Suprovat Sydney report: On 1^st April 2023 Wednesday, Australian Federation on Islamic Council (Afic) hosted a Multicultural Iftar at Bankstown modern function centre.Bringing together of people from various backgrounds to share a meal displays the best of harmony.

Afic CEO Keysar Trad & President Dr. Rateb Jneid welcome all the distinguished guest with warm greetings on their entrance.President Dr. Rateb speech bring attention of the audience and it was as below: I would like to pay my respects to the original custodians of the land, their elders past present and emerging. I welcome: The Most Eminent Skh Abdul Quddoos Al Azhari, National Grand Mufti of Australia,

Ms Sophie Cotsis MP, Dr Ihab Matar MP, His Excellency Dr Nor-Eddine BENFREHA, Ambassador of Algeria, His Excellency Mohammad Ashraf, Consul General of Pakistan. Sheikh Shafiq Khan, Chairman of the Al Faysal Group, Br Hafez Alameddine, president of the LMA and his committee members.

His Eminence Skh Yahya Safi, Grand Imam, Lakemba Mosque, His Eminence Skh Malek Zaidan, representing the Mufti of Lebanon. His Eminence Skh Dr Mahmoud Mhaidat, General Manager the Iftaa Office of North Aghwar, Jordan.

Br Aziz Khan, President, Islamic Council of QLD. Br Chowdhry Sadaruddin, President, Islamic Council of the Northern Territory. Br Bayan Mohamad, President of the Islamic Council of South Australia. Br Syed Buhari, President of the Islamic Council of Tasmania. Br Ziad Jaber, President of the Islamic Council of the ACT.

Professor RazeenSappideen, Professor Carolyn Sappideen,Principal Suzie Mubayad, Principal Zena Debhaja, Principal Martin Bawden, Professor Sheikh Abdullah Altamimi, His Grace Skh AzzamMesto, Skh Dr AbdelrahmanElrifai, Br Ali Roude, ICNSW. Mohammad Daher, Dr Nada Roude. Dr Frank Alafaci, President ABSC. His Grace SKh Hassan Zeidan, His Grace Sh Nabil Sukkarieh,

Sheikh MoussabLegha, Sheikh Nazeerul Hassan Ali Thanwi, Br Mahmoud Youssef, President of the El Dennieh Association, Br Issam Obeid, President of Bayt Al Zakat, Br AbdallaChami, president of the Australian Arab Unity Association,TripoliFayhaa Association, Br Mohammad Mobayad, Elminieh Association, BrMoustafaMahfoud and his team. Mayor Mohammad Moussa (from lebanon). Councillor Sam Elmir, Dr Intaj Ali, Professor Izzeldene Abu Sardaneh, Members of my committee, School Principals, academics, brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen.

Md Abdullah Yousuf, Editor in Chief-he only Bangladeshi communy Newspaper in Australia. AssalamuAlaykumWarahmatullahiWabarakatuh and welcome to our humble Iftar. Ramadan gives us a great opportunity to come together over a blessed meal after a day of hunger, thirst and toil – and it is great to see you all with us on this evening.I know that some of you have travelled interstate to be with us, so thank you for making the effort.

For me, I come all the way from Perth and seeing all of you together makes the long flight well worth it. I want to give you a brief update about AFIC, Alhamdulillah, AFIC is better than ever, we are on very solid foundations, we have paid our debts, established a strong Imams’ council and Sharia Board and we continue to strongly maintain our position as Australia’s peak Muslim body with member societies from all the Australian states and territories. Ramadan in Sydney is a very unique experience, a beautiful city that is further embellished by its diversity.  A diversity that gives a vibrant illustration of the words of Allah in Surat Al Hujurat:

وجعلناكمشعوباوقبائللتعارفوا

“We made you into different races and nations so that you may learn about each other.” (49:13) I would like us all to take the opportunity to get to know one another better and to Thank you again for joining us, enjoy the rest of your evening and Ramadan Mubarak to everyone.

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