The Open Mosque wishes all friends and colleagues the very best for the blessed month of Ramadan that begins this weekend. We trust and pray that this yearly period of intensified spirituality will lead to genuine moral rectitude and personal serenity for all devout believers in the Creator.
For this Ramadan, the Open Mosque invites you to its remarkable programme that encapsulates both the letter and spirit of the Holy Qur’an. Aside from its regular prayer schedule and daily spiritual activity during this most auspicious period within Islam, the Open Mosque welcomes you to three exceptional events that highlight the pristine brilliance and beauty of Islam in this ugly age of perverted extremism and rampant fundamentalism worldwide.
Each of this trio of extraordinary functions encapsulate the dynamic vision and mission of the Open Mosque to bring the adherents of Judaism, Christianity and Islam closer together. This is in conformity with the divine directives within Islam’s sacred scripture (Q3:64; 2:62). Therefore, it gives us enormous pleasure in inviting you to these three singular interfaith gatherings during Ramadan that showcases the spiritual and secular splendour of fasting. Harmonising faith with friendship.
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1. FRIDAY, 9 JUNE 2017 @ 5:30 PM
Temple Israel
5 Salisbury Road, Wynberg 7708
Rabbi Greg Alexander and members of Temple Israel extend a hospitable welcome to the congregation of the Open Mosque and other Muslims to break our fast at their Synagogue on Friday, 9th June where we will also participate in the traditional Jewish Sabbath service and dinner. This trailblazing iftar meal as well as the performance of Maghrib (sunset) and Isha’ (Night) prayers at the Temple Israel Synagogue sets new benchmarks in positive Jewish-Muslim relations in South Africa and augurs well for the future.
Since the Synagogue understandably enforces a rigid security policy, they kindly request the names of each person ahead of time so that s/he can be permitted on to the premises. Kindly let us know expeditiously should you wish attend this groundbreaking iftar and prayer function so that we can add your details to the invitee list.
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2. SATURDAY, 17 JUNE 2017 @ 5:30 PM
The Open Mosque
4 Lester Road, Wynberg 7824
The Open Mosques invites you, your family and friends to break the fast with us on Saturday, 17th June when we host our public iftar (breaking the fast). This complimentary function is open to all Muslims as well as non-Muslims. It is a unique programme of faith and food that is designed to foster harmonious social interaction and religious solidarity between Muslims and those of all other creeds and none by building real bridges of friendship with everyone.
We welcome those of our non-Muslim friends, neighbours and colleagues who may select to experience Ramadan first hand by also fasting on this particular Saturday, but this is not a pre-requisite for attendance. Since seating capacity is limited, kindly reserve your place (and the number in your party) as soon as possible by emailing info@theopenmosque.
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3. FRIDAY, 23 JUNE 2017 @ 5:30 PM
Christ the King Anglican Church
163 Milner Road, Claremont, 7708
To replicate the Open Mosque’s unprecedented Christmas dinner last year when Christians partook in a joyful dinner celebration at the mosque to mark the birth of Jesus, Christ the King Anglican Church in Claremont is welcoming our congregation for a halaal iftar on Friday, 23rd June. Apart from breaking the fast there, the church has given Muslims the liberty to recite the adhan (call to prayer) and to perform the sunset and night prayers (salah). This is a truly watershed moment as it is the first time that the Anglican Church in South Africa has invited Muslims for such a momentous occasion.
Since we need to inform the church of the actual number of people responding to their generous invitation, please let us know well in advance if you will be attending what promises to be an uncommon evening of fabulous food and fellowship that encapsulates original Christian-Muslim affinity in the Western Cape.
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These three landmark invitations are a direct consequence of the Open Mosque’s bold interfaith outreach since its visionary inception over two years ago when it embraced the local Jewish and Christian community to foster enhanced understanding and peaceful coexistence between all the members of the Abrahamic tradition.
We believe that these initiatives ushered in by the Open Mosque are of long-term historic significance not only for Jews, Christians and Muslims in South Africa, but also globally. They set the tone for authentic interfaith harmony between all members of the Abrahamic creed in a time of mindless violence and indiscriminate bloodshed elsewhere. For these reasons, we urge you to do your bit to advance fruitful dialogue and genuine cooperation between all believers in the Lord by attending each of these three uplifting events this revered month. This is a key part of the true message of Ramadan.
