The Iftar Saem project reinforces the concept of social solidarity, a senior official at the Ministry of Endowment (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs said.
Mohammed Hassan al-Tamimi, the deputy chairman of the Iftar Committee at Awqaf, said that the initiative upholds the concept of social solidarity in Islam.
“It spreads Islamic culture among the beneficiaries while helping them understand the teachings of Islam in a correct and balanced manner,” he said. “It is an integrated approach that strengthens the bonds between members of society and encourages a sense of responsibility towards others based on the saying of the Prophet (PBUH).”
The initiative aims this year to provide Iftar for 300,000 fasting people throughout the holy month while hosting a number of activities in an atmosphere of faith marked by brotherhood and compassion.
Thousands of fasting people flock daily to the Iftar tents organised and supervised by the General Administration of Endowments with support from donors, philanthropists, and charitable individuals.
The Iftar Saem project was not limited to providing Iftar meals; it extended to include faith-based and religious awareness programmes aiming to familiarise workers with matters of their religion and promote correct Islamic values through lectures delivered by preachers from the Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre (Fanar) in Urdu.
“The lectures are held several days a week for half an hour before the Maghrib call to prayer and end ten minutes before Iftar,” al-Tamimi said. “These are part of Awqaf’s commitment to spreading religious awareness among various segments of society, especially among workers and non-Arabic-speaking communities.”
“These Ramadan tents represent a great opportunity to raise awareness given that more than 1,000 fasting people gather daily at Iftar tents,” he said.
Some of these tents host nearly 2,000 fasting people daily, making the tents a model of integrated charitable work, where religious sentiments intersect with Islamic knowledge and culture and the values of social solidarity and compassion are entrenched among segments of the Muslim community.
Preacher Muhammad Musa Sayyid explained that through these lessons, he seeks to simplify the concepts of Islam for the participants while ensuring that the messages are clear and practical enabling them to apply them in their daily lives.
Preacher Khodai Noor Muhammad said these lectures are a valuable opportunity to introduce the workers to the true teachings of Islam, particularly regarding monotheism and the importance of sincerity in worship.
Preacher Mohamed Farid said preachers are keen to highlight Islamic values that make Muslims a virtuous role model through good morals and kind treatment of others.
Youssef Nour Nabi said the greatest concern is to instill sound faith and educate those breaking the fast on the fundamentals of monotheism and the importance of adhering to the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH).
Participants expressed their gratitude for these advocacy efforts, which gave them the opportunity to have their Iftar meal and to meet and socialise with their brothers and friends daily throughout the holy month.
“I didn’t know much about the details of voluntary prayer and fasting, but through these lectures I learned many things that I am keen to implement precisely,” said Muhammad Idris.
