Mosques across Birmingham are inviting members of the public to join them for iftar - the meal served at the end of each day of fasting during Ramadan.

Ramadan began on Thursday, May 17, and is expected to run until June 14, subject to a sighting of the new moon nearer the time.

The holy month involves fasting from early in the morning to sunset, with meals at either end of the day. The pre-dawn meal is called suhoor and the evening meal is known as iftar.

Muslims sometimes eat these meals at home with their families or head out to halal restaurants. Another option is to attend one of the community feasts held at local mosques.

As part of a Faith Associates initiative, hundreds of mosques and Islamic centres across the UK are hosting these iftars and inviting anyone to come along and join them.

The iftars are completely free, and donations are not expected. Some people may make a small donation to be polite, but these are likely to be made privately (such as by dropping a few coins at the donation box you often find at a mosque’s entrance).

The Birmingham mosques taking part

Nine mosques and centres in Birmingham are taking part.

They are:

Al-Hira Educational Centre & Jamia Masjid Iftar

Hazrat Mujaddad Alif Sani Masjid

Hazrat Sultan Bahu Centre

Jamia Masjid Haroonia

Central Jamia Mosque

Jamaatia Islamic Centre

Masjid and Madrassa Faizul Quran

Ghamkol Sharif Mosque

Sultan Bahu Trust

Community Iftars taking place in Birmingham

This week's events in Birmingham include:

May 22 (8.30pm-10pm) - Masjid and Madrassa Faizul Quran Iftar - register interest on Eventbrite here

May 23 (8.30pm-10pm) - Masjid and Madrassa Faizul Quran Iftar - register interest on Eventbrite here

May 24 (8.30pm-10pm) - Masjid and Madrassa Faizul Quran Iftar - register interest on Eventbrite here

May 25 (7pm-10pm) - Hazrat Mujadid Mosque Iftar - register interest on Eventbrite here

To get involved and to promote a Mosque Iftar in your community, visit www.mosqueiftar.com

All events are also listed at the website.

Why the events are being held

Organisers say this year has seen an unprecedented response from the Muslim community, with over 2,000 iftar dinners organised so far over the next month.

Events are taking place in more than 30 cities across the UK, as British Muslims look to share the experience with people of all faiths and none.

The month-long initiative aims to "foster mutual understanding through discussion, debate and dialogue by inviting people of all backgrounds to enjoy the iftar feast and learn more about Islam."

Launched by Faith Associates in 2012, it encourages Muslim communities to open their doors to their local community.

Since then, hundreds of mosques have participated and thousands of people have shared an iftar together.

Mosque iftars build on Islamic teachings that encourage mosques to be not just just places of worship but also schools, community centres, homeless shelters and more.

Shaukat Warraich, Founder and CEO of Faith Associates, said: "The growth of the Mosque Iftar Initiative over the past six years demonstrates the shared desire for Muslims and non-Muslims to engage with and learn from one another.

"The mosque, especially during Ramadan, should be more than just a place to pray; it should be at the heart of the community.

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"The Qur'an teaches us to show kindness and generosity to all our neighbours. Mosque Iftars are a great way of doing that, uniting people of all faiths and none."