Huddersfield religious leader calls for peace and respect during Ramadan
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Huddersfield branch invited other faiths to break fast with them.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK has existed for more than 100 years. The community has been leading a peaceful revival of Islam, calling for peace and harmony across all religions and faiths. The Huddersfield branch is now calling for respect and peace to all those observing Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection lasting from March 22 until April 21. Fatihul-haq, the External Secretary of the Huddersfield Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, spoke to YorkshireLive about what the festival means and what those of other faiths or non-religious people should be aware of across the month.Fatihul said: “This month we are congregating for prayers five times, people are doing a lot for charities and sending money to doctors worldwide.
“We are going to invite other faith leaders and members to join us to break fast and how we pray and all sorts of things. We are also praying for this country and this whole world.”Ramadan is not only keeping yourself hungry, making sure you eat food that is lawful for you, the food only becomes unlawful for a certain period. “By doing so, it also gives you a sense of the realisation of poverty, people don’t have food they don’t have water, it reminds you of your moral observations.
“It gives you perspective of the countries where people don’t have access to food and water. “It helps strengthen your bonding and relationship with the faith. “Ramadan tells you to reduce the physical food and enhance your spiritual food, you are praying for the whole world, for those who are ill.” Fatihul recognised that those who are unaware of Ramadan or do not know what the month entails should be aware of those taking part. He spoke about what to do to help those who may struggling during fast or those that face discrimination of their faith.
He added: “We should not hurt people’s feelings, we should be kind. “You should treat everyone equally and fairly with dignity and respect. “Fasting is not obligated to everyone, it is obligated for only those who are healthy, for example, if people are disabled, have diabetes, or are on medication, they should not be fasting. “If you are from another faith, you should respect that, across everything and especially in work etc. “But also Muslims should be giving equal respect to other faiths, it is about understanding each other’s faaith and respecting each other, we need to promote community faith and community harmony, if we all start to do this.
