Since the beginning of Ramadan, thousands have thronged local mosques where free iftar is offered. The meals are often in tents attached to the mosques and the practice of free meals will continue until the month ends.
This genuine Islamic tradition of offering free iftar is thought to be practiced in at least 60 percent of the 94,000 mosques in the Kingdom, according to an estimate by Deputy Islamic Affairs Minister Abdullah Al-Huwaimil.
In a visit by Arab News to some mosques in Riyadh, a typical meal at sunset normally contains fast-breaking foods such as dates and water in accordance with the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
After the fast has been broken, a full meal consisting of soup, rice, bread, barbecued or cooked chicken or meat mixed with vegetable, and sweets or fruits is available to worshippers.
At some locations there may be kabsa (traditional boiled rice with chicken, lamb, camel or pigeon) which is served just after the prayer.
The majority of people who come to the tents for iftar are Muslim expatriates; there are many from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Egypt and Ethiopia. The Saudi presence is small at these iftar meals.
Saiful Islam, a Bangladeshi who enjoys the free iftar meals, made excuses for Saudis not attending. “This might be because of their commitments to their families and children unlike most of us whose families are far away,” he said.
Turki Mohammed, a Saudi supervising free iftar in the Al-Athl Mosque, agreed with Saiful Islam. “I suggest forming Saudi volunteer groups in each neighborhood mosque which will join these expatriates at their iftar meals to make them feel a sense of Islamic brotherhood and closeness to Saudi society during this sacred month,” he said.
There is no official figure on the number of free Ramadan iftar meals served in the tents or of their cost which is totally borne by charities and well-known philanthropists.
Dr. Abdul Aziz Turkistani, who is a former adviser to the Islamic affairs minister, gave Arab News an estimate on the number of meals and their cost. “Apart from the about 4.2 million free iftar meals offered at the Two Holy Mosques (about 4 million in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and about 200,000 meals at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah), I estimate the number of meals offered in other mosques Kingdom-wide at 3 million daily,” he said.
“I base my estimate on an average of 50 persons attending one iftar meal in almost 60,000 mosques Kingdom-wide everyday. The figure is approximately 60 percent of the Kingdom’s estimated 94,000 mosques since it is unlikely that every mosque offers a free iftar,” he said. “As for the total cost of these meals in Ramadan, let us suppose that a meal costs at least SR6. Then, we can come up with a total daily cost of SR18 million for 3 million meals. And, if we multiply this daily cost by 30 days, we get SR540 million for the whole month,” he said.
To avoid misuse or exploitation of money given for this particular good deed, the tents are closely watched by the Saudi authorities, especially the Islamic Affairs Ministry.
The ministry has limited the organizing of free iftar meals to licensed charitable organizations and asking them to provide the ministry with a full official report of income and expenditure within a month after the end of Ramadan. The ministry has also banned imams or muezzins from receiving money for organizing such acts of charity and if there are violations, the imams and muezzins will be held responsible.
Further, the ministry has mandated that food should be prepared by licensed kitchens or restaurants with guarantees of food safety.
Many Muslim expatriates experience sharp hunger pangs as a result of a long fasting day. The fact that many receive a low salary is the major reason for their attending the free iftar meals.
Mohammed Ahmad, an Egyptian, said he came for the free iftar because the free iftar helps him to save money which he can send to his family.
Abdo, an Ethiopian, said that when he finishes a long working day he has no time to cook so it is easier for him to come to the nearby mosque tent for a free iftar meal.
Mohiddin, a Bangladeshi, said that he usually came to the tent not only to break his fast but also to get a sense of companionship with others and to pray with the congregation in the mosque before going home.

Source ; Arab News