Taste Ramadan open iftar initiative feeds 10,000 across UK

The iftar is not just for us local Muslims who are fasting, but for the whole community. – Al Jamatul Muslimin Mosque

A nationwide drive to bring people of all faiths and none together to break fast at their local mosques during the month of Ramadan has been a resounding success.

Over 100 mosques across the country have taken part in the Taste Ramadan initiative by opening their doors to “Share food – Share Friendship”.

Organised by the Myriad Foundation, a Manchester-based organisation that works towards “the betterment of society”, the project is seeing mosques hold open Iftar’s – the post sunset meal following fasting – for the wider community.

So far 110 mosques have participated across 55 cities to feed around 10,000 guests, thanks to the efforts of some 600 volunteers.

“This is a great opportunity to join your local community and experience the blessings of Ramadan by accepting the invitation to be our guest for an Iftar meal at a Mosque near you,” says the Taste Ramadan website.

Mosques taking part ‘to help improve community cohesion’

One place that took up the opportunity was Swansea Mosque whose open event even attracted local news broadcasters That’s TV Swansea Bay.

The police also took time out for a meal with Northamptonshire Police responding to Al Jamatul Muslimin Mosque’s invite.

Posting on their Facebook page, the police service said: “A local mosque has opened up its doors for an inter-faith iftar dinner to help improve community cohesion.”

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Nickless was also joined by representatives from Northampton Interfaith Forum, BBC Northampton and Northampton General Hospital.

“The event allowed people to join in with Muslim worshipers for the evening meal which signifies the end of a day of fasting.

“Chair of the Northamptonshire Association of Muslim Police, Sophia Perveen, who supported the event, said: ‘We police the communities and what better way to generate greater understanding of each other, than to share a meal that marks such significance to the local community’,” they added.

The mosque’s imam Sayfullah was quoted as saying: “The iftar is not just for us local Muslims who are fasting, but for the whole community. The moment of breaking the fast with delectable food is a unique joy that all should be entitled to share with us.”

Find out where your nearest open iftar is going to be by visiting the Taste Ramadan website.