Embracing the spirit of Ramadaan through sharing

IN THE heart of Elsies River, in Cape Town, the spirit of Ramadaan is not only marked by fasting and prayer, but by a powerful culture of sharing that brings an entire community together.

- TRACY-LYNN RUITERS

At Siddique Mosque, evenings during the holy month are filled with the aroma of home-cooked meals and the hum of volunteers working side by side. Each night, families from the community take turns preparing meals that are shared with hundreds of people from surrounding areas.

According to Imam Moulana Mogamat Hassiem Cassiem, the feeding programme is deeply rooted in the purpose of Ramadaan itself.

“Every day a family gets to cook something for the community, so it really is a community-driven effort, because the donations we receive also come from the broader community and SANZAE” he explained.

The mosque feeds between 200 and 300 families each evening, with people coming from areas including Uitsig, Leonsdale, and congregants linked to Halt Road Mosque and Siddique Mosque.

For Cassiem, the act of feeding others during Ramadaan is inseparable from the meaning of fasting.