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It is said that the prophet Muhammad sought to engineer a society in ancient Medina where people of different races, religions and creeds would coexist harmoniously. More than 1,000 years later, this spirit is being kept alive by his followers.
The Darul Arqum Islamic Center invited nearly 300 people from all different faiths and backgrounds for an Iftar dinner in the Hansen Agricultural Center on June 7 at 8 p.m.
Iftar is part of Ramadan, a traditional month of fasting from sunrise to sunset. Iftar is the meal where Muslims break their fast, and it is becoming an opportunity for Muslims to invite members of their community to mix and mingle in a warm, social setting.
Among those invited were people from the Ames Jewish Congregation, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, First Methodist Church, the Church of Latter Day Saints and other religious groups.