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Gulf Daily News » Local News » Ramadan chance to heal wounds on Astini News

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RAMADAN is the perfect opportunity for Bahrainis to mend friendships that were damaged during the unrest, says a leading Islamic scholar.

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Shaikh Salah Al Jowder urged them to embrace peace, love and forgiveness during the holy month and renew talks with their friends they had shunned because of the unfortunate incidents of last year.

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"Ramadan in Bahrain is different from other countries as people come together with a spirit of love and open doors of their majlises," he said.

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"These open doors will provide a platform similar to a dialogue for citizens to air their views on different subjects."

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The Sunni cleric, from Muharraq, said praying together and breaking their fast, reciting the Holy Quran to children from different neighbourhoods and celebrating Girgaoun could help unify the country.

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"We are divided," he said.

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"People don't talk, sit, even walk to the shops together because of this division that is visible to everyone.

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"I believe this Ramadan comes at a time, when all of us need to love each other and bury their differences.

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"Ramadan provides perfect environment for Bahrainis to move ahead."

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Shaikh Al Jowder said religious leaders could play a pivotal role by giving messages of peace during their Friday sermons.

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"I would like to request all imams and scholars to spread the message of forgiveness and openness ahead of Ramadan during their Friday sermons," he said.

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"We are one big family and it's time that we start visiting each other in our majlis and open up."

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During his weekly majlis in Hidd Shaikh Al Jowder said everyone from government officials and diplomats to expatriates visit him.

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"Everyone is invited and that is the Bahraini tradition, to gather, meet and talk," he said.

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Shaikh Al Jowder, a founding member of the Bahrain Round Table for Dialogue between Sects, Religions and Cultures (BRDSRC), previously called for special "peace prayers" in mosques across the country to quell public anger.

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He also suggested copies of the Bahrain Inde-pendent Comm-ission of Inquiry (BICI) be made available at all places of worship so that citizens and residents have a clear picture of last year's events and steps are taken to address them.

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Last week, Jafari Endowment head Sayyed Hussain Al Alawi called for religious tolerance and promotion of national reconciliation.

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Similar views have also been echoed by Islamic Affairs Under-Secretary at the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry Fareed Al Miftah who called for all sections of the society to help bridge the current divide and be open to compromise.

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sandy@gdn.com.bh&

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