By NOEL MURPHY
GEELONG’S Islamic Society will host a public barbecue this weekend in a bid to highlight the religion’s code and offset fears over terror activities overseas.
Imam Mohammad Ramzan said the community and interfaith barbecue would promote harmony.
“This is a very good opportunity and we’re utilising it for a message of love and peace and togetherness to others, to other cities,” he told the Independent.
“It’s in the sense that, if we can live together happily, why can’t others as well?”
The Muslim leader has criticised terrorist acts in the name of Islam and called for a united local community against violence.
He told the Independent that Islamic State forces (ISIS) had nothing to do with Islam or Australia’s Muslim community.
This weekend’s barbecue will mark the sacrifice of the prophet Abraham, patriarch across three religions to Muslims, Jews and Christians alike.
Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son to prove his faith before he was given a sheep to kill instead. The commemoration is one of the final rites of the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
“Three million Muslims get together in Mecca in the pilgrimage and all over the world they sacrifice an animal commemorating Abraham,” Imam Ramzan said.
“Symbolically, this represents how our possessions and our life need to serve other human beings and how the purpose of life is to sacrifice not just for yourself but for others.
“The festival is followed by a barbecue every year in which the Muslim community and other brothers and sisters from different traditions and faiths get together. We share our lunch and just talk harmony, peace, love and living.
“This interfaith celebration on Sunday is in the tradition of Abraham. It will be open to the public and people are coming from the Interfaith Geelong Network, some 40 or 50 people from the local community.
“Some will be from the Christian tradition, some might be from other traditions, little children will be coming also to see how we can live together.”
The Islamic Society of Geelong’s mosque is at 45-47 Bostock Ave, Manifold Heights.
