Senior Surrey Police officers join Muslim youth group for Ramadan fast

This was the second year that the event has taken place, although in 2021 the whole thing was held virtually because of Covid restrictions.

Police officers from both Surrey and Sussex have joined a Muslim youth group in marking the Holy month of Ramadan by participating in a day-long fast and celebrating Iftar, the breaking of the fast, at sunset. A group of 78 volunteers from both forces joined in the ‘Fasting Collective’ last Thursday (April 21).

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, based at the Mubarak Mosque in Tilford, co-hosted the event with the police. The day began shortly after 4am with a short virtual group meeting and an inspirational welcome from Imam Mansoor Clarke, before 30 police officers and staff enjoyed an evening meal and tour of the Mosque at the end of the fast.

This was the second year that the event has taken place, although in 2021 the whole thing was held virtually because of Covid restrictions. Any participants who could not attend the evening meal in person this year were supplied with food parcels.

The idea of the collaboration is to help foster relationships between the community and the police, as well as helping non-Muslim officers to understand what their Muslim colleagues experience during Ramadan. Abdul Lodhi, who coordinated the event for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, told SurreyLive that it had successfully achieved those goals.

“Fasting’s not just about the food,” he said. “You reflect on things, you do a lot of soul-searching and self-reflection, and you really feel what it is like to be really hungry. That helps to give you compassion and empathy for those who do not get a meal at all.

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/senior-surrey-police-officers-join-23800214