Durban North Muslim community hands out roses to spread peace and harmony

Members of the Durban North Muslim community took part in a rose-handing-out initiative on Saturday at various venues, including at Kensington Square shopping centre in Durban North.

The initiative also involved members of the Musjid ur Rahmaan on Kenneth Kaunda Road (Northway) who said the roses were a token of friendship as well as a way to spread peace and harmony.

Mohsien Bashir, a resident of the area, said the initiative also coincided with the month of Rabi’ Al-Awwal.

“Rabi’ Al-Awwal is the third month in the Islamic calendar and is a significant time for Muslims. It is the month that the Prophet Muhammad was born. We wanted to hand out roses to the residents and members of the community as a gesture of peace. Each rose had a little saying or short message creating awareness of the prophet. We also hope to open dialogue with people who may have questions about the religion. In light of the explosives placed outside the Durban North mosque’s gate, we also hope this will bring people together. The initiative was also well received by residents,” he said.

Bashir encouraged residents to support the upcoming National Mosque Open Day – the Musjid ur Rahmaan (131 Kenneth Kaunda) will open its doors on Heritage Day, September 24, from 14:00 until 16:00.

The idea behind the open day is to welcome individuals of various backgrounds to learn more about Islam and forge stronger connections between different religious communities.

There will be free medical tests, a tour of the mosque, a scarf demo, henna writing in Arabic as well as snacks and refreshments.