Harehills First Interfaith Iftar

We wrote about Ramadan a few weeks ago, just a light piece on what it is, written by an outsider. Natalie Tharraleos has since interviewed Adam Aslam, a driving force behind the multifaith Iftar that took place at Junior Sports Hub on the 4th of April.

We had intended to share this ahead of the Interfaith Iftar, sometimes in life there are challenges, and with Ramadan drawing to a close, and Eid fast approaching, we still wanted to share Adama’s words with you, and celebrate an amazing evening we got to share in earlier this month.

Interview with Adam Aslan, Wider Engagement Lead, Junior Sports Hub LS8

 by Natalie Tharraleos 24.3.23

What does Ramadan and having a community Iftar mean to you?

Ramadan is my catalyst for the entire year. It’s my power bank. It’s the thing that allows me to put my whole year into perspective.

It’s also the time of year when I most feel like we have a strong sense of family activity & traditions, we feel the most reflective of our ancestors, our family members, the people of the past.  We have the most pride in our morals and our values as a community.

 From a very young age, I’ve been involved in interfaith activities and interfaith Iftars, and when are used to running projects out of the Infinity Centre, I always was conscious of organising Iftars for the communities around Leeds Street Team.

So with the Junior Sports Hub, we are hopefully inviting 250 people to a big community Iftar. It is a big honour.

It allows me to feel closer to the Muslim community in Harehills, and it allows me to open the doors of the community around the Bilal mosque. 

And bring Muslims who worship at the Bilal and neighbouring mosques, and connect them with the wider community in the area because we all need to stick together when it comes to loving this place.  We’re all united, whether we like it or not, by the fact that we live in this area we call home.

So these kinds of events are just microcosms of the best of what Harehills is, which is a place packed with culture, traditions, habits, peoples, and languages, so a religious event like an Iftar is the best way for me, having spent the whole day without food and drink, to break bread with my neighbours and people who are human like me, in solidarity, and to just share in something positive together. 

Because you know, when we can appreciate and understand each other’s traditions and habits, we begin to realise that there are so many commonalities, so many similarities and although there might be some stark differences in our philosophies and ideologies or religions, there are a number of very common human factors, and the idea of appreciating all that we have by reducing our intake of things like food and nourishment, to better appreciate what privileges we have and the importance of us as human beings as the custodians and supporters of those who are more vulnerable.

Harehills is a  vulnerable place, and we can be vulnerable as a community of people, but let’s share in our vulnerabilities, let’s share our humanity, and let’s share some good South Asian food.  For me, it’s a big thing when the thing that I usually share at the table with my mum is then being shared out with the wider community. And a tradition that I hold onto at this time of year can be shared with all. You don’t have to be of the faith, but you can feel that you’re part of a tradition because it’s one of many traditions that exist in the area of Harehills and has done for the last 70 years.

 Equally, I want people to feel like the Junior Sports Hub is a place that is welcoming to them and their families. It’s not just a place for the South Asian communities. It’s there for all communities.

Like the various partners that use the space the building, the building is a microcosm of various communities, whether it be an old rundown building that’s running because of the sheer skill and commitment of local people. These events are ways for us to say thank you to those that help.

About the event:

The interfaith meal took place on the 4th of April, a fantastic collection of people from all generations, walks of life and parts of the world.

Young people told us what Ramadan meant to them, we were quizzed, songs and prayers rang out, and when the sun went down, a fantastic array of food was brought out for us all to share. People spoke of what Harehills meant to them, and new bonds were formed.

The Iftar took place at the lovely Junior Sports Hub facility. JSH is a charity based in Harehills dedicated to providing sporting and other activities to encourage, inspire and promote young people. They have an ample indoor space where they can play football and other sports with young people, host gatherings, markets and many other events. Recently, they’ve developed a fantastic community garden with planters carrying various flowers, vegetables and fruits.

They are based on Ashton Road and you can find out more about them and the events they have coming up on Facebook and Twitter.

About Adam Aslam:

Adam Aslam is a freelance youth and community development worker and a Wider Engagement lead with Junior Sports Hub. Many will also know him for his work with the brilliant young people at Breaking Down Barriers here in Harehills. He is an independent Chaplain, educator and facilitator.

He is very active in the communities of Harehills and surrounding areas, is passionate about young people’s futures, and can be frequently found being bossed around by the youth ambassadors of Breaking Down Barriers, organising litter picks, and making sure young people are protected, promoted, and given the best chances in life.