Ramadan event brings community together

Kay Willoughby (left) and Mahfuza Siddiqui (centre) were joined by Chief Constable Rachel Kearton to share their Iftar meal

Messages of unity have been shared at a community meal during Ramadan.

Ipswich Mosque held an Iftar event on Sunday, the meal eaten by Muslims at sunset to break their daylight hours fast.

At the start of the evening Mahfuza Siddiqui, a member of the mosque, read passages from the Quran and then translated them into English.

She said: "It gives me a chance to show my excitement for my faith - I genuinely love being a Muslim."

The mayor of Ipswich, Elango Elavalakan, is a Hindu and spoke of the value of having a vibrant multicultural community

Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which form the basis of how Muslims live their lives.

The other pillars are declaration of faith, prayer, charity and pilgrimage.

Kay Willoughby said she reverted to Islam last year, so this is her first Ramadan.

The term revert, rather than convert, is used as Muslims believe everyone is born into the faith, but effectively "leaves" to be brought up in a different faith, or none, depending on their family, community or cultural environment.

"This is my mosque, I did my Shahadah [declaration of faith] last year, I'm following my heart," she said.

"This is my first Ramadan. I'm diabetic too, so it has been a little bit difficult. I'm on a journey, but I've done four days now of full fasting.

"God is with me, and my sisters, and it feels wonderful."

Although the Quran requires Muslims to fast from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, there are exceptions including for people who are ill or have medical conditions.

Salah is the Arabic term for the ritual prayer that Muslims are meant to perform five times a day

Fotik Miah, a trustee at the mosque, said: "It has been a wonderful event, people of all ages and all backgrounds and nationalities have come to share fast-breaking with us.

"It was glorious to share it with everyone, and be a part of this vibrant community of Ipswich."

The Reverend Tom Mumford, from Ipswich Minster, spoke at the start of the event about the value of interfaith work.

"I believe that anything that deepens and strengthens relationships across people, is indeed the work of God," he said.

Senior members of Ipswich Mosque, on Bond Street, handed out water and dates so people could break their fast at 17:58 GMT