KUALA LUMPUR, 15 Mar 2025 – The Harmoni Charity Iftar Program held at Masjid Al-Akram, Datuk Keramat here last Saturday provided an opportunity for international students, the non-Muslim community, and asnaf groups such as orphans, single mothers and reverts to break their fast collectively.

The event organised by HALUAN Fitrah WPKL in collaboration with UniKL and Masjid Al-Akram saw the participation of over 150 attendees.

Among the attendees were the chairman of Biro HALUAN Fitrah (BHF), Dr. Basir Towil; the Mosque chairman, Datuk Ahmad Hadiatullah Maknun Ridzuan; Head of HALUAN Kuala Lumpur branch, Mr. Azhar Idris; Presiden Global Unity Network, Encik Shah Kirit Kakulal Govindji; Administrative Officer of Student Development and Campus Lifestyle (SDCL) UniKL, Mr. Muhammad Nizam Shamsudin; Head of HALUANITA Kuala Lumpur branch, Mrs. Azzah Salimi and other representatives from the local and international communities. International students from countries such as South Africa, India, Nigeria, Russia, Japan, Pakistan, and China were also present.

The event began with a supplication followed by a welcoming address by the Datuk Ahmad Hadiatullah Maknun and was officially launched by Dr. Basir. Guest speaker, Bro Shah then shared the benefits of fasting and provided insights into the practice of fasting and an introduction to Islam. Participants, including members of the non-Muslim community, were given the chance to take part in a mosque tour, listen to the live call to prayer (azan), and break their fast together. They also had the opportunity to witness the maghrib congregational prayer.

Mr. Guo Jinting, a student from China, expressed his excitement after being invited to join the program. He described the experience of witnessing the maghrib prayer in congregation and the opportunity to ask about Islam and Malay culture as an extraordinary experience. “I am excited to come, and I hope my friends will join this program in the future,” said Guo.

Chairperson of the International Students’ Exco at UniKL, Miss Ashlee Wadzanai Gwangwadza from Nigeria also shared her thoughts: “This program is very meaningful because it provides us the opportunity to understand Malay culture, seek peace and unity, and learn that sin is an individual act, not a cultural one.” She was very excited because the event was conducted in English.

Mrs. Nur Shuhada Adriel, a 35-year-old new Muslim and single mother of three children aged 16, 14, and 13, shared the challenges of managing finances since becoming a single mother nine years ago.

The collaboration between the mosque, NGOs, and higher education institutions, whether public or private, is seen as an important step in fostering understanding and harmony among communities of different races and religions. The program also had a positive impact in correcting misconceptions about Islam through closer interactions with the non-Muslim community.

Program Director, Mr. Azhari Johari expressed gratitude to all contributors who donated food, table sales, and groceries for Ramadan to support the new Muslims, single mothers, and orphans. He added that the growing attendance this year reflects the effectiveness of efforts to promote community harmony. HALUAN Kuala Lumpur organised the program for the third consecutive years.

“In the future, I highly recommend that more contributors especially corporate groups and donors come forward to help us carry out da’wah activities that can familiarize non-Muslims with the beauty of the Islamic faith. This program proves that through a combination of joint activities, we can foster understanding between religions and races and make our country more harmonious and avoid all prejudices,” he said.

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Report by Durratun Nasuha Mohamad
Secretary of the ‘Iftar Amal Harmoni’ Program 2025