Portsmouth mosque opens its doors and welcomes community

The Imam of the Jami Mosque, in Southsea, organised for the community members to visit last night during the ceremony of Iftar.

Muslims are celebrating Ramadan and they invited the community to join them in the breaking of their daily fast.

Imam Muhammed Muhi Uddin said: ‘We had a number of guests come into the mosque as we wanted to bring together the community and to have mutual understanding.

‘I hope we did that by inviting them to break our fast.

‘We had a really good response from the guests we welcomed and we are really happy.’

The Imam added it was important for these sort of events to happen in light of recent terror attacks, including those in Manchester and London.

‘It is very important we show unity with the people in Portsmouth,’ he said.

‘What has happened has been difficult for us because those attacks are against the teaching and ethics of Islam and Ramadan.

‘We were very sad about what happened.

‘We need to work together against those extremists to safeguard our children.’

Leader of the council Donna Jones was joined by fellow councillors Linda Symes, Frank Jonas, Luke Stubbs and Gerald Vernon-Jackson.

Cllr Jones said: ‘The period of Ramadan is one of the most important religious periods in the Muslim calendar.

‘For me as leader of the council it is about representing people across the whole city of all different faiths.

‘Being involved in the Iftar ceremony is an honour.’

Cllr Vernon-Jackson, leader of the Liberal Democrat party in Portsmouth, said it was important to continue the good relationships the different communities in Portsmouth already have.

‘It was great to see everyone come together,’ he said.

‘We have to make sure after the recent attacks that we don’t have hatred between different groups and that we can come together as a city.’