Peterborough mosques host Iftar to promote community cohesion
A chief constable and a council chief executive joined a city mosque as it hosted a community Iftar - an evening meal that breaks the Ramadan fast.Peterborough's Joint Mosques Council (JMC) held the event on Thursday at the Salahaddin Community Centre in Woodston.Among those who attended were Nick Dean, the Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire, and Matt Gladstone, Chief Executive of Peterborough City Council.Abdul Choudhuri, JMC chairman, said the community was keen to "work together with all the public organisations to help improve inter-faith dialogue and community cohesion".
'Positive light'
The holy month of Ramadan sees Muslims fast and refrain from eating or drinking between dawn and sunset.Mr Choudhuri said the Muslim community "welcomes the support and solidarity shown by the police and the council" and he said he hoped to build on it.Representatives from the city's schools, university and the NHS were also at the Iftar. Some attendees of different faiths also observed the Ramadan fast.Mr Choudhuri added: "It is also not just about sharing a meal, but to understand and reflect on the significance of Ramadan."The community is still concerned about the safety as a consequence of events that previously have taken place around the country."But tensions have definitely calmed down a lot and we pray that things don't get as bad again."And events like these help to shed a positive light."
'Invaluable experience'
Mr Dean said: "It was a wonderful opportunity for us to visit the centre during this special time and indeed to experience fasting even if only for one day."We have a really positive relationship with all the Mosques across the county and events like this give everyone the chance to come together, strengthen our understanding and deepen that relationship further."Mr Gladstone, said "working collaboratively is key".He added: "This experience is invaluable for appreciating and understanding the opportunities and challenges facing our city."Abstinence from food and water during the day does help us to recognise that some people in the world do not have the most basic essentials in life."
Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
a day ago
- NBC News
A mournful Eid al-Adha in Gaza
Under the damaged dome of al-Albani Mosque in Khan Younis, families stood on broken stone and dust, raising their voices in takbir, the declaration of god's greatness, to mark the first morning of Eid al-Adha on Friday. In Gaza, the holiest of the two major Muslim holidays is traditionally a time for communal worship, the sacrifice of lambs, and shared meals. Families gather around piles of bread baked on the saj and morsels of liver fresh from the slaughter. But this year in Khan Younis, there was no feast. No lambs to sacrifice. No smell of meat cooking, no joyful reunions. The celebration, stripped of its customs, pressed on in grief. 'We don't eat meat, we don't eat liver, we are not happy like other times waiting for the Eid with joy,' Eftarag Abou Sabaa told NBC News' team in Khan Younis. Rather than the ritual sacrifice of a lamb, Abou Sabaa said, 'We sacrifice the blood of martyrs. We sacrifice our sons, our daughters, and our mothers; we sacrifice ourselves in a way that sets us apart from other people.' That morning, crowds moved quietly to the Khan Younis cemetery to visit loved ones lost to the war, and greeted each other by the tombstones of children, parents, and friends. Only the buzz of Israeli drones overhead filled the solemn silence. 'This is not an Eid of joy; it is an Eid of mourning and death,' Ahmed Darwish, displaced from Rafah to west Khan Younis, told NBC News as he stood beside the graves. 'Our children and women are in pieces. Instead of sacrificing animals, we collected body parts this morning.' On Eid, Israeli strikes continued as families wept by the bodies of their loved ones, killed before celebrations could begin. Reda Abdel Rahim Eljara told an NBC News team that Israeli air strikes had already killed her husband and one of her sons. On the first day of Eid al-Adha, she lost two more sons and her daughter-in-law. "Three months ago, on Eid al-Fitr, my son Qais got married," she told NBC News. "Today, on the main Eid, he is martyred with his wife." Umm Ahmad Al-Qatati said her son, Omar, 11, was shot as he left his tent to shower and get ready for a visit to see his father. 'He was so excited for Eid morning, but they sent him to the morgue instead,' she said. "Instead of celebrating Eid, he went to be with his Lord." Those for whom death had not come, trudged forward. At the ruins of al-Albani Mosque, Thaer al-Salmi, 14, continued to pray. "We try to find some joy by praying and wearing a few clothes to feel the Eid spirit," he said. 'I hope this war ends, and that next Eid will be like it was two years ago — a real celebration without war.'
STV News
a day ago
- STV News
Eid al-Adha brings Glasgow's diverse Muslim communities together in annual celebration
Eid al-Adha, one of the most significant occasions in the Islamic calendar, has begun for Muslims worldwide. The annual event marks the sacrifice made by the Prophet Ibrahim, celebrated through a special animal sacrifice known as Qurbani – traditionally a sheep or goat – alongside prayers and acts of charity. The festival also marks the conclusion of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, known as Hajj, and will continue until Tuesday evening. Thousands of worshippers gathered at Glasgow's Central Mosque for special prayers. Muslim Council of Scotland's Omar Afzal told STV News: 'It's a key date within the Islamic calendar. It comes a day after the Hajj, which is when the pilgrims gather on the outskirts of the holy city of Mecca and perform certain rituals to fulfil the pilgrimage. 'Many of the rituals come from the time of the Prophet Ibrahim.' Outside the mosque, worshippers mingled with family and friends, many wearing traditional attire from countries including Libya and Nigeria. Meanwhile, in Bridgeton, the Sudanese Muslim community came together at a makeshift mosque. Sudan has been embroiled in civil war since April 15, 2023, following tensions between the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which escalated into widespread fighting in Khartoum and other areas. STV News A mosque for the Sudanese community in Bridgeton Mahomed Arkou said: 'The war affected me because now for more than 25 Eids, I'm celebrating outside Sudan. 'I'm not able to go back home because of insecurity, because of the war. The situation is very difficult.' Feasting is a big part of Eid, with families gathering to to pray and share food in the spirit of generosity and faith. Feasting remains a central part of Eid celebrations, with families and friends coming together to pray and share food in a spirit of generosity and faith. In Glasgow, a small group from the Bangladeshi community gathered in a private home to celebrate. Shari Ali said: 'It's a time where we all come together as a family. Even if we aren't blood-related, they are people we've known for a long time in our busy lives, and we're not able to see each other often. 'During Eid, eating is a time to get to know each other very closely.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE What life is like on the most divided street in Britain's most segregated city... where just one Christian who was born there remains
It is the most divided street in Britain's most segregated city. Stanhope Street - an ordinary-looking road of red brick Edwardian houses in Leicester - is almost equally divided between Muslims and Hindus. Your browser does not support iframes.
