Islam is Arabic for “submission.” A Muslim submits to Allah, to his word (Quaran), his law (sharia), to the political authorities that represent him (Khilafat), and to his community (ummah). But one can live in an Islamic society (Dar-al-Islam) without being Muslim, albeit as a second-class citizen (dhimmi). Dhimmis are guaranteed their personal safety and property in return for paying tribute (jizya) and acknowledging Muslim rule. More importantly, they are free to practice their religion provided that they do not do so publicly nor seek to convert Muslims, a capital offense.
Islam is advancing rapidly and is now the second-largest religion in Europe, while Christianity is shrinking steadily due to plummeting birth rates and apostasy. Europe’s Muslims live in closed communities, primarily in suburbs, which are de facto, not subject to the law of the land. In these communities, sharia law rules and, accordingly, families pay Islamic taxes. This is particularly evident in France, where the gendarmerie publishes an annual report on the Zones Urbaines Sensibles, a euphemism indicating areas controlled by Muslims, in which not even the French police can enter.
Step by step, European countries are becoming part of Dar-al-Islam. In Great Britain, for example, sharia law has been acknowledged alongside British common law, with the creation of Muslim courts with Islamic judges (qadis). In other words, Great Britain has relinquished its sovereignty, allowing a state within the state to enforce its own laws.
Other countries, as is the case with Italy, are slipping towards dhimmitude, as while not accepting Islam de jure, they are submitting to it de facto, as an occurrence in Pioltello, a town near Milan and just 10 minutes from where I live, demonstrates. The headmaster of its public school named after a Pakistani, Iqbal Masih, announced that he will close the school on April 10 to celebrate the end of Ramadan, rationalizing his edict by noting that 40% of its students are Muslims and, therefore, the school would be virtually empty anyways.
Italy’s Minister of Education, Giuseppe Valditarra, promptly reacted, affirming that public schools must adhere to Italian law, close only on official holidays, and not enforce their own holidays based on religious reasons. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the Lega Nord party, denounced this “unacceptable choice against the values, identity and traditions of our country.” 1 Their legitimate concerns were echoed by many local residents and several Catholic associations, who warned of the dangers of regulating the Italian educational system according to Islam.
Illustrating how much Italy has already caved in to Islam, however, others supported the closure. Milan’s Archbishop Mario Delpini, well-known for his open-handedness towards the Muslim community and closed fist towards traditional Catholic faithful,2 warned against “waging a crusade.” Crusades, he declared, “only complicate things.”
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The bishops’ daily Avvenire also supported the closure. “The case of the Pioltello school is arousing absurd and visceral reactions. It is a real shame and, above all, a clear demonstration of inadequacy in the face of the challenge of cultural and religious pluralism that characterizes our society, whether we like it or not.”3
Italy’s president, Sergio Matarella, sent a letter to the school’s vice principal, Maria Rendani, affirming that he “appreciated very much the work of the school board,” which had voted unanimously to support the decision to celebrate Ramadan.4
The Pioltello incident is indicative of a disturbing trend. Just weeks before, the Diocese of Bergamo, in northern Italy, had launched an appeal to Catholics asking them to participate in Ramadan. In a letter sent to all priests, the Diocesan Curia invited the faithful to participate in Ramadan festivities, joining in the prayers and the iftar meals of the Muslim community. The letter scandalously defines Ramadan as a “sacred month,” as though our Lord Jesus Christ were no longer Lord of history. Commendably, several Catholic associations, among them Pro Italia Christiana, launched petition drives requesting the bishop to reconsider, proclaiming “Yes to Lent, no to Ramadan!”
The Bishop of Padova, the Most Rev. Claudio Cipolla, also published a “Letter to our Muslim brothers and sisters” at the beginning of Ramadan, which he defines as a “sacred month,” noting, “I do it with respect, thinking of the commitment that will accompany these important days, living in the practice of fasting, prayer and reading the Koran. It will be an opportunity to strengthen bonds of faith and to orient your communities in search of God and his will.” 5
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Not to be outdone, the Archbishop of Bologna, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, also greeted the Muslims: “Dear believing brothers and sisters of Islam, al-salam alaykum, peace be with you. At the beginning of the month of Ramadan, I wish to extend to you my greetings and expressions of the most cordial friendship, in which I associate the entire Church of Bologna, which I seek to serve as Pastor.” 6 Other Italian bishops also greeted the Muslim communities on the occasion of Ramadan, as it is becoming a standard practice.
While Muslims are being warmly welcomed and coddled, Catholics, alas, are being increasingly marginalized. Italian schools are canceling Christmas celebrations so as not to offend Muslim sensibilities. The tradition of the Nativity scene, for example, is disappearing, as are altars dedicated to Our Lady on her feast of the Immaculate Conception and Rosary processions in May, her month. Many schools are forgoing the Easter holidays to accommodate the Muslim calendar. Even though the presence of a crucifix in classrooms is mandatory, many schools are taking them down. Pictures and statues of saints, an age-old common sight in Italian schools, are also being removed lest they offend Muslims.
Last December, the Fratelli d’Italia party introduced a bill in parliament that would declare Christmas an official and, therefore, mandatory school holiday. Describing the need for this legislation, Senator Lavinia Mennuni declared: “For some years now, we have been witnessing unacceptable and embarrassing decisions by some schools that ban the Nativity scene, or modify its profound essence by changing the Christmas celebration into unlikely’ winter holidays’ so as not to offend believers of other religions.” 7
Wholeheartedly agreeing with the senator, I, sadly, must observe that when it is necessary to enact a federal law to defend a centuries-old religious and cultural tradition, indeed one born in Italy with St. Francis of Assisi, the battle has been lost. De facto, if not de jure, Italy is already a subdued country that must be reconquered.
This article first appeared in the Polish newspaper Nasz Dziennik.
Photo Credit: © carmelod – stock.adobe.com
Footnotes:
1. https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/interni/scelta-inaccettabile-salvini-tuona-contro-chiusura-scuola-2297896.html
2. https://milano.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/24_marzo_24/l-arcivescovo-di-milano-delpini-sulla-scuola-chiusa-per-fine-ramadan-a-pioltello-c-e-stata-una-specie-di-crociata-6ea12090-072b-41a7-8969-082fb13adxlk.shtml
3. https://www.avvenire.it/opinioni/pagine/cosa-indica-il-caso-di-pioltelloscuola-e-ramadanno
4. https://www.chiesadimilano.it/news/attualita/mattarella-alla-scuola-di-pioltello-apprezzo-il-vostro-lavoro-2799505.html
5. https://www.diocesipadova.it/il-messaggio-del-vescovo-claudio-per-linizio-del-ramadan-2024/#
6. https://ecumenismo.chiesadibologna.it/messaggio-del-card-zuppi-per-linizio-del-ramadan-2024/
7. https://www.quotidiano.net/politica/presepe-a-scuola-vietato-vietarlo-lavinia-mennuni-ultime-news-l5svpe2z