People of all faiths are invited to attend a grand Ramadan iftar tonight at the Bristol Cathedral under the theme of ‘peace and hope’.
Organized by Muslims4Bristol, Bristol Cathedral, and Bridges for Communities, this event follows the success of last year’s Grand Iftar held on College Green and previous gatherings at St Mark’s Road in Easton.
“The Iftar aims to bring people from all walks of life together, to celebrate, social richness, cohesion and cultural diversity of our community and our city in the spirit of Ramadan,” Mohammed El Sharif, one of the co-founders and organizers of the Grand Iftar, told Bristol24/7.
“Muslims4Bristol and the diverse organizing committee of Somali, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sudanese, Kurdish, Arab, Turkish, Afghan and Revert communities is pleased to partner with Bristol Cathedral and Bridges for Communities to organize this year’s event.”
Reverend Dr Mandy Ford, the dean of Bristol, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming people from around Bristol, but especially our sisters and brothers from the Muslim community, to break the Ramadan fast together. I hope that this will truly be an opportunity for us to share our hopes for a more peaceful world.”
Mohamed A Sayaqle, one of the co-organizers and volunteer lead of the event, added: “Grand Iftar has become a pinnacle annual event for our city.
“As a Muslim community in Bristol, we want to extend the gesture of generosity, kindness and sharing in Ramadan to our fellow Bristolians in the city. The event is engaging people from all walks of life, from different postcodes and backgrounds.”
The Grand iftar started in Bristol in 2017 as a way of promoting peace and unity and other themes have included sustainability and women in Islam.
In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
Muslims dedicate their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah through prayer, self-restraint, and good deeds.
After breaking their fast, eating fruit and dates, attendants had a meat stew popular in the Indian subcontinent, known as Haleem.
SOURCE: https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/europe/bristol-cathedral-hosts-grand-ramadan-iftar/
