Eccles Mosque hosted an open evening to invite the community outside of practising Muslims to join them to experience a day in Ramadan.
The event, based on Liverpool Rd, allowed non-Muslims to taste Middle Eastern food and learn more about the religion. The Mosque building, which was once a Scientology church, opened to the public at 6:30pm on Saturday 1 April.
I attended the event alone so I felt a little nervous. However, when I arrived the doors were open and there were many people there greeting one another, and a great display of celebratory balloons which said “Taste Ramadan” on them spread across the building.
I walked into the mosque to a grand and beautifully decorated Wudu room, where attendees perform a purification ritual to cleanse and wash themselves before entering the prayer room and beginning their prayers.
I took my shoes off and put them in the rack before entering the prayer room. The first thing one realises when entering the space was all the different kinds of faces, ages and races. I immediately felt no prejudice there. It was just a community of people coming together through curiosity and appreciation of other people’s perspectives of the world.
Ramadan is celebrated by Muslim’s once a year – although it is possible for it to fall twice a year depending on the lunar cycle.
This year Ramadan began on Wednesday evening on March 22 and is due to end Friday evening on April 21.
The last ten days of Ramadan are deemed as the most blessed days and nights. The most significant night of Ramadan lands within these days and is referred to as ‘Laylatul Qadr’, where according to the Prophet: “Whoever prays on Laylatul Qadr out of faith and sincerity, shall have all their past sins forgiven,”
As I looked for a place to sit in the crowded room, the volunteers quickly noticed my struggle and insisted on getting a chair for me, rushing to assure that I wasn’t stood up for too long and found comfort.
The hospitality was like nothing other. Safiya Florence Ascoli- Ball hosted a presentation once we were all seated and comfortable, and said: “I will walk into a Muslim household and it won’t just be a cup of tea and a biscuit, it will be full cooked meals laid out with drinks and desserts with many options to make sure I have what I want.”
Before the presentations began, we were welcomed by local MP, Rebecca Long Bailey who was sat alongside the Labour party members who attended the evening. Ms Long-Bailey said: “Tonight is so special, it’s not just about being closer to God, it’s about being closer to each other.”
“The important message I think about Ramadan is about love and about loving each other.”
Ramadan is a month of spiritual cleansing which requires those practising to abstain from food, drink, and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset. This is done so that they can place their undivided attention towards their faith.
During Ramadan, Muslim’s will greatly increase their acts of charity by donating 2% of their personal wealth to chosen causes, they will also greatly increase worship, some may stay and sleep in the mosque during the entirety of the month. This is to deepen their connection to their God, Allah.
“You may all feel at home, I won’t bite. Although I am hungry, I promise that I will control myself.” The Muezzin joked as he began his welcome speech.
The Muezzin is the most respected member of the mosque. He is the one who calls Muslim’s five times per day to cease their daily activities and perform their daily prayers. Whilst issuing the daily prayer, the Muezzin will face in the direction of Mecca.
I sat in awe as the Muezzin continued his welcome speech, where he explained the importance of not only having our own beliefs and perceptions of the world and this life but respecting and experiencing others with an open mind.
Young children walked amongst the crowd of people offering dates and bottles of water, preparing us to join them when breaking fast. They were patient, kind and hospitable.
I noticed the lady beside me dig into her date immediately, which was not really what we were supposed to do as the break-fast prayer hadn’t been recited. But there was no issue, and she was offered another. She continued to eat this one too early as well, but they just smiled and offered her another.
We sat and listened as the break-fast prayer was recited before finally enjoying our dates and water. I watched as those who had fasted took their first sip of water since sunrise and I wondered how they only took a couple of mouthfuls of the whole bottle.
Following this, the Muezzin allowed us all to head upstairs for Iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal, insisting that the guests must go first.
This was amazing to me. They had fasted all day and must have been so hungry, yet they assured that every guest that they had invited into their sacred space was sat down comfortably and served mountains of delicious Middle Eastern food before they would eat themselves.
I was handed a paper plate and moved through the crowd as heaps of rice and meat were piled upon my plate (There were vegan options available- no one was excluded here). Once I couldn’t see past the food on my plate, I carefully walked amongst the platters of food spread in lines across the floor (yes, there was more food, side dishes of course) and found a place to sit.
We all sat on the floor as that is how Muslim’s eat their food, in the style of one of the three Sunnah’s of the Prophet Muhammed.
Suddenly people were talking to each other, sharing stories, uniting in all they had just learned about the culture, asking questions and hearing ranges of answers. People were speaking in a way I hardly get to see anymore, and it was so heart-warming to watch everyone come together.
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