RIYADH, 4 October 2006 — Walking into a mosque in Riyadh at iftar time is a fantastic experience. One is immediately taken aback by the delicious wafts of mouth-watering fried sambousas, pakoras and chicken that intensify the pangs of hunger.
Ramadan is an opportunity for many well-off Saudis to provide free iftar meals to the less well-off people — mainly Asians and Africans — who cannot afford to buy food. Charitable people make arrangements with restaurants to prepare and deliver all sorts of delicious delicacies outside mosques or at tents set up especially for the month to provide iftar.
According to Ahmad Ateya, the general supervisor of an iftar tent in the old industrial area of Riyadh, iftar tents are set up with the express aim of doing charity work. “It’s also a great opportunity to call people to God and to educate them in understanding the true religious and spiritual significance of Ramadan.
“The iftar tents play a positive role in helping spread the message of Islam. We have many branches all over Riyadh helping poor people to have a decent Ramadan. In our tent, we receive 1,500 people a day of all nationalities. Most of them are from Bangladesh and the Philippines,” he said.
According to Ateya, people line up in long queues outside the tent half an hour before iftar time. “You should come and see their faces. It is truly satisfying to see people eating and having a decent Ramadan. At the entrance, we give them light food like dates, milk and water,” he said.
“The entire tent is divided into different sections and in each section there is a designated leader. There are Arabic, Filipino, Kerala, Urdu and Bangladeshi corners. This helps us to distribute food properly by taking into consideration the cultural needs of different ethnic groups. We also send a preacher of the same nationality to the group to deliver a small talk before iftar,” said Ateya.
The main meal is provided after prayer and usually includes rice, chicken and lamb, which are bought from a nearby restaurant. “We receive donations from generous people. In the true spirit of Ramadan they donate money, clothes and even freshly cooked home food. I must commend the boys who volunteer. They take a lot of time out to supervise the distribution of food. It is a wonderful experience,” he said.
Ateya has been supervising the iftar tent project for eight years at the same location. “The number of people is increasing every year. There are people who have converted to Islam. Last year alone 47 people, mainly Filipinos, converted to Islam. These people are given especial attention and we try to make Ramadan a nice experience for them.”
The iftar tents also welcome non-Muslims. “We try explaining to them the basic aspects of Islam, and dispel myths as much as possible. We also tell them that there is no compulsion in Islam. We always try to make them feel as comfortable as possible,” said Ateya, adding that the iftar tent organizers have a tendency to keep in touch with converts. “We have their phone numbers and addresses and they are welcome to visit us anytime. We answer their queries and provide them with as much moral support as possible.”
At a mosque that provides iftar to people in Riyadh, Arab New met Abdullah Al-Garni, who is also supervising an iftar project. “For the third year in a row this project is successful. The imam of the mosque is paying for the iftar food from his own pocket,” he said.
More than 400 people visit the mosque for iftar everyday. “Last year, 40 Chinese workers converted to Islam. They were coming to the tent to see what was happening and slowly we taught them about Islam and they all converted. Iftar time is the most appropriate time to interact with Muslims and non-Muslims and teach them about Islam,” he said.
Fahd Abbas, a teacher of Islamic studies, said that the iftar projects are extremely common in Riyadh, adding that the projects should not be undertaken with an aim to show off, but for the sake of God.
“These iftar projects should be organized by the Islamic Affairs Ministry. Officials should know whether the project is benefiting people. If not, then they should be stopped. There are iftar projects where food items are brought from five-star hotels, which is too much. There are mosques that compete in serving the best food, which is totally not related to the spirit of Ramadan. Officials should stop these negative tendencies and see to it that the money and food reach those in need,” he said.
Nasser Al-Subaie, owner of a furniture shop, said that his expatriate workers are having fun going from one mosque to another to see which mosque is serving the best food. “These places should be monitored to make sure they are not doing things that are against the spirit of Ramadan,” he added.
