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800 Muslim Worshippers Stay Six Feet Apart For Eid Prayers In Ikea Parking Lot

Updated September 8, 2021

I'm sure I don't have to explain why this has been a challenging couple of months for most of us. Even in the most optimal circumstances where we can work from home and stay there, there are plenty of reasons to feel anxious about life in the COVID-19 pandemic.

And of course, there are millions of people throughout the world who can hardly describe their situations as anything close to optimal. After all, they find themselves either having to risk their safety to ensure their financial security or vice-versa.

And while it's difficult to literally come together to support each other when we're supposed to maintain social distancing, that hasn't stopped one dedicated community from doing exactly that with a little help from an unlikely source.

Over the weekend, Muslims throughout the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.

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And as Kadir Terzi, a mosque chairman in Wetzlar, Germany, explained to the BBC, that period of fasting normally sees communities and families gathering together when the daily fast is over and organizing charity work.

As Terzi said, "It was a completely different Ramadan month, without contacts, without visits and without breaking the fast together."

So Terzi wanted his community to have at least one opportunity to come together, but it had to be done safely.

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Although the BBC reported that places of worship had reopened in Germany, the Wetzlar mosque wouldn't have been the appropriate venue to make this gathering possible without breaking social distancing rules.

So he reached out to the management at a local Ikea location for the use of its parking lot.

Terzi didn't expect his request to go over well, but figured it was worth a try.

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As he said, however, "But the store manager didn't hesitate for a second and said 'yes, you can pray'. I was surprised and happy at the same time."

So Terzi organized the prayer event we see here in partnership with Ditab Wetzlar mosque and worshippers were invited to bring their prayer mats and face masks to the event.

They emphasized that attendees should maintain physical distance and that children under 12 should remain at home to ensure everyone's safety.

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And although the event reportedly had a shaky start with some crowding around the entrance, the estimated 800 people who turned out were largely able to maintain social distancing for the event.

This footage captured by a drone showed the massive scope of the event with Ikea's storefront in the background.

After the Eid celebration began, the worshipers performed their prayers together and listened to sermons delivered by this imam.

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As Terzi said, "The closing prayer with all Muslims in Wetzlar was like a reward for us."

The celebration attracted a positive response on social media with one Twitter user saying, "This is what finding solutions together and staying by each other through this crisis can look like!"

h/t: BBC

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