MAPS to hold Ramadan iftar dinner for community on July 18

Published 2:02 pm Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS), the largest mosque in the Northwest located at 17550 N.E. 67th Ct. in Redmond, will hold its annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner on July 18.

Neighbors and visitors of all ages and backgrounds are invited to attend the event, organized by the mosque’s Interfaith and Outreach Committee (IOC). The event will be from 7-10 p.m. and is open to the public. Admission is free. An RSVP is required by July 15 at www.tinyurl.com/mapsiociftar2013.

“Our goal for this event is to welcome our neighbors and friends into the spirit of this blessed month, and into a new mosque for which we are deeply grateful,” said Dr. Joy Carey, a member of the IOC. “Today, people are busier than ever doing things, but polls show that compared to just a few years ago fewer people in the U.S. say they are happy. Sometimes we forget that we are not ‘human doings,’ we are ‘human beings.’ People of all ages seek a sense of purpose and a way of prioritizing what they do. On July 18, we invite people to enjoy a delicious meal as we break our Ramadan fast, and to explore what makes us human and what makes our actions meaningful.”

Iftar means ‘fast-breaking,’ and is an integral part of Muslim community life during the sacred month of Ramadan. At sunset every night during Ramadan, Muslims around the world gather in their homes and mosques to break their fast together with their families and communities. This communal meal comes after a day of self-discipline in which Muslims abstain from food, drink and make an extra effort to avoid impatience and harsh words.

For more information, email outreach@mapsredmond.org or call (206) 954-5546.