chorba (traditional North African soup) etc. and they liked it. Then they are tolerant, everyone has their own prayers. We must show solidarity for what is happening in France, against terrorism, because those people who set off bombs are not real Muslims, believe me." PEOPLE OUTSIDE MOSQUE (SOUNDBITE) (English) 38-YEAR-OLD MUSLIM FROM BANGLADESH WHO WORKS IN THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL CENTRE FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, AHMED SHAH MEHADI, SAYING: "They (Muslims) are very peaceful in that time, I mean they are supposed to be peaceful. Ramadan teaches to be kind, to be generous to other people and Ramadan also teaches that we have to guard our eye so we will not see bad things and we will not say bad words." PEOPLE WALKING PAST MOSQUE PEOPLE WALKING PAST SMALL MUSLIM-OWNED SHOP MEN IN SHOP STOCKED SHELVES SWEETS ON SHELVES VARIOUS OF PRODUCTS ON SHELVES TUBS OF FIGS PACKETS OF PISTACHIOS MAN PAYING AT TILL WOMAN BUYING DATES 33-YEAR-OLD MUSLIM SHOP ASSISTANT, BOUZID REDA, SERVING CUSTOMERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) 33-YEAR-OLD MUSLIM SHOP ASSISTANT, BOUZID REDA, SAYING: "Well, we prepare the dates, the figs, every year it's like this, we prepare them for people, as tomorrow, Saturday, is the first day of Ramadan. In any case, even without Ramadan, we always prepare the shop like this, but during Ramadan, it's on a greater scale. There is a lot of movement, there are a lot of activity, so there you go." VARIOUS OF MAN LOOKING AT BOXES OF DATES STACKED BOXES OF DATES
- Embargoed: 9th June 2017 16:02
- Keywords: dates Muslim Paris Islam Ramadan mosque holy month shop France preparations
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0016IH7DC7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Muslims in Paris attended prayer on Friday (May 26) in anticipation of the holy month of Ramadan while various Muslim-owned shops around the capital prepared their stock.
Ramadan traditionally begins with the sighting of the new moon and will start on Saturday (May 27) in France. The end is celebrated with the Eid al-Fitr festival.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, commemorates the revelation of Koran - Islam's holy book - and is a time of religious fervour, settling old disputes and behaving charitably towards neighbours.
Muslims leaving Paris' Grand Mosque said though they did not feel excluded by the French community, they were disappointed by how the Islamic faith was beginning to be viewed by some in Europe and around the world after attacks claimed by Islamist militants.
Pensioner Douniajed said that she would pray for France and for this situation to get better during the holy month.
Ramadan also comes after France's heated presidential elections where some French Muslims voiced their concerns on stigmatization in the run-up to the first round, with some saying they had been feeling misrepresented since the attacks in November 2015 which killed 130 people and in Nice in July 2016, which took the lives of 86 people and injured 300 others.
France is home to Europe's largest Muslim minority. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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