Mecca Masjid lacks Iftar arrangements

Hyderabad: Thousands of Muslims on Friday gathered at Hyderabad's iconic Mecca Masjid daily to break their Ramzan fast. Families and groups of friends sat down, as the call to prayer marked time for Iftar, the breaking of the daily fast.

Shockingly, Mecca Masjid, a historic and the largest mosque in Hyderabad lacks Iftar arrangements. Daily over 3,000 Muslim devout break the fast only with dates and water.

For some, Iftar in the grand Mecca Masjid is virtuous; for others it is a ritual as they solely depend on Iftar meals to break their fast, while others just happen to be here. Apart from families, who carry their own Iftar meals, roughly more than 2,000 come to the mosque every evening empty-handed, with the hope of getting an Iftar platter, but they hardly find any.

It is said that if you are passing by a neighbourhood mosque during Iftar time just enter the shrine and you will get an Iftar meal to break the fast. Many needy people---women, children and travellers---go to the mosques for Iftar. Similarly, when people with hope entered Mecca Masjid on Friday there were no mass Iftar meals.

"When I entered the mosque, there was a huge rush. Nearly 3,000 people were present to break their fast on Friday. Some boys of social organisations were seen distributing the Iftar. While distributing, when they came near me the meal was finished; I had to break the fast with a date and water," said Mohammed Shareef, a traveller who came to break his fast.

Mohammed Imad Ali, president, Terminate Hunger Welfare Organisation, said when it came to know that there were no Iftar arrangements, they decided to provide an Iftar platter. "With the permission of Masjid authorities, the organisation is distributing fruits among devotees. Daily the organisation is distributing Iftar for over 500 people. However, several hundreds break the fast by only taking date and water," he pointed out.

According to the Mecca Masjid officials, from the minority department they receive only dates from the Minority Welfare department; water is supplied by the HMWSSB. "On every Ramzan the grand mosque receives 1,000 kg dates for the entire month; daily at least 30 kg dates are consumed by the gathering. On Fridays and weekends due to huge gatherings around 50 kg dates are consumed," said the officials.

It is common to find individuals, gatherings and residents sending Iftar meals to neighbourhood mosques. There are hundreds of mosques in the city where Iftar arrangement will be provide also by the masjid committee. A specific amount is also sanctioned by the Wakf Board. But at the Mecca Masjid, which is under the direct management of the Minority Welfare department, no such arrangements were provided; only 1,000 kg dates were supplied for the entire month. Asif Hussain Sohail of Sakina Foundation said "Hundreds of devotees come here, as it is one of the largest and historic mosques in the city, but there are no Iftar arrangements for them. We demand the government to provide a sum from the religious budget for an Iftar platter for the devout in Mecca Masjid."

Sufi Syed Shah Mohammed Khairuddin Quadri, president, All-India Sufi Ulema Council, said according to one Hadith or narration from the life of Prophet Mohammad, he is believed to have encouraged his followers to arrange Iftar meals, in whatever capacity possible. "Instead of appealing to the government, I appeal to Muslims, with huge capacity, to arrange Iftar for the devout, as thousands break their fast in the mosque."