Thought for the Week: Tea at the mosque
'Tea at the mosque' by Sila Collins-Walden
Recently our Local Meeting, in conjunction with the interfaith group in Inverness, were invited to ‘tea at the mosque’. It took place on a Saturday afternoon in June just before the start of Ramadan. Quite a few Friends attended this afternoon ‘tea party’. It was held in a lovely little garden in the grounds of the mosque, surrounded by trees, on a bright sunny day. There was a wonderful array of food – tea, coffee, cakes and other goodies. They were all homemade and served by the ladies of the mosque. It was a feast that would equal one that we have at our own Quaker Meetings and discussion groups. There were lots of children present too, all enjoying the party fun.
The mosque is housed at the Northern Meeting Park. It is a temporary meeting place until they move into their new mosque in Inverness. It was the first time I had ever been to a mosque, even though I have met many Muslims before. There was a presentation given by a senior member of the mosque, who explained the five pillars of the Muslim faith and their meaning – Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj – along with some busting of myths about Muslims that we all too often hear in the media today.
I met with a young Sunni Muslim woman called Soofia at the mosque. She was an American by birth but had come to live in Britain and then the Highlands with her husband and children. She was a delight to speak with and we exchanged emails and phone numbers with the intention of meeting again, which we did! I was invited to her home for tea and met again with her and her lovely children, who were very excited at a new visitor. I was plied with questions, mainly from the older boy Ismael. Soofia and I discussed what our faiths meant to us. Soofia tells me that American Muslims are the most law-abiding. She was familiar with Quakers and, in fact, told me she had spoken at a Quaker Meeting in her home in the States.
We live in a multifaith Britain. It has been important for Quakers to understand other faiths and to engage with them. Indeed, well-known Quakers such as George Fox, Mary Fisher and John Woolman all had encounters with other faith groups. Working with other faiths is part of the Quaker work for peace and justice.
The need for interfaith relations has greatly increased in recent years. Having an understanding of each other enriches our lives – without losing sight of our Quaker principles and values.
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