السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
It’s Wednesday 3rd June 2020.
Let’s focus on ‘Albania and ‘Eid ul-Fiṭr 2020‘ today, اِنْ شَاءَ الَّلهُ.
The charity I work for is called Muslim Welfare Institute (MWI). Our first visit to Albania, a small country the size of Wales, in South Eastern Europe above Greece, was in 1993. It is the only country in the whole of Europe to have a Muslim majority, after Turkey, of course, and has a very fascinating but sad history.
Albania enjoyed over 500 years of Islamic rule, during which there were more than 2,000 Masjids in Albania, مَا شَآءَ الله, and it was a beautiful thriving country. In the 1940s, Communism took over Albania, lasting for 45 years, during which no one could practice their religion freely anymore.
Upon the end of Communism, of the 2000, only around 50 Masjids were left, the majority having been demolished or turned into cinemas and theatres. Starting in 1993, MWI have been working in Afghanistan for 27 years now, مَا شَآءَ الله. Today I want to present to you an amazing 3 minute video clip.
During the 50 years of Communism, hardly anyone was allowed to pray Ṣalāh. Never mind the 5 daily Ṣalāhs, for 50 years there was no Jumu’ah, no ‘Eid, and no Janāzah Ṣalāh in Albania. 27 years after our first trip to Albania, this is how ‘Eid ul-Fiṭr 2020 was celebrated in many Masjids of Albania.
You will be pleased to learn that Albania now has over 600 Masjids, مَا شَآءَ الله. Please share the video clip far and wide with friends and family.
Almighty Allāh accept all our efforts for the Muslims of Albania and bless us with the strength and energy to continue with this noble work, Āmeen.
جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
Request for Du’ās
وَالسَّلَامُ Hanif Dudhwala
(CEO, Muslim Welfare Institute, Blackburn, UK)