Bonpreu is sponsoring an iftar in Lleida featuring a conservative Islamic preacher.
The religious gathering for Ramadan in Lleida is presented as an "act of coexistence". It includes a lecture entitled «Ramadan in Spain: Memory, Identity and Belonging», given by Aicha Fernández.
Poster for the religious event sponsored by Bonpreu
Integra Lleida
[social-share align=»right» style=»button» mobile_app=»desktop»]
[social-share align=»center» style=»icon» mobile_app=»mobile»]
On Friday 13 March a religious event linked to Islam will be held at the Cappont sports centre in Lleida. It is the new tradition created in the West of the community iftar, which follows an established ritual: The call to prayer is made, followed by collective prayer and then the meal that breaks the fast. According to the programme circulated by the organisers, the event will also include a conference entitled «Ramadan in Spain: memory, identity and belonging»by the Muslim preacher Aicha Fernández.
The event is organised by the entity Integra Lleida and counts on the collaboration of various entities and sponsors. Among them It includes Esclat, the supermarket chain of the Bonpreu group, as well as the Lleida City Council, which also provides institutional support.. Although iftar is a religious ritual specific to Ramadan intended for devout Muslims, in recent years it has become established in some cities as a public event, open to all and presented as an initiative for communal harmony. The event also seeks to raise the visibility of this religious celebration and of Islam in general, thereby normalising its presence in public spaces.
Who is Aicha Fernández?
Aicha Fernández is a religious communicator who disseminates content about Islam through social media and conferences. The name she uses publicly is no coincidence either. Fernández uses the name Aisha in reference to Aisha bint Abu Bakr, one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad and a central figure in Islamic tradition. According to numerous accounts from classical tradition (hadith), The marriage was arranged when Aisha was very young and the sexual relationship began when she was nine years old and he was 53.. Fernández herself explains in one of her videos that «I wanted to adopt this name as part of my identity» and that this historical figure «It captivated and inspired me, and to this day it remains a real point of reference for me.».
The discourse disseminated by Fernández presents Islam not only as a religion but as a normative system that is meant to regulate the private life and personal relationships of the faithful. When discussing romantic relationships, it explicitly rejects them. the usual model in the West based on love between two people to find happiness. As he explains, Any relationship must be entered into with family involvement and under parental supervision.«When you like someone, the best thing is to go and talk to your parents» and organise «a gathering at home with the family present». He also warns that «if they don't introduce themselves to the family, there is no real commitment». In this scheme, The romantic relationship is integrated into a family and religious framework. and it is only considered legitimate when formalised with the Islamic marriage: «the way to make this relationship halal is by performing the marriage, the nikah». And it is so because He argues that religious rules should not be adapted to the current context.We cannot come 1,400 years later and redefine the Qur'an and the laws established within it.
Fernández also It presents Ramadan not only as a spiritual practice, but as a kind of universal health method. In one of his videos he argues that fasting has supposed medical benefits and even goes so far as to claim that «Fasting should almost be an obligation for everyone, whether they are Muslim or not.». According to him, the Ramadan fast would help to «repair DNA», «rejuvenate cells» and prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. This type of argument, which mixes scientific references with religious justifications, is part of a discourse common in some contemporary Islamic preaching circles. The idea is to present Ramadan in a nutshell Healthy well-being and to turn a religious practice into a health or well-being recommendation.
This set of positions It depicts the profile of a religious preacher who defends the literal validity of Islamic norms. in areas such as personal relationships, sexual morality or lifestyle habits. In this context, their participation in an event presented as a coexistence initiative — with the support of Lleida City Council and the sponsorship of Bonpreu — reflects a trend that is becoming increasingly common: the involvement of public institutions and companies in events where these kinds of religious messages are also spread in public spaces.
More about Ramadan
Muslims in Italy are taking advantage of May Day to demand public holidays in the work calendar.
A study by Can Ruti and Sant Pau proposes not testing pregnant women for glucose during Ramadan.
Sant Andreu observes Ramadan with a prayer room at the district headquarters.
New York police explain they put up Ramadan lights to «educate» non-Muslims
Pep Guardiola rebukes fans who boo during the Ramadan break
The UAB bows to Islam: prayer rooms, an imam and catering for Ramadan
ERC, PSC and Comuns oppose combating political Islam in the European Parliament.
Azerbaijan expels students who wear Islamic headscarves from school
Sharia law in the US is supported by 75% of Muslims, 41% of atheists and up to 20% of Christians.
France now has a halal meat supply without the need to sacrifice animals facing Mecca.
The United Kingdom gives away a thousand hijabs in six months to immigrants arriving via the Channel
US Muslim politicians train Canadian Muslims under the slogan "From the mosque to the city hall"«
Teacher fired in Austria for denying a Muslim woman a prayer room
Canadian government normalizes Islamic prayer during workday
Lleida bans the burqa except if worn for religious reasons
Italy bans burqa and niqab but only in schools
The Generalitat pays tribute to the racist Abu Bakr al-Turtuxí as an anti-racist icon
A student residence in Scotland imposes Islamic law in common areas
Kazakhstan threatens to close private schools that allow hijab
A Catholic university in Belgium incorporates Islamic chants into the opening mass of the course
A Muslim family in Granada chooses a Catholic school and demands that the courts teach Islam there
Phrase of the Week
Image of the Week
-Don't you have cousins?