JEDDAH, 11 October 2006 — More than three million meals will be served to fasting pilgrims for suhur and iftar at the Grand Mosque in Makkah by the end of Ramadan, said a top official from the Meals Distribution Committee at the Grand Mosque.
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim Al-Shariah, chairman of the meals committee and a member of the Zamzam Water Supply Committee at Makkah and the Holy Sites, told Arab News yesterday that it was the fifth successive Ramadan that the committee had embarked on successfully distributing food to millions of worshippers in the Haram Plaza.
“The major task for the committee is to coordinate with charities and government agencies and ensure they all operate under the supervision of the Makkah Governorate. Meals are being distributed in a systematic and disciplined manner and maximum efforts are being made to ensure food is being supplied to people that have gathered at the Grand Mosque. Special care is also taken to avoid wastage, which is likely to occur when distributing food on such a massive scale,” Al-Shariah said.
The committee has been coordinating with related government departments and charity organizations in advance to guarantee that all the arrangements for the supply of the meals are in place before Ramadan begins. The distribution task is entrusted to a committee consisting of devoted and trained workers, Al-Shariah said.
“The committee coordinates with a number of government agencies such as the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Affairs; the ministries of Haj, culture, information, health and commerce; the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Haj Research, Makkah Municipality and the police. We wish to ensure that things run smoothly,” he said.
Besides the Charity Warehouse, the organizations that participate in the meals supply to the fasting believers include Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Fahd Office for Research and Studies, Ibrahim Charity Establishment and Al-Qassim Kitchens, the official said.
