Hyderabad, April 29, 2019: Hyderabad’s St George’s Church on April 28 saw a rather unusual guest addressing the 300-odd Christians assembled for the morning worship service.

An Imam was speaking of peace, more precisely, condemning the ghastly terror attack in Sri Lanka that killed more than 350 people, mostly Christians and international tourists in the island nation.

As many churches in Hyderabad wore a gloomy look after the bomb attacks in Sri Lanka, Muslim clergy and scholars came together and spoke of religious harmony at various churches in the capital city of Telangana.

While the sermons delivered by priests and pastors strssed unity and peace, the Muslim leaders expressed solidarity and condemned all forms of terrorism. During the worship service, Shaikh Mirza Yawer Baig, an Imam of Masjid Mahmood Habib in Banjara Hills along with other Muslim clergy and scholars, visited the church.

With flowers ready for distribution, as a symbol of peace, and placards that read of spreading ‘unity,’ the group met the members of the church after the service. However, the pastor of the church invited the Imam to address the congregation.
“God is one, whatever name you call or however way you worship. But as far as this world is concerned, we are brothers and sisters to one and other,” Baig, an alumnus of St George’s Grammar School told the gathering.

He urged people to stand firm and together to fight terrorism. “If we allow hate messages of the terrorists to reach us, they will succeed. We cannot let them succeed,” Baig added.

Resident presbyter of St George’s Church, M Prashanth Babu, said, “They (Muslim scholars) came in the morning and asked if they could meet the members. But we invited them to speak. They were extremely sad with what happened in Sri Lanka and preached the message of peace.”

Even US Consulate General, Katherine B Hadda, was present during the service as she spoke about, “…evil that is striking people as they worship,” and asked people to stand together.

The Muslim group was led by Mecca Masjid society vice-president Iqbal Jaweed, architect Khaja Asif Ahmed and members from student Islamic organisation. They plan to hold a candlelight vigil at St Mary’s Church on May 5.

Meanwhile, members of Christian churches in the city demand of door frame metal detectors to be placed for security checks.

Besides the imams, the Muslim group comprised IT professionals, housewives to social organisztions and educational institutions.

The speakers noted that the attacks aimed to instil fear and break people, “but today we want to say it loud and clear that we are together and will always stand together in all the times sharing love and brotherhood.”

They marched to St George’s Grammar School church and visited Rosary Convent school Church and Wesley Church.