Spirit of Ramadan comes alive in Bahrain
Dozens of volunteers give their time and energy to those with little means
Several volunteer groups in Bahrain have been offering food at mosques and in tents near mosques. Others offer food packets to taxi drivers whose job prevents them from ending their fast on time.
“The core idea is to spread the spirit of togetherness in Ramadan,” Ayesha, a volunteer standing just outside a major hospital in Muharraq, told Gulf News.
A short distance away, in the capital Manama, hundreds of men sit cross-legged on a long nylon runner on the floor, waiting for the call to prayer from the nearby mosque.
Small bottles of water and milk, dates, samosas, bowls of lentil soup and flat bread are placed on the runner.
The call to prayer marks the end of the fasting day during which Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise until sunset.
The attendees are all expatriates, whose families live back home in countries like India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
“The iftar is a chance for us to come together as a community of foreigners and end our fast,” Jamal, a Bangladeshi who earned a living by doing odd jobs, said.
“For some it is a chance to save some money by not purchasing or cooking food since it is freely available at iftars, but for others it is a chance to socialise.”
The food is provided by a charity association that collects food from affluent personalities keen on acts of charity during the month of intense spirituality.
Showing off
“We have set up a tent on the parking lot of the mosque and have hired a scholar who gives lectures every day before the iftar,” Shaheed Allah, the man tasked with overseeing the daily routine of lectures and food, told Gulf News.
“Those who arrive early can sit inside the air-conditioned tent, while those who come later sit outside. It is our duty to care for those with no families here.”
However, the iftars have also been criticised by people who say that it is just a chance for people to show off.
Bahraini volunteer Aziz dismisses the criticism.
“The important thing is the spirit of sharing and caring,” he said.
“Anyone who contributes to putting smiles on people’s faces should be lauded. There are several hotels for instance that have for years included taxi drivers in the Ramadan spirit of sharing and offered them complimentary iftar packs to end their fast. I find that a great act of care.”
He pointed to the generous acts by the UAE embassy in Bahrain which distributed 250 iftar meals at the Bahrain International Airport and another 250 at the Muharraq traditional Souq, as part of its social and humanitarian role and the “Iftar Project” launched by the UAE Ambassador to Bahrain Shaikh Sultan Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan in May.
In another area in Manama, a mosque in the posh neighbourhood of Adliya broke the record for the number of people who sat together for an iftar— around 1,700.
“The gathering is not meant just to provide food, but goes beyond that to promote genuine religious values and reinforce the tendency for sharing and caring. The residents in our neighbourhood prepare the food themselves while others choose to cater. This shows you that people actually care and are not just showing off,” Ammar Al Bannai, one of the organisers, said.