Interfaith iftars

Rawandar Singh, a 39-year-old Sikh, exudes high spirit of sharing and compassion as he seeks solace in doling out dates and ‘pakoras’ among fasting Muslims during iftar on returning home from his shop in Hashtnagri area in the city.

Rawandar Singh wearing the traditional turban has been distributing packets of dates and other edible items among the fasting Peshawaris in Hashtnagri Bazaar since 2012. His father Awtah Singh had started the noble practice which he passed on to his son. “I feel inner peace and satisfaction while carrying out the noble practice throughout Ramazan.

The soothing moments of distributing iftar items including dates, pakoras, jalebis and other food items are still fresh in the memory as I used to keenly observed my father handing over the packets of iftar food to Muslim brothers all along the way from Hashtnagri to Mohalla Jogan Ramdas in the interior part of the city”, Rawandar Singh told APP while distributing dates and pakoras among the fasting Muslims ahead of iftar.

“I strongly believe in interfaith harmony, love and brotherhood. Distribution of food in Ramazan is our mark of respect and admiration for our fasting Muslim brothers besides giving us inner peace and satisfaction” said Rawandar who is now helped by his son in doling out dates and pakoras.

Dewa Singh and his son Tajindar Singh, who are associated with telecommunication business in Hashtnagri, said that inviting people of different faiths at iftar parties in Pakistan sends a strong message of love, brotherhood and friendship to the whole world.

“Without winning hearts and minds, we cannot come closer to each other and could not develop a society whose inhabitants enjoy equal rights and respect for each other’s beliefs”, they said. “Arranging iftar parties and Ramazan camps for Muslims is not a new practice for us. Our forefathers did the same thing to express warmth, love and friendship to our Muslims brothers of Peshawar during Ramazan”, they said, and added that they were serving iftar to dozens of fasting persons on a daily basis and vowed to continue to do so in the remaining days of the month.

Roadside mass iftar parties are seen at the Qissa Khawani Bazaar, University Road, Lady Reading Hospital, Takhto Jumat Cantonment and Ramdas areas where philanthropists invite people of different faiths in an environment of sharing, care and friendship. The mass iftar parties’ long spreads filled with dates, pakoras, jalebis, snacks, fruits, dahi bhallay, kachalo, rice, meat, paye, chappli kebab, pulao, and sweet beverages get fully occupied by the passers-by, labourers and people of different schools of thought.

Haroon Sarbdayal, a representative of the Hindu community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a founding member of Pakistan Council of World Religions, said that all prophets and founders of all religions had promoted peace, forgiveness, patience, love and tolerance through their universal teachings, actions and deeds. “We need to promote ‘acceptance’ along with ‘tolerance’ because the former is more effective in establishing durable peace, patience, and pluralism in society”, he said. He also said that Ramazan is the month of tolerance and patience in which Hindu community has started arranging iftar parties for Muslim brothers in the province.

In Peshawar, he apprised, a grand iftar party would be arranged in the last ‘ashra’ (last 9/10 days) of Ramazan where leaders of all religions would be invited. He said such noble practices are also being carried out in Sindh.

Sarbdayal said misperceptions among followers of different faiths could be removed by enhancing interaction and dialogue among them. He suggested establishment of common study centres for followers of all religions where they could interact and understand each other’s beliefs and organize iftar parties to bring people closer.

Highly appreciating the minorities’ goodwill gestures of arranging iftar parties and ‘iftar dastarkhwans’, he said these noble practices bring Muslims and minorities closer and enhance their understanding about each other’s’ faiths.

Qibla Ayaz, Chairman Council of Islamic Ideology (CCI) and former vice chancellor University of Peshawar, said that interfaith harmony means bringing peace and tranquillity among people through positivity and mutual coexistence.

He said inviting each other for iftar parties strengthens bonds of love, friendship and brotherhood among people of all religions including Islam and Christianity. He said, “The Madina Charter had provided complete and unprecedented religious freedoms to the followers of all religions and there was a need of constant debate and discussion on its different clauses and articles for ensuring lasting peace and harmony in the world”.

Terming charity an important component of Islam, Qibla Ayaz said it was more significant in Ramazan and people should give it to reputable charity organizations having an excellent record of people’s service and clean accounts record. He said a list of reputable charity organisations was available at the NACTA website, adding that extra care should be taken by people so that their charity does not go into the wrong hands. The charitable initiatives such as arranging mass iftar parties and Ramazan camps will not only strengthen the bonds of love and friendship but would also help bring people closer, he added.—APP