Jason Hall and I were fortunate to receive an invitation to Sunday night's Iftar banquet as guests of the Muslim Community of Folsom.

 Iftar is the Arabic word for the meal that breaks the Ramadan fast after sundown.  Muslims fast from sun-up to sun-down every day during the 

month of Ramadan. 

 

Sometimes iftar 

is a simple meal at home.  Several times a week the congregation gathers for iftar at the mosque.  And at least once during Ramadan non-Muslim neighbors, friends and "special guests" are invited.

 

It is traditional to break the fast with figs, and as we sat awaiting the signal that the sun had finally set (8:36 pm), everybody had a plate before them with figs, grapes, watermelon and a samoza (a very spicy potato filled dumpling.)

 

Many people came by our table to greet us and welcome us.  A number of them were Jason's co-workers at Intel.  By my estimate there were 240 seated and many more standing - and that was just the men!  At least as many women were gathered in the other half of the hall.  The other guest at our table was the Director of the Sacramento FBI office.

 

I sat next to Zaid Akhtar whom I knew from other occasions.  I asked whether Muslim children are expected to observe the Ramadan fasting.  He said not until adolescence, but that his son chose to start at age 8 - just a day or two or a portion of a day.  Now he is 11 and is fasting 3 or 4 times a week.

 

There were lots children in attendance and by and large it was a crowd of youngish parents.  The majority of Muslims in the Folsom area are from Pakistan and India.  And when the meal was served (after prayers) it was Indo-Pakistani cuisine: chicken in a pungent sauce, fragrant rice, lettuce and a bean dish.  Dessert was a very sweet rice dish.

 

Zaid told me how much Jason's letter of support (following the Orlando shooting) meant to the Muslim congregation.  He read it to them publically.  Zaid was astonished that our Children's Mission offering provided several thousand dollars to help Syrian refugees get settled in the Sacramento area.  He reiterated how much the developing friendship between Federated Church and the Folsom Muslim Community means to him and to the congregation.

 

In the fall Imam Aamir Nazir will come to Federated Church to teach two classes on Islam.  Pastor Andrew will visit the mosque in Folsom to teach a session on Christianity.  We have plans for our children and youth to visit the mosque and for the Muslim children to visit our church.  As the evening concluded the young girls came over from the women's side and boys and girls were chasing each other among the tables and chairs.

 

As we left Jason and I were both given large bags containing multiple gifts: a Qur'an, an American flag, cookies, stationery, biscotti, coffee mug . . .  (I was hoping for the samosa recipe!)

 

It was a wonderful evening with a thriving faith community who are our nearby neighbors.