Did you know that 1 in 20 of the people living in the UK are Muslim? The first Muslim immigrants arrived in the UK in the late 19th Century. These original communities consisted mainly of sailors and their families from Yemen. Many of their descendants still live in port cities around the country. Today there are Muslim communities right across the UK from every corner of the globe, including around 56,000 Afghans. Muslims are found in all spheres of UK public life. There are four members of the House of Lords; eight members of Parliament, including three women; forty football players in the English Premier league; and countless doctors, business men, civil servants and local politicians. Along with Muslims around the world the UK’s 2.7 million Muslims will be spending the month of Ramadan fasting, praying, spending time with family and friends and visiting some of the 1,500 mosques that are found around the country. Many UK employers allow their Muslim workers to vary their hours and work flexibly during Ramadan to help them meet their religious duties. Channel 4, one of the UK’s main national television channels, is broadcasting the Adhan live each morning throughout Ramadan as part of a special season of programmes. “The Big Iftar” is a scheme to encourage Muslim communities to come together and share Iftar with their Non-Muslim friends and neighbours and to raise money and support for local charities. The Eid festival is also increasingly celebrated around the country, including many major public celebrations. Even London’s famous Trafalgar Square will host an Eid Festival for thousands of people which will feature live musical performances, cultural exhibitions and food stalls. Let us know how you are observing Ramadan and how you plan to celebrate Eid.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 09:21:34 +0000
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