Shaykh Mahmood Dhalla Welcomes Vicar Hazel White During Service at St. Mary’s Church

In the spirit of prophetic teachings, which encourage Muslims to keep good relations with their neighbours, Shaykh Mahmood Dhalla accepted the invitation to attend a service for the induction of the new vicar Hazel White, at St. Mary’s Church in Selly Oak, which is in the locality of AMI. Reverend Anne Hollinghurst, Bishop of Aston and Venerable Jenny Tomlinson, Archdeacon of Birmingham, conducted the service in the presence of a full congregation during which the formal appointment and acceptance of the new Vicar took place. Shaykh Mahmood was invited to officially welcome Vicar Hazel White on behalf of the Al-Mahdi Institute as a part of the public welcome from selected guests. He expressed AMI’s eagerness and enthusiasm in building relations and working together in the future. The ceremony concluded with hymns from the choir.

Through engagement with inter-faith communities, AMI aims to bridge the gap between Islam and other faith traditions by promoting shared learning and understanding of different faiths and beliefs. According to Shaykh Mahmood the service provided an opportune moment to introduce the Institute to many new faces from the vicinity and to make new friendships as well as build on old ones.