A guest’s take on the Third Interfaith Iftar Dallas

I prayed in the mosque with Ahmadis at Interfaith Iftar & dinner.

By Shah A Siddiqui

Yes, I attended the interfaith iftar & dinner on July 11th, 2015 alongwith other non-Muslims fellow Americans who attended this auspicious occasion of Interfaith Iftar & Dinner. Performing  a prayer in an Ahmadi Mosque with Ahmadi brothers did not hurt me or defaced my look. In my belief, Allah is everywhere, in every corner of this earth and we can pray anywhere, whether it is an open air or in a building named for Allah.

It was 3^rd Annual Interfaith Iftar & Dinner organized by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Dallas at their mosque in Baitul Ikram, Allen, TX. And it was my 2^nd consecutive attendance at the invitation by the Jamaat. This congregation was attended by the plurality of different faith, including Jews and Christians. A considerable number of people about more than hundred participated and showed up their brotherhood and unification with Ahmadiyya community.

The best thing I noticed that the program started on a given time without waiting for the people to gather in the hall and ended up on time. The community leaders should follow the steps of Mike Ghause and Ahmadiyya  leaders who are very well organized. I have seen disorganize functions and mismanagement of the start and end time of the program in the community which is a pity.

The Ahmadiyya Jamaat first formed in the United Staes in 1920 and since then this Jamaat is growing, although it took  more than 30 years to establish the movement in the USA after the origination of the moment in 1889. This Ahmadiyya group of Muslims has multiple setbacks around the Muslim world and people of this community are being savagely killed and persecuted, especially in Pakistan after declaration of non-Muslim by the regime of Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto in 1974.

Ahmadiyya community of Dallas is doing many great jobs towards helping the impoverished people of DFW area and one of the good work is feeding the hungers every other week.  At this occasion the Ahmadiyya Community presented a check of $ 5000.00 to the North Texas Food bank. President of Ahmadiyya Community Mr. Suhail Kausar, Mr. Mansur Rana and Dr Jari Khan handed over the check to Tammy Bargar, who accepted the  check with great pleasure and thanked the community for continued support of the North Texas Food Bank. This community also arranges blood drive each year to commemorate the victims of 9/11 which is wonderful and praiseworthy.

Mr. Tahir Abdullah started the program and he explained  the value of fasting  and benefits very beautifully in an easy way so that the audience of other faith and religion can understand.  Mr. Suhail Kausar focused on the formation of this Jamaat and its activities in the DFW area. His speech was very short but very meaningful keeping in view the limited time to cover all the speakers before the breaking time of the fast (iftar).  Members of other faith were given a good time to share their opinion and views on this occasion. Mr. Andrew Goldstein of Radio 1080 CBS of KRLD also shared the value of fasting in Jewish religion and Pastor Imad Aubrey of Presbyterian Church portrayed the fasting in Christianity according to biblical mythology.  In the attendees there were  Chief of Allen Police department, Mr. Brian Harvey, to represent the Chief of Plano Police department Mr.Dan was present. One thing I noticed that the attendance from our Sunni Muslim community of the Dallas / DFW area was nothing except me, which is sad. If they were invited then they should attend this congregation to show their brotherhood and harmony. I missed the guests who were attended last year but missing them this year.

There was a separate arrangement for the ladies for the meeting and the hall was crowded with women and children who enjoyed the iftar dinner with enthusiasm. Outside the open air  arrangement was fabulous for dinner and delicious food were served, including desert and tea for all the guests.

I would like to conclude my thoughts with the suggestion that it was a wonderful congregation and shows the hard work of the management to invite the people of different faith but it was not enough. There are more people of different faith in Dallas/FortWorth area like, Hindu, Sikh, Bahai, Budhhist etc and I would request the Ahmadiyya Community  of Dallas to invite them also to complete the interfaith get together  in the event of Ramadan.

I congratulate to the management for organizing such a beautiful 3^rd Interfaith Iftar & Dinner. Mr. Suhail, Dr. Jari, Mr. Mansur, Tahir Abdullah and all the volunteers did hard work to make it a success.

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Shah A Siddiqui, is a free lance journalist, columnist/Critique Writer, former Chairman of Pak Watan TV in Chicago,IL. A social worker.