Bait Ul Nasir – Columbus, Ohio

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

By  JoAnne Viviano

Muslims in central Ohio are inviting their non-Muslim neighbors to learn more about the Islamic holy month of Ramadan by partaking in one of the evening fast-breaking meals that mark the observance.

Such meals, called iftars, start with water and dates and include prayer and often a reading from the Muslim holy book, the Quran.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Groveport plans a July 27 interfaith iftar that will feature a panel of members of various religions discussing their own fasting traditions, said Dr. Abdus Salam Malik, the group’s president.

“A lot of people have misconceptions, and problems arise in the community when people don’t know each other,” Malik said. “So we want people to come and get to know each other and, once they know each other, they realize that … everybody has human values, good values. That creates better understanding and better peace.”

Ramadan begins its first full day today and ends with the Eid al-Fitr holiday on Aug. 8. Throughout the month, Muslims abstain from food, water, smoking and sex from sunrise until sunset.

The Columbus chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations plans to play host to about 250 people at its interfaith iftar on July 19, said spokeswoman Hannah Tyler. This is the 16th year the group has sponsored the event; Muslims are asked to invite friends, neighbors and co-workers to share in the meal.

Tyler said that central Ohio has largely embraced the Muslim community, in part because it has long been home to a large Somali population that practices the faith. That exposure, she said, leads to understanding.

“Columbus, in general, just seems to be tolerant,” she said. “It seems to be a good place to live for any type of ‘other’ or minority.”

Read more in the Columbus Dispatch

Announcement: Interfaith Discussion and Iftar (the breaking of the fast) 

Event Honoring the month of Ramadan through
Interfaith discussion
Venue: Baitun Nasir Mosque
3360 Toy Road, Groveport, Ohio 43125
Saturday, July 27, 2013
7:00 PM — 9:00 PM
Open to the Public
Dinner Provided
RSVP to Mirza Ahmad

614-745-7878
mirza507@hotmail.com
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Love for All, Hatred for None