A Kerala mosque has opened its doors for people from all faiths to witness the Friday namaz, with the Hindu and Christian priests who attended the prayers on November 27 later addressing the faithful.

The initiative by the Markaz Masjid in Alappuzha town comes at a time Muslims have faced opposition to open-air namaz at various sites in the Haryana city of Gurgaon, and Kerala has been witnessing a sectarian campaign against halal food.

“We wanted to send out a message to society that we should stay united and not divided by man-made boundaries,” Markaz Masjid committee president Mohammed Amin told The Telegraph on Saturday.

So, on Friday, the mosque witnessed the rare scene of more than 50 non-Muslims, including Hindu and Christian priests and communist leaders, attending the prayers and listening to the sermon.

After the namaz, the Hindu and Christian priests spoke to the faithful, calling for communal harmony and brotherhood amid the current challenges.

“In the past we have had guests from other faiths at our Id prayers but this is the first time non-Muslims have witnessed the Juma namaz,” Amin said.

“We welcome all who want to see what happens during the prayers and what lessons are imparted during the qutba (sermon). Not many non-Muslims know what happens at a namaz. So we thought this was a great opportunity for all of us to join hands and promote peace and communal harmony.”

Amin is aware of possible opposition from small sections of Muslims but said the committee was ready to face any objections.

“No one has complained so far, but there could be small sections that are against such openness. But I’m sure that other mosques in Kerala will replicate this idea to strengthen the communal amity our state is known for,” he said.

Swami Asparshananda of the Vishwagaji Mutt in Cherthala, Alappuzha district, who addressed the gathering after the namaz, said the mosque’s initiative would promote communal amity.

“This kind of transparency will help others understand what happens during namaz,” he told this newspaper.

“Everyone should have the large-heartedness to accept all other religions and we should never feel that one’s own religion is the greatest. It’s more important to say ‘I’m a human being’ than ‘I belong to this or that religion’.”

P.P. Chitharanjan, Alappuzha MLA and CPM leader, attended the prayers along with party state committee member G. Sudhakaran.

“This (the mosque’s initiative) is an opportunity to see how human beings can be seen as one at a time when false propaganda is being unleashed about belief systems and food habits,” Chitharanjan told reporters.

Hindu and Christian groups have unleashed a campaign in Kerala against halal (Sharia-compliant) food, falsely alleging that it is prepared by spitting into it.

In Gurgaon, Friday prayers in public spaces have been repeatedly disrupted by slogan-shouting Sangh parivar activists and Hindu residents’ associations.