Local clergy, neighbors invited to annual iftar in Schaumburg
For 10 years, the board of directors at Masjid-al-Huda have welcomed people to an iftar in mid-Ramadan, hoping people of different faiths can get to know one another.
“We want to let them know who we are, so we can build bridges,” said Dr. Khalid Abdus Sami, an elder at the mosque and retired assistant professor.
People of all faiths are welcome to attend an iftar, the breaking of the daily fast during Ramadan. The Thursday, Aug. 9 gathering, which starts with a program and ends with a post-sundown meal, will be held at Masjid-al-Huda, 1081 Irving Park Road, Schaumburg.
The board is particularly inviting members of clergy associations of Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates, as well as their neighbors and friends. The event begins at 6 p.m.
“We invite anybody who is the neighborhood,” Sami said. Seven came the first year, he added, but last year almost 150 attended.
The gathering has always been about socializing.
“People like that fellowship,” Sami said. “That’s the intention: to get to know each other.”
After guests are welcomed and the Quran is read aloud, Sami will present a lecture titled, “Let Us Clear Some Common Misunderstandings About Islam.”
The view of Islam in the U.S., Sami said, is generally negative, so he’ll explain the faith and practice of Islam. He hopes that the gathering will show that people who practice Islam are not violent or barbaric, but like everyone else.
After the lecture, people can ask Sami questions. After that, there will be Islamic sunset prayers before the meal, held after 8 p.m. The event will conclude around 9 p.m.
RSVPs are appreciated; email Sami at Khalidsami378@gmail.com