Muslim brethren offered special prayers at various mosques in the city on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramzan. There was bonhomie as community members had Iftar to break their fast for the day.
Central Bank of India, Madhurawada branch, hosted iftar at Macca Masjid at Maharanipeta near Jagadamba junction.
“Ramzan is the month during which the holy Koran was revealed to Prophet Mohammad. During Ramzan, those who fast are not allowed to eat or drink anything including water from dawn to sunset. Charity is an important feature of the festival”, said Macca Masjid president F.R. Khan. Ramzan comes once in 12 months and the month of Ramzan is dedicated to Almighty God alone. In the holy Koran, Allah says: “You have all the 11 months for yourself but this month is mine and you have to fast.”
Muslims fast on all the 30 days of Ramzan from 4 a.m. till around 7 p.m., depending on the sighting of the moon. “Fasting is a test to enable devotees to know what hunger is naturally and to make them think of the poor. The rich have to donate 2.5 per cent of the value of the gold or silver in their possession to the poor. They also have to give 2.5 per cent of their earnings as zakat (charity) to the poor. It is believed that the property of those who do in that manner would be protected,” Mr. Khan said.
“Id is also called Id-ul-Fitr (giving alms) and all Muslims have to donate 2.25 kg of wheat or equivalent value in money to the poor before commencement of the Id Namaz so that the poor could also celebrate Id.”
A number of people, many of them Hindus, thronged the ‘Haleem’ stalls put up outside the mosque to taste the delicacies.
