Ifthar hosted by Sri Lankan Embassy in US
Philip Fernando
Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya and the Embassy of Sri Lanka staff
celebrated the traditional Ifthar (breaking of the fast) ceremony with
the Muslim community recently.
|
Dr. Abdullah Muhhamad Khouj, Director and Chief Imam of the
Islamic Centre of Washington D.C conducting Maghrib prayers.
Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US, Jaliya Wickramasuriya is
also in the picture. |
The Ambassador, said the Muslim community had a rich heritage of
noble service and contributions to Sri Lanka. He underscored its
important role in the past and future of Sri Lanka, describing the
Muslim community as peacemakers in a diverse country.
He said the Muslim community, from the times of the kings and
colonial rule, has been dedicated to a united Sri Lanka.
The Embassy of Sri Lanka, in keeping with the tradition of
commemorating the important festivals of religions practiced by Sri
Lankans, hosted the Ifthar ceremony for a fifth consecutive year.
Dr. Abdullah Muhhamad Khouj, Director and Chief Imam of the Islamic
Centre of Washington D.C., who conducted the Maghrib prayers, spoke on
the significance of Ramadan.
He further praised the Sri Lankans for their peaceful co-existence in
the spirit of the country's multicultural traditions.
The distinguished gathering was hosted to a sumptuous breakfast
organized by the embassy staff. The Imam Safi Khan of Dar Us Salam
Community, a large number of Sri Lankan Muslims including and
representatives of the Sri Lanka associations from the Greater
Washington area, participated in the ceremony. |
