Birmingham Progressive Synagogue welcomed 20 members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community to its Shabbat morning service.

The visitors, ranging in age from eight to 98, also joined congregants for lunch, where a talk by Waqar Ahmedi on the Ahmadiyya community was followed by a question and answer session led by Rabbi Margaret Jacobi and Imam Maulana Tahir Selby.

Rabbi Jacobi said that “in these difficult times, it is heartening to feel that we can form friendships with people of a different faith and discover how much we have in common”.

Imam Selby saw the visit as “part of our ongoing commitment to developing closer ties with other faith communities.

“Dialogue and respect between believers from all traditions — not least Jews and Muslims — is essential for social peace and harmony. We are grateful to Birmingham Progressive Synagogue for an inspiring day and look forward to receiving them at the Darul Barakaat Mosque very soon.”