A MOSQUE in York invited a York MP and North Yorkshire Police to join them in breaking their fast during Ramadan.
York Mosque invited Labour MP Rachael Maskell, and members of North Yorkshire Police, including the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, and North Yorkshire Chief Police Constable, Lisa Winward, to have ‘Iftar’ with them on Tuesday, April 5.
They were the first guests that the Mosque has been able to host since Covid-19.
Iftar is the meal that Muslims break their fast with after sunset during the Islamic month of Ramadan, in which Muslims fast from dawn till sunset for 30 days.
Ms Maskell, Ms Metcalfe, and Ms Winward were invited into the women's prayer room in time for Iftar.
Ms Maskell said: "Its been fantastic coming back to York Mosque, its always such a warm welcome and its really good to catch up with so many people I haven't seen for quite a long time.
"I've really enjoyed the evening and see some of the little children who have grown up a little bit bigger and running around.
"Ramadan is a season which shows how faith matters in our society.
"Its brought the community and wider family together and that is what York Mosque is all about, its been a privilege to be here."
Ms Metcalfe added: “What greets you is this overwhelming sense of belonging and community when you walk into the Mosque, it’s a fantastic place.
“Its absolutely wonderful that you’re eating with your ‘worship family’ and friends, you can see that everyone is so happy together.
“I was grateful to have been invited and I’m really enjoying myself here.”
Chief Constable Lisa Winward reflected on the time when the Mosque expanded the building in 2016.
She said: "Its so lovely that the community here built this Mosque as a result of their own energy and efforts to build it themselves without any support from anybody else, which shows the real sense of community.
“Ramadan is such an important time for that sacrifice individuals make to fast and still go to work, which must be incredibly difficult, when you have to get up in the middle of the night, and not eat and drink all day until the evening."
York Mosque are inviting the wider York non-Muslim community to join them for Iftar and learn more about Ramadan on Saturday, April 16 at 7pm.
Please register your interest in the community Iftar gathering here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article