JEDDAH: Any group or person planning to do charitable work needs to obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance.

This is also the case if the group's activities involve transferring funds through bank accounts, the ministry has made it clear.

Several free breakfast, or iftar, offers have been announced in the past two weeks for upcoming Ramadan. The announcements also gave details of bank accounts for donors to transfer funds if they wished to participate in this noble cause.

A source at the ministry said that “it is necessary to obtain a permit for the establishment of a group breakfast, and the same thing applies to creating bank accounts for the same purpose, and everyone must follow the law.”

The ministry warned the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) and dawa offices against the announcement of unauthorized Ramadan activities.

Fatima Al-Qarni, responsible for Ramadan programs at a charity, said: “Associations and committees are keen to obtain permits from official bodies, but we noticed the presence of iftar and suhoor ads through transferring donations to bank accounts, some of them well-known official parties, others unknown.”

She added: “We are trying to educate well-intentioned philanthropists to only donate to authorized activities and avoid unknown ones.”

Mohammed Al-Dosari, imam and preacher at a Dammam mosque, said: “The coordination of Ramadan activities is now set up through a certain mechanism in this regard, and we get permission from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs branch in the Eastern Province.”

About posters appearing on the streets, he said such ads and bank accounts could get the organizers of such activities into trouble with law enforcement agencies. He said they are being watched.

Al-Dosari said: “Social networking sites are flooded with iftar ads, despite the ministry’s warnings a few days ago regarding the need to obtain prior approval.

"Restaurants have now started to compete and attract customers with iftar and suhoor offers, which might cause problems.”

Younes Al-Younes, an imam in Alkhobar, shared Al-Dosari’s opinion saying, “WAMY, dawa offices and branches of the Ministry of Islamic

Affairs advised people to avoid joining unauthorized activities.”

Al-Younes pointed out that there are people who try to exploit well-intentioned people, and take money from them for purposes which may be related to terrorism, fraud or deception.

He added: “Mosques and charities follow a clear system to help needy families and support orphans and whoever wants to contribute to

these activities can approach well-known charities.”