London church opens doors for Muslims, hosts grand Iftar
By Murtaza Ali Shah, News International:
LONDON: History was made when a centuries-old church in London not only opened its doors for Muslims to break their fast at the church but also organised a prayer session and Iftari for hundreds of Muslims and the church leaders fasted alongside Muslims to promote interfaith harmony.
St. James’s Church, Piccadilly, joined hands with the City Circle to invite more than 400 Muslims as well as followers of other faiths for a grand interfaith Iftar dinner and invited London’s new Mayor Sadiq Khan as the guest speaker.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who has been fasting and famously broke his fast on stage during the European Union referendum national debate on the BBC, said that it’s the duty of Muslims to reach out to non-Muslims and explain the real positive nature of Islam to dispel the wrong perceptions about Islam and Muslims. He told the audience that it was important for Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Sikhs, Christians and others to come together and beat poverty and inequality in London as all faiths stressed on the need of serving humanity and ending poverty and injustice in all forms.
Speaking to Geo News, Sadiq Khan said that it was a matter of pride for him that a London church had organised an interfaith Iftar dinner and invited him and others to break their fast in expression of harmony and solidarity and also to raise money for the homeless people who need the help of everyone.
Sadiq Khan said that he wished a speedy recovery to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who was recovering here after his open heart surgery at London’s Harley Street Clinic.
Sadiq Khan said that London had the best health system and that’s the reason why people from all over the world come to London for treatment. He said that there was no rival to the National Health Service (NHS) anywhere in the world and countries such as America, Pakistan and others lagged behind in terms of provision of health services whereas the NHS excels. “Muslims, Jews, Hindus and others have come together to break their fasts and they are working together for good causes. We need to do more such projects.”
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