Erdogan Enjoying Iftar With the Poor

ANKARA, October 7, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, October 6, joined a poor family in having Iftar (the meal that breaks the fast) during the holy fasting month of Ramadan and urged his cabinet members to follow suit.

Accompanied by his wife Aminah and bodyguards, Erdogan had his Iftar in an Istanbul slum with a five-member poor family, according to the Middle East News Agency (MENA).

Happily sharing a home-made meal, emotional Erdogan had a humble meal of soup, beans, bread and sweet.

Finishing their Iftar, Erdogan and his wife handed out presents to the children of the poor family.

The Turkish premier also urged his cabinet members and MPs of his Justice and Development party to follow suit in having their Iftars with poor families as a sign of solidarity with this cross-section of Turkish society.

Caring Erdogan

Erdogan is known for his care for the poor, especially during the dawn-to-dusk fasting month.

When he was Istanbul governor, Erdogan used to offer food supplies and aid packages to the needy in the city during Muslim occasions.

He was also the first official in the city to hold iftar banquets, which bring together a quite large number of people to break the fast together.

Erdogan has also been a staunch supporter to poor workers, visiting them at work sites and dressing like them to send a message of equality.

The government Aid Waqfs launched this Ramadan, which started in Turkey on Wednesday, October 5, a nationwide campaign to distribute food supplies to the poor families under the supervision of Erdogan.

The campaign also included hading out food supplies the poor in African countries, Iraq and the occupied Palestinian territories.

Erdogan was chosen in December of last year by the readership of a European weekly as the "European of the Year."

The Newsweek had further described Erdogan and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi as shining examples of leadership in the Muslim world.