"Air-conditioned" Iftar in Qatar

DOHA — With "air-conditioned" iftar tents, food banquets in the open air and aid for the needy in poor Muslim countries, Qataris are welcoming the fast-approaching holy fasting month of Ramadan.

"Some 14 million riyals ($3.8 million) has been allocated for the project," Mohammed Judae, director of Iftar program at the Doha-based Zakah Fund, told IslamOnline.net on Monday, August 25.

The fund is building 23 giant "air-conditioned" iftar tents for the poor during the dawn-to-dusk fasting month.

"More than 600,000 people are expected to benefit from the project this year," said Judae.

Two famous restaurants have been tasked with preparing the iftar meals in the tents.

One of the tents, which caters for 300 people, in Al-Khoweir area will be dedicated for the new Muslim reverts.

Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar, will fall this year in early September.

In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

After breaking their fast, Muslims attend Tarawih, a special nightly prayers.

It is customary for Muslims during Ramadan to host iftar banquets for the poor and needy people.

Vying

Many Qatari charities are also vying to feed the poor during the holy fasting month.

The Qatar Red Crescent has allotted 1.32 million riyals ($363,000) to feed 50,000 people in the Gulf country during Ramadan.

It has also allocated one million riyals ($273,000) to send food packages for the poor in Sudan's war-torn Darfur province, Somalia and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

The Sheikh Eid Bin Muhammad Al-Thani charity has also allocated 520,000 riyals ($140,000) for food packages for 2,600 poor families.

The charity also has a series of tents to host scholars from around the Muslim world to give religious lessons to the faithful.

Al-Fanar Islamic Center is also preparing to provide more than 40 Muslim scholars to give religious lessons to the faithful during the holy fasting month.

Muslims dedicate their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah through prayer and self-restraint.

Many men perform i`tikaf (spiritual retreat), spending the last 10 days of the month exclusively in the mosque.

It is also customary for Muslims to spend part of the days during Ramadan studying the Noble Qur'an.

Source: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=12193397246...