Abu Dhabi church hosts inter-faith Iftar in UAE

Abu Dhabi - The inter-faith Iftar was also a reaffirmation that all religions teach to love God and love your neighbours.

A church in Abu Dhabi opened its doors to Muslims to host an inter-faith Iftar on Wednesday in a gesture to celebrate the UAE's religious harmony.
More than 150 people attended the Iftar hosted by St. Andrew's Anglican Church that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
"This is the first time we are hosting this kind of Iftar. We asked our church members to invite their Muslim friends and each member brought along one. This is our way of celebrating the legacy of Sheikh Zayed in the Year of Zayed, and the same year when we are celebrating our 50thanniversary," Rev Canon Andrew Thompson, Senior Anglican Priest told Khaleej Times.
"There were smiles on every face. There was so much happiness shared. The Iftar was proof that a simple meal can bring together people from different faiths and create the bond of friendship."
Rev Thompson said the inter-faith Iftar was also a reaffirmation that all religions teach to love God and love your neighbours.
"With all the negativity happening around us, we need to reinstate the message of love and religious harmony. And hospitality is an important value that connects people."
Wale Buraimoh, a British expat who attended the Iftar with his wife said it was a special occasion that reflected the inter-faith tolerance UAE upholds. "It was a great opportunity for Christians and Muslims to come together, and I must say this is something we all must do over and over again."
Emirati writer and social media influencer, Khalid Al Ameri who attended the Iftar was all praise for the event. "What I saw today evening was Muslims step into the Christians' world and Christians step into the Muslims' world. All I saw was smiles. All I saw happiness," he said in his video.
"What I have seen today are the true marks of someone's faith; of someone's religion; of what humanity stands for. Someone's faith is not lessened because we are tolerant and open to others. If anything, it is maximized."
The Anglican church that was established in 1968 to cater to the spiritual needs of gas and oil workers. Today, the church situated in Mushrif area in Abu Dhabi caters to more than 10,000 community members and hosts 50 different congregations belonging to different nationalities.

• Ramadan 2021
• Abu Dhabi