(This is the talk given by Bassit at The Feast’s recent Fundraising Dinner, on 3 November)
I first joined The Feast a year ago, when my brother and I were involved in a weekend lads away to experience “extreme” activities like mountain biking, canoeing, low ropes course and a catapult challenge.
There were around eight of us as a group who had never met each other before. At first, as anyone would be, I was apprehensive about meeting the guys, but we were all in the same position. And throughout the minibus journey to the campsite we got to know each other’s names and likes and dislikes.
These were all new experiences for most of us but not only did we thoroughly treasure the experience and the laughter, we became our own individual group. In my opinion this is why The Feast is such a great concept.
Personally, it helped me to meet new people in the area that I have still kept in touch with. There aren’t many charities which are specifically for teenagers which help them to diversify into the society, meet new people and explore, but The Feast does this. It helps to join people who are willing to work together toward a greater cause, personally to try and overturn some of the stereotypes that may be common.
Exploration is very important, many of us would not be associated with this charity if we did not explore and “open” our eyes to what more is available. Exploring faith is essential in my opinion, and on the weekend trip gathering in two separate faith circles and then comparing ideas helped me and can help other Muslims and Christians to realise that people with different faiths aren’t so different. It is recognised that faith is important for individuals but what about for the future of society as well?
The weekend away taught me as a young Muslim, more about how different faith groups can interact and coherently exist in a society even if people may disagree with this. I found that the true moral meaning behind the trip was to realise how exploring faith can break down pretentious barriers that may have been created. All the teenagers worked together on a catapult challenge creating a good model and the goal should be to use this as experience to work more actively and on a larger scale, even globally.
The charity provides an opportunity to show that if we give each other a chance, then this is how relationship can develop and sprout into something greater; between Muslims and Christians which is where The Feast acts as an important link.
After the event, I began thinking about the activities which we as a team worked on and I talked about this on a wider scale with family and other friends at school. I feel that I have realised to a greater extent after research that the Qur’an teaches about interacting with society, having a distinguished role and respecting other people and religions.
I was interested in The Feast and I am now involved. I hope to carry on my work because I feel it is making a difference to me as a Muslim in making me aware of more opportunities and helping me to explore, understand and contribute in my own unique way to a goal of co-operation by different faiths working together in one complete society.
Thank you.
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