British MP fasts with Muslims to show support amid COVID-19 lockdown

LONDON: Liberal Democrat leader and Parliamentarian Sir Edward Jonathan fasted on Saturday and took part in an online iftari with Muslims to show support for Britain’s three million Muslims observing the month of Ramadan under a strict lockdown due to coronavirus.

Ed Davey, the MP for Kingston and Surbiton, took part by abstaining from food and drink from sunrise until sunset, and then shared his experience online.

The goal was to show solidarity with the Muslim community, who are having to come to terms with a Ramadan behind closed doors, not being able to congregate in people’s homes for iftar or to visit the mosque.

Hina Bokhari, a British Pakistani councillor for the Liberal Democrat party, organised the party’s first-ever day of fasting.

“This was the first time that a major UK political party held a party led iftar and encouraged members to volunteer to fast like this — a hugely significant milestone,” said Bokhari,

Bokhari’s father, Naz Bokhari, came to the UK from Sialkot, Pakistan in 1960. He was the first Pakistani head-teacher in the UK, inspiring his daughter to get involved in politics when she saw the effects which budget cuts were having on the education sector.

“Pakistanis have made a rich contribution to the UK in all sorts of fields. Despite the UK being his adopted country, my father always encouraged us to make a positive contribution to wider society, which shaped who I am today. Through positive engagement, we can improve understanding and respect between different communities,” she told Geo News.

Davey told Geo News, "When Hina suggested the idea of a Lib-Dem iftar so that we could show solidarity with Muslims during Ramadan, it just seemed like the natural thing to do, especially this year, during the coronavirus lockdown.”

“I must confess I didn’t find fasting easy and did have a little water at one point — it certainly reminds you how tough it must be for people who go hungry every day because they have little or no food or water,” he added.

Harun Rashid, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) Secretary-General, said, “It was a pleasure to join the virtual iftar with Ed Davey and his colleagues who were all fasting in solidarity with Muslims. It was heart-warming to witness their commitment to fast the entire day to appreciate how Muslims carry out their duty to abstain from food and drink whilst continuing to go about their daily business.”

“I hope actions such as this help us to bring greater understanding between people of all faiths and none and forge greater bonds of friendship,” he added.

Participants also raised money for charities which are tackling the cause of hunger in the UK, an issue which has been exacerbated in the last few weeks.