Ethiopia: No Mass Eid Prayers But Festive Spirit Alive

Although Ethiopian Muslims on Sunday missed holding mass Eid al-Fitr prayers due to the coronavirus pandemic, they celebrated the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with festive spirit.

In the capital Addis Ababa, shops and supermarkets were open on the eve of Eid. While some virus restrictions were in place, the city was not in lockdown, with the mayor warning doing so could have "serious economic consequences."

Hajji Mufti Omar Idris, the much-revered and beloved head of the Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, called on Muslims to maintain the spirit of charity during Eid as they did during the month of fasting.

Though celebrations were marred by the virus, the festival brought a blessing for the Muslim community: the start of construction of a new Islamic Research Center and the biggest mosque yet in the capital.

"We will build both to serve the Muslim community," said the mufti (expert on Islamic law) after taking over the site for the center and mosque from Takele Uma, the city's deputy mayor.

The site is prime and spacious, next to the high-rise headquarters of the Commission of the African Union.

- 'Better late than never'

African affairs analyst Omar Redi, who also owns Iffriqiyah Media and Communications, said the Islamic center is long overdue.

"Addis Ababa is the capital not only for Ethiopia but all of Africa ... it is long overdue but deserving," he told Anadolu Agency.

"Given Ethiopia's Islamic history, having the largest Muslim population in East Africa, and its capital with one of the largest diplomatic communities in the world, it needed to have such a center long ago."

"Better late than never," he said, adding: "It is never too late for such undertakings… I really hope that all stakeholders will make sure the project becomes a reality in the shortest time possible."

Commenting on Ramadan and Eid during the virus outbreak, he said the essence of the holy month such as large congregational prayers and gatherings of families, friends, and relatives for prayers and iftar (meal after sunset) were missed.

"It was a blessing in disguise... I hope we had enough time to contemplate how we took everything for granted, and how we abused nature," Redi said. -