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October 24, 2006
Norway: Muslims Want National Eid Holiday
Eid ul-Fitr is the festival day for Muslims, akin in some ways to Christmas, as it marks the end of the month of Ramadan, and the rituals of fasting during daylight hours come to an end. Presents are exchanged, cards sent, families get together and generally pig out on large quantities of food.
Now, according to Aftenposten Muslims in Norway are lobbying to have Eid celebrated as a national holiday. Yousef Gilani, a local politician from Drammen, told newspaper VG that: "The best would be to get Eid-al-Fitr on the calendar as a public free day for everyone."
As the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, which only coincides with the solar calendar once every cycle of its 19 years, the annual date of Eid varies. Last night many of Norway's Muslims, who for the most part come originally from Pakistan, indulged in their feasting and celebrations, but had to return to work this morning.
Gilani suggests that Muslims should be allowed time off from work at Eid ("id" as it is called in Norway), if the holiday cannot be instituted on a national level. Currently many individual organizations do allow their employees time off at Eid.
The state onbudsman for issues of discrimination and equality already allows this among state employees. Ombudswoman Beate Gangås says: "All groups will benefit when Muslims are free on their important holidays. It's a win-win situation. Some religious groups can work during the Christmas holidays, for example, and get another day off in return."
Gangås thinks all workers should be accorded the right to take an Eid holiday. Currently, 9 of Norway's 12 state holidays are based on the Christian calendar.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 24, 2006 9:29 AM
Comments
Euroweenies should also consider making national holidays for other minority non-muslims' religious festivals. Otherwise, it will be discrimination and inequality towards these minorities too.
Posted by: FreedomSeeker33 ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.westernresistance.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 24, 2006 12:02 PM
Do they get the standard Norwegian holidays as well?
First Eid al Fitr, then Eid al Adha, then Ramadan itself (all paid, of course), then all those battles to celebrate - hell, why not just pay them a salary not to go to work at all.
Oh. They already have that don't they. I know - Double benefits during holidays.
Posted by: Sir Henry Morgan at October 24, 2006 12:51 PM
Gang峠thinks all workers should be accorded the right to take an Eid holiday. Currently, 9 of Norway's 12 state holidays are based on the Christian calendar.
It's important to note that the 3 non-Christian holidays are national history related. There is no national holiday for non-Christian holidays.
Posted by: Esther at October 25, 2006 9:53 AM
Oh! "return to work"? How many of these muslims do actually work? Are not most of them welfare tourist scum? I hope Norway keeps strong here and tell them to fuck off. If they want this eid holiday, they are free to go and live in Egypt or somewhere.
Posted by: español orgulloso at October 26, 2006 2:04 AM
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