TBILISI, December 12 – Georgia’s State Agency for Religious Affairs has sent a public greeting to the country’s Shia Muslim community on the occasion of the birthday of Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad.
In a statement released on Friday, the agency noted that Shia Muslims mark the day as a religious holiday. Within Shia tradition, the birthday of Fatima is also observed as Women’s Day. Fatima is regarded as a model of piety, patience and moral purity.
The agency congratulated Shia Muslims in Georgia on the holiday and wished them peace.
In addition to the majority Orthodox Christian community, Georgia is home to a number of religious communities, including Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Yazidis and others. While Sunni Muslims make up the majority of the Muslim population in the country, Shia Muslims are also present, particularly among ethnic Azerbaijani communities.
