Open iftar at King's College 'unites' community

4 hours ago

Shariqua AhmedCambridge

News image — Raza Amine and Maya Dannawi, students from Lebanon, said it had reminded them of home

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC Raza, who is wearing a patterned headscarf and a red-velvet top, sits next to Maya, who is wearing a greyish cardigan. They are looking at the camera and smiling. — Raza Amine and Maya Dannawi, students from Lebanon, said it had reminded them of home

More than 350 people gathered at King's College Cambridge for an open iftar, a meal that marks the breaking of a Ramadan fast.

Sunday's event was organised by the Ramadan Tent Project (RTP) and worshippers were joined by people of different faiths, and no faiths.

Organiser Kashif Darr said it aimed to break down barriers and educate people about the practices of Islam.

"It's open to everyone. Breaking bread is one of the oldest traditions to make friends and this is what it is - you are sat on the floor side by side sharing a meal."

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC People sitting on rows of mats laid on the floor inside the King's College's dining room. It is a large room with a high ceiling and wood panelling. — About 350 people gathered in the dining room at King's College Cambridge for Sunday's open iftar

Attendees described the iftar as "uniting", adding it brought "a sense of community".

Ramadan, which began on 18 February, sees Muslims fast, refraining from eating or drinking between dawn and sunset.

RTP, a charity that aims to bring people together during the holy month, has been hosting about 20 open iftar meals across the country. The theme for this year's events is hope.

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC Henning Grosse Ruse-Khan wearing a red shirt and a purple scarf, smiling for camera. — Henning Grosse Ruse-Khan said it had been "a great opportunity" for people to celebrate together

Henning Grosse Ruse-Khan, a fellow and professor of law at King's College, said he had been "excited" about the iftar, adding that it had helped remove divisions between communities.

"I think often these divisions come from not knowing the other."

He said fasting in different ways was something many religious traditions had in common.

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC Women volunteers, all wearing a teal-coloured Ramadan Tent Project T-shirt, smiling for camera. — The open iftar was a volunteer-run free event

Raza Amine, a Cambridge PhD student, said: "The talks have been really inspiring.

"It's really uniting to come together as a Muslim community and also a non-Muslim community, just like a huge crowd, to share and celebrate this occasion."

Maya Dannawi, a student, said: "I was really touched when I saw the adhan [call to prayer] happening here in King's, the same hall [where] we've been coming for dinners.

"It's my first time in the open iftar and this is my first actual like Ramadan experience here. It was really nice."

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC Will, a man wearing a blue jersey standing next to his partner Kia, a woman with short brown hair, smiling for the camera. — Will Richardson says he wants to get an insight into the Islamic religion to support his Muslim partner

Will Richardson, from London, said: "It was amazing.

"It's the first time I've seen anything like this and I think it's important to have a look and observe all the cultures," he said.

"I've never seen or heard a call to prayer before so it was my first-time experience and I thought it was really beautiful and quite, I guess, emotional really."

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC Nagham, a woman with shoulder length brown hair, wearing a beige jumper, smiling for the camera. — Nagham, 26, said it was important to have a "sense of community"

Nagham, a student at St Catharine's College celebrating her first Ramadan outside an Arab country, said: "I really missed having the community and the vibes and, actually, I really missed hearing the call to prayer.

"In Ramadan, it's so important to have the sense of community so that we don't feel like we're doing it in isolation but rather as a group together."