Come Ramzan, debates for and against iftar parties begin to rage and opinions polarise. While some passionately argue that iftar parties – especially political dos – should be shunned as they do not encapsulate the spirit of the holy month, others say they act as a platform to bring together people, irrespective of class and religion.
Take the case of Lubna Sarwath, a social activist, who moved the High Court last year against the Telangana government’s Dawat-e-Iftar . She says having separate sections for different people creates a ‘classist’ atmosphere which is against the egalitarian spirit of Islam.
“Iftar is a religious ritual. It should be kept as such. There is no room for politics here. There is no reason to have separate sections for VIPs and others. There is no class in Islam,” she argues. Others like Ali Asghar, a social activist, said a distinction needs to be made. While iftar parties are acceptable, lavish dos send ‘wrong signals’ to people of other communities about the purpose of Ramzan. “The massive spread on the iftar table gives the impression that Ramzan is a month of feasting and not fasting. This defeats the purpose of Ramzan. Further, time and again, the scriptures stress that the poor must be fed. The question then arises, who are invited to such parties,” he says. Some, Mr. Asghar opines, have stopped going to lavish iftar parties for this very reason.
On the other side of the fence are those who believe iftar parties are occasions to bond and forge ties with people from the community and outside.
“To limit the scope of iftar parties is not right. Iftars help build warm relations with each other. A lot of such organised iftars have people cutting across religion, sects and political affiliation. This is a good way to bring communities and people closer,” says M.A. Raheem, a techie.
