I just came back from my shopping. The best vegetables one can get around here are in Turkish or Moroccan shops. But they were all closed. Which I thought was very weird. They are usually open even after closing times, hehe, what do they care!

I realized - well not really, it was written on one of the shops: closed due to Bayram. Hmmm ok. I knew Ramadan and that is has been going for a while now, but had no idea that Bayram is.
Now I know: it's the end of Ramadan, and in Arabic it's called Eid ul-Fitr عيد الفط I could not resist the script in arabic, hehe. My very short version for those who don't know what that means, its an Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. It's a very happy day for Muslims; It is a day of forgiveness, moral victory and peace, of congregation, fellowship, brotherhood and unity. Muslims are not only celebrating the end of fasting, but thanking God for the help and strength that they believe He gave them throughout the previous month to help them practice self-control. They usualy don't work (hence the closed shops) and visit friends and family, celebrating Bayram.


The truth : I had no idea what is was. And why do I write this? Because of all the things that go on in the world all the "problems" that we have with Muslims. But are tehy really problems? I myself am an atheist and am interested in many religions, from a social and cultural way. So I was bnaturally shocked that i know so little about Islam. The religion we talk about so much nowadaays and are so quick to criticize. But do we really know it? Can we be against something we don't even know?

The city (and it's a capital of a country within the European Union!) I come from has a problem with a mosque. But what is really the problem? Well, that there is none. And that the Muslims would like to have one. ONE. But people are against. Against what?!? The minarets that everyone will be able to see? The dome-type structure? The fact that it is a counrty of mainly Catholic religion?
No. Well, honestly all of the above, but the reason also is: we are affraid that they will train islamic terrorists on our soil. Please, it they wanted to do this, they don't need a mosque! Is that a good enough reason to forbid someone to worship in a proper enviroment? Perhaps. But just supposition is not good enough. Let's not turn into terrified Americans, please. Let's be more wise and give them a chance.

The problems with imigraton of other cultures is not in that they are different, the problems is that we don't know who they are. But do we take time to find out? Do we go inline and see what it means to be a Muslim, Catholic, Budhist...? At least on an academic level. I'm sure we would understand eachother more, there would be hence lees missunderstandings and we could live with one another with respect and in symbiosis.

And that does not only go for religion. It's a general rule for life. Try to find out more about your neighbour. I'm sure you'll understand him/her/them more.