Manitoba Islamic Association invites non-Muslims to break bread with them this Ramadan

The Manitoba Islamic Association is inviting non-Muslims to celebrate Ramadan with them even if it's only for one day.

The month-long religious observance begins on Thursday and as a way to strengthen community relationships, the association is asking non-Muslims to fast and later break the fast with them on Friday.

Alexandria Mercil is a member of the Manitoba Islamic Association and a co-organizer of the initiative.

When the association hosted an open house at the Winnipeg Grand Mosque earlier this year, Mercil noticed that although curious, the community was incredibly unfamiliar with her religion.

"It's important to us to get to know about our neighbours and let them know a little bit about us," Mercil told host Marcy Markusa on CBC Manitoba's Information Radio.

Searching for more opportunities to bridge communities, Mercil decided Ramadan was the perfect time for Muslims and non-Muslims to "break bread together and foster a greater understanding of each other."

Although Muslims fast during Ramadan, it's not just about fasting, she said.

During Ramadan, people are encouraged to abstain from their negative habits. It's a time of reflection and unity.

"You don't want to be sitting there stewing about how your neighbour is driving you crazy," Mercil said.

Ramadan starts on Thursday, but the association invites non-Muslims to try fasting on Friday.

Because Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, the time spent fasting gradually gets longer as the month goes on and the daylight hours increase. The fast on Friday will be around 14 hours, Mercil said, making it considerably shorter than fasts later in the month, when there's close to two more hours of daylight.

There are some restrictions on who can fast: the elderly, children who haven't reached puberty and sick individuals can't fast, Mercil said.

The Manitoba Islamic association will host a community gathering on Friday at the Winnipeg Grand Mosque on Waverley Street to break fast, and non-Muslims are invited to attend, even if they don't participate in the fast during the day.

Mercil hopes that participating in Ramadan will help people understand what it means to Muslims.

For many, it brings people back to their faith and, as a result, creates a greater sense of self and community, she said.

In the past, Ramadan has included acts of Islamophobia against Winnipeg Muslims.

Shahina Siddiqui, volunteer executive director of the Islamic Social Services Association, remembers how in previous years, she would go to the mosque and find it shrouded with hate messages written with spray paint.

Often, the community takes precautions to ensure safety during Ramadan, she said.

Initiatives like the open invitation show the progress being made in the community, Siddiqui said.

"It shows that Muslims are not afraid as they were right after 9/11," she said, referring to the attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

"We want to open our doors. We have nothing to hide. We have more to share and make people comfortable."

Siddiqui isn't surprised to learn that non-Muslims don't know a lot about Islam, but it's changing, she said.

When it comes to religion, people are afraid to ask questions and need a safe space, she said.

Open houses and invitations like this create an environment where people can be curious and build relationships.

The lack of education and discussion about religion are among the things that fuel Islamophobia, she said.

When Islamophobic hate crimes rise, it is more crucial than ever to create bonds between communities, Siddiqui said.

"We cannot Insulate ourselves because of hate and fear," she said.

"We have to have conversations and understanding, make friendships, build relationships."

Education isn't the sole responsibility of the Muslim community, she said; people outside the Muslim community need to take the initiative to reach out and learn more about the religion.

Mercil hopes that even if people don't fast on Friday, they will at a later time, or that they will attend iftar, the fast-breaking meal.

The Manitoba Islamic Association plans to host multiple iftars with various themes, including Moroccan, Italian and South Asian iftars.