Muslims to celebrate Ramadan at special Bristol event
The Grand Iftar celebrates the religious month of fasting and prayer
Muslims up and down the West Country will celebrate Ramadan later with a special event in Bristol.
Fasting from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan is considered one of the key pillars of Islam.
During this time, Muslims are expected to refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours.
The month celebrates the Prophet Mohammad’s first revelation where he had the Qur’an revealed to him.
Tonight from 7pm on College Green, Bristol's Grand Iftar will help people from all backgrounds learn about Ramadan and understand its significance.
The event, which is held all over the country, is named after a meal known as an Iftar, which marks the end of Ramadan.
This year’s Grand Iftar in Bristol will be the first city-wide event of its kind since 2019 after previous celebrations were cancelled or scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sold-out event will see free food handed out to around 1,000 people on College Green.
Those attending will get to hear from guest speakers, take part in prayer and listen to music as they enjoy their meal on carpets laid out in front of City Hill.
It comes after the city put on a smaller, 500-person event on St Mark’s Road last week.
The aim of this year’s Grand Iftar will be to highlight the diversity of Bristol and its role as a City of Sanctuary.
Since starting in 2017, the Grand Iftar has spotlighted different themes, including community cohesion, sustainability and women in Islam.
Mohammed El Sharif, co-founder of the Grand Iftar along with former Labour councillor, Afzal Shah, says the event “is an opportunity to bring the city together under the theme of sanctuary” and celebrate “the fantastic sense of togetherness the city has in supporting refugees."
The Grand Iftar has been organised by Muslims for Bristol in partnership with Bridges for Communities, with support from other organisations including Bristol Cathedral, Feeding Bristol and Bristol City Council.
A similar event will be held in Bath on Tuesday 18 April next week.