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Food is cooked in distributed to needy communities throughout. (Courtesy: The Daily News.) |
DURBAN - South African Muslims are Sharing good times and religious occasions with poor families, racing to reach out to the needy and less fortunate, including non-Muslims, during `Eid Al-Fitr.
"The food was given to both Muslims and non-Muslims," Abdul Razak Moosa, coordinator of Radio Al Ansaar's outreach program, told South African The Daily News, Wednesday, October 25.
At least 30,000 needy people throughout the province were given free meals on Tuesday, the first day of `Eid in South Africa.
Hundreds of pots of food lined in at Sea Cow Lake as caterers cooked the meals that were then distributed in celebration of `Eid.
In order to ensure that the meals reached those who really needed it, community organizations from various areas were roped in.
"We asked the community groups to come and pick up the food and then deliver to the people in their areas who needed it the most," said Moosa.
"We also sent people to act as monitors to make sure the food was correctly delivered."
South African Muslims make up to 1.5% of the country's 44 millions population.
Inspired
The Muslims in south Africa are inspired by the spirit of `Eid and the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
"Now we are celebrating `Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan, and we are feasting. How can we feast and celebrate when people are going hungry?" wondered Moosa.
Moosa stressed that during the month of Ramadan Muslims abstained from eating during the day and that this reminded them of those people who did not have food.
"We have thought about them too and decided to do something to help," he said.
In 2005 the outreach program fed 4,000 in Durban, this year that number increased to 30,000 people and in 2006 the aim is to feed 50,000 people.
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