Cape Town - A Du Noon mother, one of hundreds of needy residents in the area who received a food parcel on Saturday, is now looking forward to cooking for her family on Eid.
Fatima Dauda, from Malawi, has two children and moved to South Africa with her husband a year ago.
“There’s a lot of poverty in Du Noon. These donations will help us. I got rice, meat and cooking oil at the mosque,” she said. “I’ll be able to make some food for my family on Eid.”
This week, in the lead-up to the end of Ramadaan, local charities were trying to make sure all Muslim families had a meal on Eid ul-Fitr, a festival marking the end of the month of fasting.
But in Du Noon on Saturday this charity extended beyond the Muslim community
Imam Nooruleemaan Mustafa, leader at the Muhammadi Mosque, distributed blankets and food parcels to 280 homes in the township, irrespective of the recipient’s religion. A further 150 food parcels had been distributed specifically as fitrah, he said.
Imam Rashied Omar, leader at the Claremont Main Road Mosque, had worked with his congregation to collect 500 food hampers and 300 blankets for the poor.
Omar said this was part of his mosque’s Jihad Against Poverty programme. His and Mustafa’s congregation distributed the goods, after they held a workshop with the township’s street committees to “address their socio-economic challenges”.
After midday prayers on Saturday, Mustafa sat down inside the small mosque, feeling “tired but happy”.
“It’s very demanding work. I sacrifice myself. But to be a leader is to be a slave to people. It’s not to be a boss,” he said as he took a break.
Mustafa said his mosque’s co-operation with the Claremont mosque had led to various initiatives over the past three years. The charity drive was an annual event.
“A lot of people in Du Noon are poor. This year we wanted to help more people. I asked chairpersons of the 14 street committees to select the 20 poorest houses in need of help,” said Mustafa. “We didn’t look at their religion. We made sure they received a blanket and food parcels. We are here not only for Muslims, but for everybody.”
The leader from Malawi said his congregation comprised mostly Africans from various countries. There were about 10 local Muslims.
“The Muslim community is growing. The first time we prayed in this mosque we had only one row of people. Now the mosque is full,” said Mustafa. “On Eid ul-Fitr we even have to salaah (pray) outside the mosque because not everybody can fit inside.”
Outside the mosque, women were on Saturday heading home with food parcels.
Akhona Hlezupondo said she embraced Islam five months ago and this was her first Ramadaan.
“It’s difficult but I’m coping. We take care of each other,” she said. “My family is not Muslim but I like being Muslim. You get respect because of the way we dress. You learn about caring and love.”
Fahadi Nose is another local who embraced Islam two years ago.
“I told my parents and they were shouting at me. But after that they accepted it,” said Nose.
“I like Muslims. They have a quiet way of praying. Ramadaan is difficult but I’m trying my best.”
While congregants were leaving the mosque after Saturday’s midday prayers, Ashraf Davids, from Plumstead, arrived at the mosque with his son.
Davids and his son unloaded a small truck filled with biscuits, cold drinks and other foods as a donation to the Du Noon residents. The idea was to ensure Muslims have food for Eid.
“We are a group of friends who grew up together and do this throughout the year,” said Davids.
“There’s a big gap between those who have and those who don’t have. At night we eat and we have an abundance of food. We are obliged in Islam to help others.”
Moulana Shuaib Appleby from the Koowatool Islam mosque in Loop Street, central Cape Town, said fitrah was also a charity meant to “cleanse one from any sins committed during Ramadaan”.
“This is a practical effort in remedying the inequality between rich and poor. It lessens inequalities,” said Appleby.
“There’s a spiritual and practical dimension. Any act of worship and charity is twofold because the human being is made of a body and a soul.”
Muslims are obliged to donate time or money to a charity, known in Arabic as fitrah, during Ramadaan. This can be offered in person or via a mosque or charity group.
Weekend Argus