CARDIFF – Bringing Ramadan closer to the community, a Cardiff mosque is serving meals to non-Muslims during the holy fasting month, offering them a change to share iftar with members of the Muslim community.

“The Sharing Ramadan meals are now in their sixth year here but horrific events that took place just four hours away show the importance of having such opportunities to bring communities together,” Mohammed Alamgir from Dar Ul-Isra mosque told Wales Online on Monday, May 29.

“It reminds us that those who commit acts of violence and indiscriminate murder belong to no faith.

“The Qur’an teaches Muslims that ‘to save one life is as if to save all of humanity and to slay one life is as if you have slayed all of humanity’.

“I know similar verses are echoed in the holy books and scriptures of other faith groups.

“It was beautiful to hear taxi drivers and hoteliers helping those affected and people lining up to give blood for the victims in Manchester and we hope that the people of Cardiff use Sharing Ramadan as an opportunity to come together in these challenging times.”

For three weeks in Ramadan, the mosque in Cardiff will serve free evening meals as part of a project with the Bridges for Communities charity, which works to increase understanding about faiths.

Volunteers will serve food when the fast ends from 8pm to 10pm each night.

The free meals run three times a week from May 29 to June 14 and places must be booked.

Sarah Evans, university Hospital of Wales nurse and mother of three, is one of those who help organize the program with her husband Mark for Bridges for Communities.

As part of the program, a space is offered for around 150 people to come to meals running over three weeks from Monday May 29.

“Our aim is a more cohesive society by bringing people into contact with different faiths,” Sarah, who is a Christian, but became interested in Islam after working in Jordan, said.

“All our events center around food because sharing a meal is a powerful way to bring people together and an ice breaker.

“Sitting down and eating together is something we can do in common.”

Building Bridges

For those who attended shared meals last year, the program was a chance to bring people of different faiths together.

“I was very nervous before as I was unsure what to expect,” a visitor who shared the meal last year said.

“There has been a lot of negative press around the Muslim faith which made me feel uneasy a little if I’m being honest.

“However straight away I was made to feel comfortable and welcomed.

“It was completely not what I was expecting or the perception I had built so it was great to see it for what it really is and challenge my thoughts.

“Mo and his brothers were great hosts and I found the discussions very interesting and insightful.”

Another visitor said: “We live in Roath, just off City Road, so Ramadan is very much apparent to us, and it was nice to get a greater understanding of something that is a big part of the community we live in.”

It comes as Muslims mark fasting of the holy month of Ramadan which kicked off last Saturday, May 27.

During the holy month, 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.

It is customary for Muslims to spend part of the days during Ramadan studying the Noble Qur’an.

Many men perform i`tikaf (spiritual retreat), spending the last 10 days of the month exclusively in the mosque.