By Fakhar-e-Alam
PESHAWAR: Rawandar Singh, a 42-year-old Sikh, is all smiles and exudes high spirit of sharing and compassion as he seeks solace in dolling out dates and pakora among fasting Muslims during Aftar on returning home from his shop in Hashtnagri.
Wearing the traditional turban, Rawandar has been distributing packets of dates and other edible items among the fasting Muslims in Hastnagri bazaar since 2012.
Rawandar’s father Awtah Sindh has started this noble practice and later passed on to his son.
“I feel inner peace and satisfaction while doing the noble practice in the Holy month of Ramazan.”
“The soothing movement of distributing Aftar’s items including dates, pakora, jalebi and others food dishes are still alive as fresh as today when I keenly observe my late father Awtah Singh handing over packets of Aftar food to Muslim brothers all along way from Hastnagri to Mohalla Jogan Ramdas in interior City,” Rawandar told this news agency while distributing dates and Pakora among fasting Muslims ahead of Iftar.
“I strongly believe in interfaith harmony, love and brotherhood. Distribution of food in Ramazan is our mark of respect and admiration for our fasting Muslims’ brothers and sisters besides giving us inner peace and satisfaction,” Rawandar who is being helped by his son in dolling out of dates and Pakora told this news agency.
Dewa Singh and his son Tajindar Singh, who are associated with telecommunication business in Hastnagri Peshawar said inviting people of different faiths in Aftar parties in Pakistan sends a strong message of love and brotherhood to world.
“Without winning hearts and minds, we can’t come closer to each other and could not develop a society whose inhabitants enjoy equal rights and respect for each other’s faith,” they said.
“Arranging Aftar parties and Ramzan camps for Muslims is not a new practice for us. Our forefathers did the same thing to express warmth, love and friendship to our Muslims brothers of Peshawar during Ramzan,” they said, adding they are serving Aftar’s foods to over dozens of fasting persons on daily basis and vowed to continue to do so in remaining days of holy month.
Roadside Aftar parties are being seen at Qisa Khwani, University Road, Lady Reading Hospital, Takhto Jumat Cantonment, Tehkal, Spin Jumat and Ramadas where philanthropists invite people of different faiths for joint Aftar parties in an environment of sharing, friendship and care.
The long sheets filled with food, dates, pakora, jalebi snacks, fruits and sweet beverages get fully occupied by the passerby, labourers and other segments of the society irrespective of caste, colour and creed.
Haroon Sarbdayal, a representative of Hindu community in Khyber Pakthunkhwa and a founding member of Pakistan Council of World Religions said that all prophets and founders of all religions had promoted peace, forgiveness, patience, love and tolerance through their teachings, actions and deeds.
He said that misperceptions among followers of different faiths could be removed by enhancing interaction and dialogues among all religious communities.
“We need to promote ‘acceptance’ instead of ‘tolerance’ because the former is more effective in establishing durable peace, patience, and pluralism in a prosperous society.”
He said that Ramazan is the month of tolerance and patience in which Hindu Community has started arranging Aftar parties for their Muslim brothers in Sindh.
In Peshawar, he said a grand Aftar party would be arranged in last Ashra of Ramazan where leaders of all religions would be invited.
He suggested establishment of a common study centres for followers of all religions where they could interact and understand each other’s religion and organzing of Aftar parties to bring people of different faith closer.
Maulana Tayyab Qureshi, Chief Khateeb of KP he said that Ramzan being the ninth month of the Islamic calendar is observed by over 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide. “The Muslims seek forgiveness and mercy in this holy month besides having a blessed night of Lalatul Qadar.”
Highly appreciating the minorities’ goodwill gestures of arranging Aftar parties and Dastarkhwans’ for rozadars, he said these noble practices brings Muslims and minorities closer besides increasing their understanding about each others’ faiths.
“The interfaith harmony means bringing peace and tranquility among people through positivity and mutual coexistence and Ramazan strength social bonds.”
He said inviting each others for Aftar parties cement bonds of love and brotherhood among people of all religions including Islam and Christianity.
“The principles of interfaith harmony and mutual coexistence were clearly explained in Madina Charter (Meesaq-e-Madina) and Pakistan’s founder Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s historic address on August 11, 1947 to the members of constituent assembly besides 1973 Constitution.”
Maulana Qureshi said the Madina Charter had provided complete and unprecedented religious freedoms to followers of all religions and there is a need of constant debate and discussion on its different clauses and articles for education and guidance of all imperative for lasting peace in the society.
Terming charity an important component of Islam, he said it is more significant in Ramazan and people should give it to reputable charity organisations having an excellent service and clean accounts record.
He said a list of reputable charities organisations was available in NECTA website, adding extra care should be made so that their charity can’t go into the wrong hands.
He said charitable initiatives such as arranging Aftar parties and Ramzan camps strengthen bonds of love and friendship besides bringing people of all schools of thoughts closer by promoting peace in society.
