MONTREAL – A Canadian Muslim has opened the doors of his Montreal restaurant to feed anyone who needs it and cannot afford to pay the meal.

“People sometimes come here, you have no idea by their look that they need the food and they’re shy or they don’t believe in such things. So we told the cook, ‘Don’t ask any questions; do not judge them.’ If they ask, just give them the food, that’s it, that’s all,” said Yahya Hashemi, CTV News Montreal reported on Wednesday, January 4.

Hashemi is the co-owner of the Marché Restaurant Ferdous restaurant on Ste. Catherine St. W.

This nice gesture of offering free meals to the needy came after Hashemi noticed a number of homeless people in the area asking for spare change and in need of a warm meal.

Taking an immediate step, the owners posted a sign months ago announcing free meals to anyone who ask.

“Especially when it’s cold, they just want to eat,” said Hashemi.

Chicken shawarma, lentil soup and a variety of Middle Eastern delicacies are all on the table.

“It doesn’t matter, because at night if you still have leftover food you end up throwing it out, so why not give to those in need? It’s not a big deal,” said chef Abdelkader Bejaoui.

“It’s just a sandwich, right, it’s not life changing to most people, but to some people, it means they won’t go to bed hungry and that to me spoke mountains about it,” said customer Sean Jalbert.

The owners hope the good deed, a key Islamic teaching, would inspire other restaurants to do the same.

“We have to reflect our real image of Islam and Muslim people, immigrants who want to work hard and participate in this great country to contribute in its economy and social tissue,” said co-owner Ala Amiry.

“It’s part of religion, this kind of tradition. You have to give to the people if you want the blessing from God.”