Ramadan is a month of giving as well as fasting.
Seizing on the occasion as a time to help the less fortunate by giving more to charity, Islamic Relief USA hosted an event in Brooklyn to distribute stuffed bags and boxes with hot halal meals.
Volunteers distributed the boxes to people who lined up outside the Muslim American Society Youth Center in Bensonhurst on Sunday, Spectrum News reported.
“I’m very grateful for it because not everyone has food to feed their family,” said Tasbha Tahir, who attended the event. “And I’m so grateful for everything.”
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The Sunday food distribution event was sponsored by Islamic Relief USA with the city’s Office of Comptroller Brad Lander.
“We’ll be serving about 75,000 meals this month,” said Kesha Abdul-Mateen with US Programs, Islamic Relief USA.
“So this is right here in Brooklyn. We have a location [on] Staten Island, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx!”
Halal Food
The event aimed to fight food insecurity by distributing halal meals to the Muslim community observing the Ramadan fasting.
“This youth center already has a weekly food pantry that anyone can walk into given time of the week,” Malik Hassan, the youth center’s executive director, said.
“So an event like this offering an additional resource for the community, those particularly struggling with food insecurity. This provides them with an extra level of relief during a time when many communities around the city, especially South Brooklyn, are celebrating and having a large feast.”
In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
Generosity and charity are generally blessed in Islamic Shari`ah, however, it’s specially blessed during the month of Ramadan.
Multiplies rewards, for one thing, Ramadan is a blessed month where the rewards for all of our good deeds are multiplied.