Feeding multitudes during Iftar

Helping to feed Muslims, who fast during Ramadan, is considered one of the most recommended good deeds in Islam. The message of communal responsibility is reinforced through fasting and this encourages empathy and compassion for those that are less privileged in the society. Interestingly, these teachings are being put to practice in various mosques across […]

Helping to feed Muslims, who fast during Ramadan, is considered one of the most recommended good deeds in Islam. The message of communal responsibility is reinforced through fasting and this encourages empathy and compassion for those that are less privileged in the society.
Interestingly, these teachings are being put to practice in various mosques across Abuja during this Holy Month of Ramadan. Activities at the National Mosque for example since the commencement of the Ramadan fast have been one of peace and love.
The Iftar timing is one moment most people look forward to at the mosques as it draws a lot of crowd who appear bonded by the delicacies served as food.
Iftar has also been of advantage to many who seek to help the less privilege in the society.
At the National Mosque where Ufuk Dialogue Foundation (a Turkish based NGO) organizes Iftar till the end of Ramadan, the less privilege within Abuja metropolis are delighted and benefit immensely from it.
Speaking to Weekly Trust, Mr. Savas Tuylu, public relations officer for the foundation, said the foundation started with feeding a thousand people daily but increased to more than 1200 daily. He said they are hoping to feed up to 2500 daily.
“This is how we want to contribute to the less privilege in the society as it is not everyone who fasts that has what it takes to break their fasts,” he said.
The spokesman explained that Iftar is a perfect time to meet people, share experiences and foster mutual relationship.
“We also have Some Turkish Nationals who came all the way from Turkey specially to spend time with the less privilege during this month of Ramadan,” he added.
At the Ansarudeen Mosque, Maitama, various families brought food and drinks to break the fast with fellow Muslims. Most of them refused to talk to the press based on believe that if they did whatever their intention for bringing the food and drinks would be null and void.
“When you want to do good, you do it within yourself and Allah will reward you. You don’t need to tell the whole world what you are doing before you are appreciated. It is something I grew up observing in my father’s house and I inculcated that habit too when I got married and made it a point of duty to always share no matter how small with fellow Muslims in the mosque during Iftar,” Says Hajiya Bashira Mubarak.
Jimoh Bello Alani, a civil servant, said since he got married five years ago, his wife made it an obligation for the family to break their fast with the less privilege in the society.
“She plans a schedule twice every week for us to break our fast either in the mosque, motherless babies home or in a hospital with sick patients. It’s a different feeling after eating with such people and watching them simile,” he said.
Mallam Sani Ibrahim said when he was bedridden; he still got his meal brought to him every day by people during Iftar. “May Allah reward them abundantly,” he said at the National Mosque.
Most of the meals sighted in Abuja Mosques were rice, beef, chicken, catfish, moi moi, akara (bean cake) bottled water, juice or malt, bread and dates (dobino).
The situation does not appear similar in Jos, where the spirit of sharing appears low. This year’s Ramadan in Jos, the capital of Plateau State has so far not favoured the less privilege. 
Our correspondent who went round Jos city Tuesday and Wednesday observed that most Mosques did not distribute food during Iftar. Only one out of eight centres organized food sharing at Nassarawa area of Jos city.
A Mosque in Filin-Ball was also observed attending to a large number of people who were given drinks and food.
At Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, investigations by our correspondent revealed that Muslim faithful in large numbers attended various mosques to listen to the evening lectures and left there well-fed and satisfied after Iftar.
At Ridhwanullahi Mosque, at Tanke Iledu in Ilorin South Local Government Area of the state, Muslim faithful who attend the mosque’s Tafsir, always break their fast before departing to their respective destinations, which is provided by one Alhaji Isiak Komolafe.
The sharing of food as well as drinks in Sokoto State during Iftar timing is done by private individuals and government.
Although many do such gestures without wanting to be known, one notable Ramadan gesture usually comes from a business mogul, Rahmaniyya, who distributes truck loads of items every year that includes bags of assorted grains, clothing materials and cartons of milk, among others.
However, the most eye-catching Ramadan largesse comes from the state government’s Ramadan programme. Every year and for the past six years, the state government sets money for the programme .This year, it earmarked the sum of N163 million for the Ramadan feeding programme which was slated to run in over 150 feeding centers in Sokoto town and its environs throughout the fasting period.
According to the Chairman, Sokoto State Ramadan Feeding Programme Committee, Alhaji Aliyu Attahiru, it is aimed at providing free Ramadan breakfast during the entire fasting period to the less-privileged and will also enable them break their fast with ease. Among the items mainly given at the feeding centres include jollof rice, pap, beans cake, oranges, and dates.
Some beneficiaries of the feeding programme have expressed delight over the free food which they say usually helps in cushioning their feeding challenges during this period.
Apart from the feeding programme, part of the Ramadan packages of the state government this year includes the distribution of assorted bags of grains to indigent persons in the state as well as clothing materials to orphans in order to give such beneficiaries sense of belonging.
In Gombe State, the state government has no budget for a feeding programme but rather, individuals on their own organize such programmes in various mosques across the state capital to reap rewards from the Almighty God.
Our Correspondent who visited mosques within Gombe metropolis found out that those engaged in providing free food for people to break their fast are individuals.
People interviewed by Weekly Trust expressed their gratitude to such individuals.
Sadik Kabiru, a beneficiary, said God will reward abundantly those who find it worthy enough to feed the poor during Ramadan and increases their wealth and rewards them with Aljannat Firdaus, Amin.
In Kano State, individuals and government assist the less privileged with both cooked and raw food as well as textile materials during the Ramadan period.
Such distributions take place in mosques and special areas where the less privileged converged in anticipation of such free goodies.
Similarly, mosques are mostly reserved as centers for the state government’s free feeding programme.
Our correspondent visited Race Course road where less privileged persons converged and observed dozens of them lining up to receive food items distributed by some Muslim individuals’ daily basis. One of the beneficiaries, 52- year- old Malama Umma Bala said the area has been their place of abode for years.
“For years we have been converging here not only during the Ramadan period and the most interesting thing here is that we receive free food and gifts, like textile materials not only from Muslim but also Christians who believe in assisting the less privilege. I must confess that this year’s Ramadan period has come with ease for us, because we get more gifts every day,” said Umma.
In most of the areas visited, less privileged people mostly women with their children were seen carrying containers and sacks in anticipation of the quantity of items they will get.