Irish Muslims Urged to Reach Out to Neighbors during Ramadan
Ramadan, the annual month of fasting in Islam, begins on June 18th and continues for 30 days until July 17th.
The Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council (Impic) will hold its central community Iftar in the al-Mustafa Islamic Centre at Coolmine, Dublin, on June 26th, , the Irish Times reported.
“As more than one billion Muslims worldwide celebrate Ramadan by fasting and appreciating the blessings given to us,” Impic founder Shaykh Muhammad Umar al-Qadri said, “it is equally important for the Irish Muslim community to reach out to our neighbours as an example of true Islamic ideals.”
Muslims make up 1.1 percent of the 4.5 million people in Ireland, but their ranks are swelling due to immigration, domestic births, and in some cases conversion.
Two decades ago, they numbered about 4,000.
A 2011 census recorded 49,204 Muslims, including nearly 12,000 school-aged children. The numbers represent a 51 percent increase since 2006.
The public acceptance has also helped Muslims to easily integrate into Irish society.
