Message of ‘love’ expressed at Omagh Muslim event
Originally published by the Ulster Herald on July 16, 2016.
AT an event to mark the end of the traditional Holy month of Ramadan, an Omagh doctor has stated that the essence of Muslim faith is “Love for all, hatred for none.”
The Eid (Muslim festival after Holy month of Fasting, Ramadan) was held in the Hospital Road community centre in Omagh on Saturday.
It was organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Ireland in Omagh with over 100 in attendance.
They included representatives of the PSNI, Fermanagh and Omagh Council and local school teachers.
The event opened with a recitation from the Holy Koran followed by an English translation by Imam Rabib Ahmed Mirza.
A power-point presentation about Ramadan and Eid was made by ten-year-old Omagh schoolgirl Adeen Iftikhar.
Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh council, Cllr Mary Garrity and the Omagh PSNI Commander Clive Beatty addressed the audience. Food was then served, which included Indian curries, tea and coffee, and sweets.
The final speech was made by Imam Ibrahim Noonan of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Ireland. The event was concluded by Silent prayer.
A small exhibition demonstrating community activities in recent years were also on display.
Omagh doctor Nuaman Ifikhar, who is press secretary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, Ireland said he was “very pleased” with the response to the event.
“It went very well,” he said. “It was the first time many of the guests attended a Muslim festival and the response was that they really enjoyed it. It was the first to be held in Omagh. We have a very small community here in Omagh and out of the 100 who attended, 20 were from the Muslim faith.
“It was very good for bridging the gap and breaking fears about Muslim people living in a community. It is very important that people in societies mix with other religions or faiths. The motto of Ahmadiyya Muslim Association is ‘Love for all, hatred for none.’”
Dr Ifikhar explained that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association is world-wide in spreading a message of understanding and goodwill.
He added, “You can’t be a Muslim if you can’t be good to humanity. For example after the 9/11 attacks in New York the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association collected 60,000 bottles of blood from donors which saved many lives. To us Sharia Law is service to mankind. We feel incomplete if we don’t be of service to others. It is part and parcel of our faith like it is with other faiths such as Christianity which also performs many wonderful acts.”
