<p>In a never-heard-before event, they even allowed about 150 non-Muslims to enter the mosque to witness the Maghrib (dusk) namaz which, in the words of Syed Tanveer Ahmad, spokesman of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, was a “rare gesture”. That gesture moved and touched the Hindus. But long before members of the two communities relished the varied fares laid out for Iftar on Saturday, the Muslim elders had decided to make another “goodwill” gesture: the blaring of the high-decibel public address systems that called out the faithful to prayer and made other Ramzan-related annoucements.<br />“We thought it would be a great gesture to bring members of the two communities together in these troubled times,” said Maulana Qadeer Ahmad Ada-ul-Amiri, a prominent Sunni scholar.<br /><br />Moved by the respect and “brotherliness” accorded to him and the other Hindus, Shandilya Susheel Kumar , a businessman, who attended the Iftar party, said: “The organisers were very cordial. We were very surprised when told that every person who has faith in God is a Muslim, and Kaafir is one who doesn’t believe in Him.”<br /><br />Kumar said all his co-religionists were gifted CDs/DVDs of the Quran by the organisers. “I listened to them and found that the teachings of the Prophet could appeal to every right-thinking person. There is nothing even remotely political about them,” he emphasised. The Chowk area in Shivajinagar represents the Ramzan mood at its best. With scores of mosques and food stalls dotting its landscape, it encapsulates the twin shades of Ramzan well.<br /><br />Ahmad said one of the special features of this Ramzan is the large number of Iftar parties. But the community has discouraged political parties to organise them.<br /></p>
<p>In a never-heard-before event, they even allowed about 150 non-Muslims to enter the mosque to witness the Maghrib (dusk) namaz which, in the words of Syed Tanveer Ahmad, spokesman of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, was a “rare gesture”. That gesture moved and touched the Hindus. But long before members of the two communities relished the varied fares laid out for Iftar on Saturday, the Muslim elders had decided to make another “goodwill” gesture: the blaring of the high-decibel public address systems that called out the faithful to prayer and made other Ramzan-related annoucements.<br />“We thought it would be a great gesture to bring members of the two communities together in these troubled times,” said Maulana Qadeer Ahmad Ada-ul-Amiri, a prominent Sunni scholar.<br /><br />Moved by the respect and “brotherliness” accorded to him and the other Hindus, Shandilya Susheel Kumar , a businessman, who attended the Iftar party, said: “The organisers were very cordial. We were very surprised when told that every person who has faith in God is a Muslim, and Kaafir is one who doesn’t believe in Him.”<br /><br />Kumar said all his co-religionists were gifted CDs/DVDs of the Quran by the organisers. “I listened to them and found that the teachings of the Prophet could appeal to every right-thinking person. There is nothing even remotely political about them,” he emphasised. The Chowk area in Shivajinagar represents the Ramzan mood at its best. With scores of mosques and food stalls dotting its landscape, it encapsulates the twin shades of Ramzan well.<br /><br />Ahmad said one of the special features of this Ramzan is the large number of Iftar parties. But the community has discouraged political parties to organise them.<br /></p>
