Successful Sunni-Shia Iftar and Homeless Meal Distribution Events

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا

And hold fast to the rope of God, all together, and be not divided… Quran 3:103

With the grace of God, the first Sunni-Shia Iftar in the Bay Area, sponsored by the Intra-Faith Committee of Northern California Islamic Council (NCIC), Lighthouse Mosque, and the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (ICCNC) was immensely successful. More than 250 people, from all over the Bay Area Muslim community, attended the event on Saturday, May 11th at ICCNC.  Earlier in the day, about 50 volunteers came together to cook, pack, and distribute 260 hot meals to the needy and homeless in Oakland. Mayor Sam Hindi of Foster City also joined the event to distribute the meals.

The program started with beautiful Quranic recitation by brother Shahin followed with wholehearted lectures by brothers Sundiata  Alrashid, Ahmad Rashid Salim, and Dr. Hatem Bazian. The program followed by Maghreb congregational prayer, community Iftar, and Isha prayer.

The successful event showed that there are a great need and desire in the Muslim community to increase the unity, mutual respect, and understanding among the Muslims of the Bay Area, irrespective of their diverse school of thought (Madhhab), race, and ethnicity. Inshallah, in the future we will witness more of these events that will help us to stay positive, and unite us to do more good deeds in the world to benefit all humanity.