PESHAWAR: Having scores of blessings and benefits, the holy month of Ramazan is also a major source of promoting interfaith harmony and social cohesion between minorities and Muslims.
Mass Iftar parties in the holy month of Ramazan with varieties of food, delicious dishes, fruits, sweets, and beverages exchanged by the fasting Muslims and members from the minority communities build the spirit of affection and brotherhood between the two sides.
A 41-year-old Sikh, Rawandar Singh, smiles while serving dates and ‘pakora’ among fasting Muslims during Iftar amid returning home from his shop in Hashtnagri bazaar Peshawar City. He has done this notable practice since 2012 and inherited this from his father, Awtah Sing.
He told APP that .“I feel inner peace and solace while doing this noble practice on all 30 days of this holy month. The soothing moments of distributing Iftar’s items comprising dates, jalebi, pakora, and other dishes still alive in my mind as fresh as today when I keenly remind my late father, Awtah Singh, serving packets of iftaar food to Muslim brothers all along way from Hastnagri bazaar to Mohalla Jogan Ramdas in interior City,”.
Dewa Singh and his son Tajindar Singh, who have connected with telecommunication business in Hastnagri bazaar Peshawar, stated that inviting people of different faiths to Iftar parties in Pakistan conveys a strong message of love, friendship, and brotherhood to the whole world.
Ramazan Iftar parties and interfaith harmony
They said that their forefathers did the same thing to express warmth, friendship, and love to the Muslim brothers of Peshawar during Ramazan.
Other spots and areas in the provincial capital have witnessed the same kind of mass iftar parties, having a number of dishes being served to the fasting Muslims.
A key member of the Hindu community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and a founding member of the Pakistan Council of World Religions, Haroon Sarbdayal said that all prophets and founders of all the religions had promoted peace, patience, love, forgiveness, and tolerance through their universal teachings, actions, and deeds.
He further said that they require to promote ‘acceptance’ along with ‘tolerance’ because acceptance was more effective in establishing durable peace, patience, and pluralism in any society.”
He further said that misperceptions among followers of different faiths could be removed by increasing interaction and dialogues among different communities.
Chairman, Islamiyat Department, Islamia College, Peshawar Professor Dr. Hifazat Ullah Khan stated that interfaith harmony means bringing peace and tranquillity among people from different communities through positivity and mutual coexistence.
Terming charity a key component of Islam, he said it was more crucial in Ramazan and people should also promote and encourage charity but should also be careful to give charity to the deserving areas and people.
He said Ramazan was the best month for charity and Zakat with countless blessings for Muslims.
