Key Points
- Mosques across Australia open their doors to offer free iftar meals during Ramadan, promoting community and generosity.
- From Middle Eastern to South Asian cuisine, mosques offer a diverse array of meals to anyone who wishes to break their fast, regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs.
- The tradition of offering free iftar meals during Ramadan highlights the spirit of compassion and kindness that is central to Islam, and promotes a sense of togetherness within the community.
The Artarmon mosque on Sydney's North Shore is one such mosque that is opening its doors to the community for free iftar meals during the holy month of Ramadan.
As the sun sets over Artarmon, the mosque comes to life. Dozens of people gather to break their fast, share a meal, and offer prayers.
Among the crowd, a teenaged boy named Rayaan stands out, beaming with pride and joy. Tonight, he's hosting the iftar meal, a tradition of sharing food during Ramadan, and he couldn't be happier.
"Ramadan is the month of caring and thinking about others," Rayaan says, "...and it gives me immense pleasure to share food with others today in the mosque."
The boy from Lane Cove got his turn this week and was serving the food cooked by his mother in the mosque.
"This mosque is a hub for local Muslim community providing space for worship, community meetups and now free iftars for 30 days of Ramadan," he tells SBS Urdu.
The food is sponsored by local members of the community like Rayaan with the aim to provide food to those who are fasting and are away from home working in the area or just passing by during the iftar time. Everyone is welcomed in the mosque to eat irrespective of their backgrounds or beliefs.
Array of flavours in iftar
The iftar meals consist of various cuisines, from Middle Eastern to South Asian, and are prepared and served by volunteers from the community. This initiative reflects the true essence of Islam, which emphasises kindness, compassion, and generosity towards all people.
Towfeeque Aalam, who manages iftars at the mosque and has been a regular there for almost a decade, says he started the idea of the free iftars.
"The local community consists of people from different backgrounds so we get every cuisine here from Middle Eastern to Turkish to South Asian. Every day we have new thing to serve and eat," he says.
The spirit of giving
Food for 30 days for around 30 people is provided by local community volunteers. Every person who is willing to contribute is given a date to serve the food.
"I communicate with them about what date they are going to serve the food. Some people cook at their home and then send it to mosque. Others might give us money to buy food," Towfeeque explains.
Local business also contribute in the free iftars and usually give food to mosques during Ramadan.
"Ramadan is not just about keeping fast from dawn to dusk, it's also about feeding others who are fasting," Rayaan adds.
Tradition of iftar meals at mosques
Naseem Haque says he has been living in the area for almost nine years and is a regular visitor to the mosque.
He says iftars at mosque is not a new thing for him as this was a common occurrence in his country of origin, India.
"These iftars refresh my childhood memories of when we used to have iftars together in mosques. It helped us to come together during Ramadan and eat together," he adds.
Towfeeque says he believes that the mosque's initiative to provide free iftar meals during Ramadan is a testament to the generosity and kindness of the Muslim community.
The initiative serves as a reminder of the spirit of Ramadan, which is all about caring for others and giving back to the community, he adds.
"It is a shining example of how communities can come together to support those in need, regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs," he says.
