This year through the interfaith Iftaar parties, Delhi-based Nazia Erum aims to collect funds to provide scholarships to underprivileged female students. Erum, who is the author of the book ‘Mothering a Muslim’, first came up with the idea of interfaith iftaars during the month of Ramzan last year when she successfully organised a few Iftaars as more women joined her in her effort to spread the idea of secularism.
Erum started these Iftaar parties in the capital city. People replicated such parties in different parts of the country. She said that these interfaith Iftaar parties are her small way to reclaim the idea of India. “We struggle everyday with the reality of India vis a vis the idea of India. Till lines are drawn in our homes and hearts and passed on to our kids, till our leaders propagate hate, till we keep choosing leaders who hate... The Idea of India will remain utopian,” she told SheThePeople.TV.
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These Iftaar parties will happen on 3rd, 9th and 10th of June. Anybody who has never gone to an Iftaar or had a meal with a Muslim family can come to these parties.
She said like last year, a group of Muslim women will cook, and open their homes to strangers from all faiths. “We will leverage social media to reach those people, especially who have never shared a meal in a Muslim household. Or those who can take our message to such people. In a series of such iftaars, we also hope to talk about the social and cultural barriers creeping in, break some stereotypes and extend the warmth of the month of Ramzan.”
The wonderful ladies who form the backbone of the Interfaith Iftaars and support me in this endeavour are all working women and believe in using our privileged education for those girls who are denied the same
Historian Rana Safvi, pilot Hana Mohsin Khan, journalists Marya Shakil, Farheen Fatima and Sadiah, have joined Erum in her effort. Food entrepreneurs like Shahla of Khaala's Kitchen, Gunjan Hassan of Zoberry Foods, Gul Ali, Dastango Meera Rizvi, blogger Rukhsar Saleem, corporate professional Sumbul Khan, Sarah Rehman and biker Firdaus Shaikh also form the backbone of this effort.
On the idea of fund raising for girl students, Erum told us to make it more meaningful and in line with the spirit of Ramzan. “Last year also we organized iftaars for underprivileged girls. But this time we wanted to organize scholarships too for them. So it was natural to marry the two causes. As you see the wonderful ladies who form the backbone of the Interfaith Iftaars and support me in this endeavour are all working women and believe in using our privileged education for those girls who are denied the same.”
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