More than 3,000 Muslims gathered earlier this week in Milan’s Palalido stadium to send a message of love and fraternity to the wider society. “We sent reassurances to fellow Italians that Islam is a religion of love,” Mostafa El-Beltaguei, the director of the human resources department at Islamic Relief ‘s Italy chapter, reportedly said.
The “Call for Love” gala brought together up to 3,000 people, who prayed for peace, sang for fraternity and donated generously for the needy. Verses from the Holy Qur’an on mercy towards the needy, orphans and the disadvantaged were recited. “We chose verses from Surah Ad-Duha as it symbolizes dignified human values,” said El-Beltaguei. Famed Syrian munshid Mohamed Abu Ratib then sang to the audience some of his Islamic songs like the popular “Ya Taiba.”
The Muslim audience gave a special warming applause to Father Don Piero, the representative of the Catholic Church in Milan. “In the name of the one and only God,” Piero opened his speech to a standing ovation from cheering thousands. He added to the jovial mode when he thanked the audience in Arabic for their attentive listening.
Father Piero was presented a recorded recitation of the Qur’an by late Egyptian Sheikh Mahmoud Khalil El-Hosari and a package of books on Islam in Italian. But the moving scene was the aw-inspiring congregational prayer led by Egyptian preacher Omar Abdel Kafi. “Global peace hinges on mutual love,” he told the audience in a post-prayer lecture. “Start with your own small family because their love is the nucleus of global peace,” he added. “Then love your neighbour regardless of his/her religion.” Abdel Kafi urged Muslims in the West to translate their Islamic values into actions and reach out to the other.