Dearborn Heights Council Chair, Fire, Police Departments Host Fourth Annual Iftar Dinner

On Saturday, March 15, Dearborn Heights City Council Chair Mo Baydoun hosted the fourth annual Iftar dinner in collaboration with the Dearborn Heights Fire Department and the Dearborn Heights Police Department.

Baydoun told The Arab American News that this idea started four years ago when Battalion Chief Phil Hall accepted Baydoun's challenge to participate in a day-long fast. Hall, the president of the Fire Department Executive Board, accepted and encouraged his firefighters — many of whom are not Muslim — to participate in the fast. It is now a tradition that the Dearborn Heights Fire Department carries out each year. 

To recognize their participation, the fire station hosts an Iftar dinner. This year's event welcomed more than 200 attendees, including community members and invited personnel of the Dearborn Heights Fire and Police departments.

Local officials who attended included Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington, State Rep. Alabas Farhat, Dearborn Heights City Council members, Deputy Wayne County Executive Assad Turfe, Wayne County Director of Homeland Security Sam Jaafar, and Wayne County Director of the Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Service Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. Hashems Meat Market and Al-Ameer provided the food for the barbecue at the fire station.

According to Baydoun, bringing the Dearborn Heights Fire and Police departments together through a day-long fast allows first responders to stand united with the community's Muslim residents. In doing so, they gain an understanding about a significant component of the Muslim faith.

“It shows a lot of unity,” Baydoun said. “It brings those who don't understand the meanings of Ramadan together. It teaches the first responders pieces of the Islamic religion. Also, it teaches them self-discipline. It gives them a better understanding of what Muslims are dealing with over these next 30 days.”