Muslims in Germany Use IKEA Parking Lot for COVID-Safe Group Prayer
IKEA Muslims Gather in Parking Lot ... Perfect Spot for Safe Group Prayer
Hundreds of Muslims from a mosque in Germany came together for a holiday prayer while maintaining social distancing ... thanks to their friendly neighborhood IKEA.
Muslims all over the world spent the weekend celebrating Eid al-Fitr -- AKA the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," which marks the end of Ramadan -- but for obvious pandemic reasons, gatherings and group prayer for the holy day were more challenging to do safely.
So, a mosque in Wetzlar asked the local IKEA if it could use the store's currently unoccupied parking lot as a community spot for physical-distancing-safe congregating ... and got the green light.
Muslims in Germany asked IKEA if they could use their parking lot to pray, while maintaining distance.
— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) May 25, 2020 @JoshuaPotash
And this IKEA said yes.
pic.twitter.com/KXo9C5Lfzi
The photo is awesome and proves that old adage ... where there's a will there's a way. Folks online called the event "beautiful," "uplifting" and a "gorgeous sight."
It's also a good lesson for churches here in the U.S. that are trying to convene for services under quarantine rules.
The mosque, IGMG Wetzlar FATIH CAMII, publicly thanked IKEA's management and all the public officials and police officers who helped make "this extraordinary holiday prayer possible."
