ARAFAT/MUZDALIFAH, 20 December 2007 — He is man with a mission. And for him charity begins in Arafat. Meet Sheikh Mohammed Bin Aboud Al-Amoudi, the man who runs a matbakh (kitchen) to provide food to hajis in Arafat and Muzdalifah.
Matbakh Sheikh Mohammed Bin Aboud Bin Ali Al-Amoudi, as the charity organization run by Al-Amoudi is known, distributes two million food plates in Arafat and Muzdalifah each year. He also runs a coffee shop near the matbakh in Jabel Al-Rehma that provides free tea and coffee to his guests. He has 1,700 workers on his roll to cook food from 1,600 slaughtered goats at each place. At one time, over 1,500 people can sit and eat food at his matbakh in Arafat.
The matbakh is a favorite source of food for pilgrims who converge on the Plains of Arafat to perform Haj. They find it very helpful.
“This charity kitchen is doing tremendous job in terms of service to humanity. I’m indebted and moved by the selfless service of the people involved with the kitchen,” said Egyptian pilgrim Ayman Al-Masri.
An Indian pilgrim was of the opinion that such sense of service is rarity and confined mostly to Saudi Arabia.
“It’s an example of Saudis’ sense of dedication and their commitment to pilgrims. It can be found only in Saudi Arabia and nowhere else,” said Irfan Sheikh.
The charity began at the Plains of Arafat 35 years ago and since then this man has been serving the guests of Allah in Arafat and Muzdalifah every year uninterrupted.
Sheikh Al-Amoudi relentlessly works whole year to make funds and other provisions for the next Haj. However, he does not want to speak about the expenses he incurs every year, nor does he reveal the sources that help him in this charity work. But people working with the matbakh said most of the expenditure is borne by Al-Amoudi himself.
The story behind the opening of the matbakh is interesting and touching. It started with Al-Amoudi’s first Haj, which had ended with a bitter note.
Al-Amoudi said: “I came to Arafat with my wife and children to perform Haj 35 years ago. In those days there was no proper arrangements for food here. When we were hungry I bought a few plates of boiled rice and was heading toward my camp, suddenly somebody pushed me from the back and the rice plates fell down. But since I had nothing to eat I was left with no choice but to collect the spoiled food and eat. My family also ate the same food I collected from the ground, full of dirt and dust.”
This was the turning point in Al-Amoudi’s life. He took up a mission to serve clean and healthy food to pilgrims.
“After undergoing this pathetic experience, I decided to work for pilgrims. And the next year I came to Arafat in my pickup full of food and distributed it among pilgrims so that they wouldn’t face the situation I encountered just a year ago,” Amoudi said.
The Saudi philanthropist kept on doing this selfless service to the guests of Allah and 10 years ago, impressed with his charity, his zeal to serve pilgrims, the late King Fahd allocated a permanent space for him in Arafat. Last year, governor of Makkah gave him some more space to expand his matbakh.
Al-Amoudi thanked the Saudi government for their continuous support and encouragement.
“I’m thankful to the Saudi authorities for their constant support. I am touched with their kind gestures, which reinforced my enthusiasm and energy in serving pilgrims better,” Al-Amoudi said.
