Mosques and Islamic centres across the country are opening their doors for all to celebrate Ramadan.

Harrow and Brent mosques are among those holding open ‘Iftars’ for members of the local community of all faiths as part of their Ramadan celebrations beginning this month.

Ramadan is a month-long fast for Muslims that occurs every year, it demonstrates Muslim devotion to God.

Worshippers do this by not eating or drinking during the day, and break their fast in the evening with a special meal known as ‘Iftar’.

Hundreds of mosques across the country are taking part in the month-long programme as part of an initiative to make Muslim places of worship accessible to the wider public and to explain more about Islam.

Iftars at mosques provide opportunity for mutual understanding through discussion, debate and dialogue in an age of both Islamist extremism and Islamophobia concerns.

Shaukat Warraich, founder and CEO of Faith Associates, said: “It feels like this year more than ever our communities are resolved and committed to showing cross communal solidarity by way of defiance to those that are looking to divide us.

"The mosque should play an important role within the heart of the community as well as a place of worship and so we hope, especially during Ramadan, it continues to foster the essence of the faith; a desire to come together and understand our neighbour as we learn about one another.”

As a precaution Faith Associates has been delivering a mosque security training programme to ensure that not only the Muslim community but the wider community it serves feels reassured and encouraged to attend.