Prophet’s Mosque a ‘Spreading Table’ in Ramadan

By Fawaz Mohammad, IOL Correspondent

MADINAH, October 18, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – The esplanade of the Prophet’s Mosque is usually turned into a spreading table after the Afternoon Prayer during Ramadan, brining together people from all walks of life and from across the world to break their fast in unison, thanks to benevolent Saudis.

Muslims from the four corners of the world sit shoulder to shoulder at the “table” in a mosaic of solidarity and humility, drinking and eating altogether before standing up enthusiastically to perform the Sunset Prayer.

“Our family used to choose an area at the mosque’s esplanade every year during Ramadan to provide Iftar for as many as 50 Muslims,” one of the philanthropists told IslamOnline.net.

“We then scatter at the gates of the mosque and invite other pilgrims and worshippers to share us our Iftar meal.”

Others invite their friends and family members to the mosque’s esplanade to join the congregational Iftar.

“Every year, we bring food and drinks to the mosque and invite our friends to join us,” Amin Al-Sayed said.

Competition

Saudis are, in effect, competing during the holy month for God’s reward and racing to reserve their place in the vast esplanade as first come first served.

“We are keen on turning out early at dawn to perform the Dawn Prayer and get a foothold,” Khaled Al-Akhmimi said.

“Saudis are keen on cooking the best of their food and provide it to thousands of mini tables spreading out there in the mosque,” he added, mentioning some famous dishes in the kingdom and the Arab world.

He said in the past a table used to accommodate some 10 people, and now the number rose to 50.

Some Saudis join forces to take part in the charity by setting a budget for the whole month and then every one pays his/her share.

“This habit passes on from one generation to another and dates back as far as 1950s,” one resident of Al-Madinah Al-Munawara said.

Some of the spreading tables are not limited to Ramadan, but are held on Mondays, Thursdays and during the month of Shawal (the 10th month in the Islamic calendar).

The Iftar banquets are supervised and organized by the mosque’s administration with some 4,000 volunteers are working round the clock to cater for the faithful and keep the holy place clean.