Despite the twinkling lights and Christmas trees disappearing shortly after 26th December 2014, two communities decided it was just the perfect time for a gathering to keep the spirit going. The communities of Wessex Jamaat and the Portsmouth Cathedral have been meeting together since 1994 for the joint Muslim-Christian evening to celebrate the birth of the revered Prophet Jesus/Isa (pbuh).This year was yet another opportunity to give thanks to God together.
On Monday 19th January 2015, the majestic Portsmouth Cathedral graciously hosted members of the Wessex Jamaat Muslim community to come together and rejoice over the indistinguishable aspects of our faiths. Not only did this prominent event provide a platform for community spirit, it also marked the delightful 20 years of developing friendship, love and respect between the two congregations.
The seeds of this friendship were sown by Reverend Michael Yorke, former Dean at the Cathedral and Marhum Mulla Bashir Rahim, previous Resident Alim of Wessex Jamaat. The communities were honoured that Reverend Michael Yorke was able to attend this momentous gathering.
To bless the occasion, excerpts from the Noble Qur’an and the Holy Bible were read, followed by thought provoking messages from the Resident Alim Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo (available here) and the Dean, Reverend David Brindley, emphasising on the importance of coming together and celebrating our diversity – the path to a united humanity. Thereafter, the gifted choir of Portsmouth Cathedral sang beautiful hymns that ricocheted around the grand walls of the Cathedral.
As a token of celebrating the journey that began in 1994, five young people from Wessex Jamaat undertook a unique project – one that would highlight the important milestone and make the 20th gathering a memorable event. With the guidance of Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo and the Residentiary Canon of Portsmouth Cathedral, Reverend Peter Leonard, the team conceptualised and produced a documentary that captured and transformed memories worth 20 years into just under 20 minutes. The documentary entitled ‘20 Years: A Celebration of Friendship’ was premiered that evening to an immensely positively feedback. Click here to view the video.
With an excellent variety of delicious snacks and dessert, members of the two communities engaged in conversation regarding the strengthening and growth of the friendship and understanding shared between these two faith communities, and how this could be taken further in the future.
Amongst the esteemed guests, dignitaries of both communities were present including Dr. Asgharali Moledina, President of the World Federation of KSIMC; Br. Shabbir Najafi, Vice President of Africa Federation, Reverend Michael Yorke, former Dean of Portsmouth Cathedral; Deputy Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Cllr. David Horne and Sheikh Muhammad Muhi ud Din, Imam of Jamia Mosque - Portsmouth.
Reverend Michael Yorke was pleased to attend the event and commented, “Frances and I want to thank the community for a deeply moving and special evening. We loved meeting our old friends and thought the evening was full of care and affection and beautifully organised. We were also particularly impressed with the video.”
The 20th gathering between Wessex Jamaat and Portsmouth Cathedral was a successful evening with a remarkable turnout. We’d like to thank all the wonderful people who worked at facilitating the event, and of course, thanks to all those who attended and participated during the evening.
Sheikh Fazle Abbas concluded that, “The celebration of the 20th anniversary is not an end. It is a milestone on this journey of friendship. There is more that we as faith communities need to undertake as we continue serving in God’s Holy name.”
The production team of the documentary share their thoughts:
Khudayja Datoo: Venturing into a completely new field for the project was a memorable experience – a stepping stone towards rekindling the flame of community spirit.
Maryam Rahim: This documentary was to celebrate a milestone in interfaith friendship and is only a transit on the journey. I greatly hope that the future brings more milestones worthy of celebration by uniting the faith communities in respect and appreciation.
Masuma Jessa: Teamwork has been an essential aspect of the documentary production which made me realise that together we can do it all. Similarly, the mutual understanding and respect between religions can ensure a wholesome society.
Ruqayya Datoo: Being part of this project, so very different from previous ones, has not only made me treasure the seeds sown by the pioneers of interfaith relationship, but has also inspired me to keep nurturing what has been developed so far.
Zahra Panjwani: This undertaking has been a huge learning experience on the importance of positive interfaith relations. I hope that this continues to grow stronger over the years and valued by all.
God bless.
Article written by Khudayja Datoo