FAITHS COME TOGETHER AS PLAY SHINES A LIGHT ON LINKS IN RELIGIONS

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Faiths come together as play shines a light on links in religions

An audience of different faiths enjoyed a play highlighting the similarities between two religions.

The performance of The Christian Martyr of Karbala, which details the sacrifice of Wahab, was the latest event arranged by leaders of the Masjid Al Husayn mosque in North Evington, Leicester, to bring city communities together. The play, followed by talks about religion in Leicester, took place at Beaumont Leys School hall.

The events organised by Masjid Al Husayn are free and attended by religious leaders, city councillors and members of the public.

Organiser Zaheer Ali said: "It was a great event and the guests enjoyed the theatrical performance and after that we had some talks about the importance of inter-faith relations.

"We had speakers including two Christians and a Muslim and they spoke about the story and the similarities between the faiths."

Previous events arranged by the Masjid Al Husayn mosque have centred on figures such as Abraham and Jesus, who both play an important role in Christianity and Islam.

Wahab was a Christian who was with Iman Hussain, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, when they were killed with about 70 others in the massacre at Karbala, in modern day Iraq, more than 1,300 years ago.

FAITHS FOCUS ON THEIR TIES

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Faiths focus on their ties

A Muslim group is holding an inter-faith afternoon focusing on similarities in Islam, Christianity and Hinduism.

The Momentous Sacrifice of Hussain, son of Fatema and Jesus, son of Mary, was due to be run today by Shias from Masjid Al Husayn community mosque, in North Evington, Leicester, at Beaumont Leys School hall, off Anstey Lane, from 3pm to 5.30pm.

A spokesman said: "This event is open to people all ages, to gents and ladies, with no entrance fee and with the sole purpose of community cohesion and mutual understanding."

The afternoon was to include music, theatrical performances, films and dinner.

MUSLIMS IN CITY PARADE

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Muslims in city parade

Hundreds of Muslims joined a procession through Leicester yesterday to mourn the murder of relatives of the Prophet Mohammed.

Worshippers gathered at the Majid-al-Husayn mosque in Duxbury Street, Spinney Hills, and walked around nearby streets while praying and commemorating The Prophet's grandson Imam Husayn, who was slain in the year 680.

Mosque spokesman Burket Ali Walji said: "The slaying of Husayn is the most tragic event in the history of Islam. He was an opponent of an oppressive, brutal caliph and represented tolerance, truth and justice.

"He was chased by the caliph's army into the deserts of Karbal in Iraq and murdered along with his own family and companions. His message is one that is inherently felt by all mankind regardless of their race or creed. That is why we mark his death every year."

INTER FAITH WEEK 2012, DAY 1: BBC RADIO LEICESTER

I'm on BBC Radio Leicester this morning from 0740, speaking for ten minutes about Inter Faith Week with Lucy Collins (photo above), who is sitting in for Monica Winfield.

While waiting to go on air, I meet Ali and Muhammad from Masjid Al Husayn, on Duxbury Road. They're going on the show immediately after me, to talk about the local Shi'ah community's public commemoration of Ashura in Humberstone Gate this Saturday. We agree to stick around and chat immediately after we've done our respective stints on air, to discuss ways we might support each other in the events of the coming week. In my eagerness to impress - aggravated by only having had four hours sleep - I mistakenly mix up Ashura with Muharram. All credit to Ali and Muhammad for being gentlemanly and not correcting my error.

I'm glad to see that Lucy has done her homework and knows all about our exhibition in Highcross as well as the other events we're involved in throughout Inter Faith Week. I get the chance to promote all of them and tell listeners how to access information via the events section of the Council of Faiths website and the special page on my blog.

I thought I'd done my homework too and have tried to anticipate some of the questions Lucy might ask me live on air. But she throws a me a curve ball when she asks me what I think of Clarissa Dickson Wright's recently publicised comments about her experience in Leicester. At least I don't have to respond to that hoary old chestnut about whether we're doing no more than preaching to the converted during this week. - although I'd prepared a pretty good response to that one!

SHIA MUSLIMS IN RELIGIOUS PROCESSION TO MARK TRAGEDY

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Shia Muslims in religious procession to mark tragedy

Hundreds of Shia Muslims took part in a religious procession yesterday to mark Muharram, the month of mourning.

Men, women and children wore black as a symbolic display of grief over the slaying of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Husayn, whose death is thought to be one of the most tragic events in Islamic history.

The procession set off from the Masjid-Al-Husayn Shia Muslim mosque near Uppingham Road, North Evington, with devotees carrying a banner which read "Husayn, The Defender of Human Rights".

Members of the Islamic group beat their chests to symbolise grief at the martyrdom of Imam Husayn. People also distributed leaflets and recited eulogies.

One of the organisers, Onali Ismail, said this year marked the 22nd anniversary of the event taking place in the city.

He said: "The Shias of the world have mourned and lamented the death of Imam Husayn year after year since the event of Karbala, over 1,300 years ago.

"They lament in their love for their imam but also to keep alive his message of always supporting the truth and never bowing down to falsehood."