Alhamdullilah, the blessed month of Ramadan is fast approaching. Allah Subhana wa Ta’Ala provides many opportunities for us to do good deeds throughout the year, and in particular this month many Muslims try to take full advantage of these opportunities.

Insha’Allah, for those who are willing and able we have opportunities in the following areas:

Ramadan Food packages for families in need (packages include foods for Sahoor and Iftar—cereals, pancake mix, syrup, cream of wheat, eggs, breads, jams, crackers, tea, evaporated milk and other staples such as juices, fruit cups, tuna fish, canned vegetables, rice (basmati), flour, sugar or honey, spaghetti sauce, pasta, peanut butter, spring water, fruits—bananas, oranges, apples) or donation of $10.00 per day or $250.00 for a food package per family for the month of Ramadan.

Sponsor a family for Ramadan (sadaqa or zakat funds for particular families to help with bills, personal care items, or any emergency expenses). As a result of there being so many widows and disabled Muslims living on very low social security disability (more than 65 families) we have a fund just for that this year. If you wish to sponsor a widow or Muslim who is disabled or terminally ill, please let us know as this is our largest group needing assistance. Muslims who receive SSI will never be able to return to work due to disability, illness or frequently hospitalizations requiring extensive care. We also have refugee families (at least 30 families) and single parent families (sisters with children) who need assistance, and some homeless Muslim families (about 10 families) who are still looking for permanent housing but due to lack of funds have been unable to secure housing.

If you wish to sponsor a family in any of these categories, please indicate when you make the donation, so we know where the funds need to go. You can choose to sponsor a family for $75-$100 per week ($300-$400 for the month of Ramadan) or more if you choose. All of these families struggle throughout the year with bills and are zakat eligible.

Iftar dinners sponsorship-sponsor an Iftar meal at a masjid in lower incomes areas during Ramadan or for any individual family in need of food items for iftar that can’t get to their local masjid for iftar meals because of illness of lack of transportation or they live too far from masjids to get iftar meals. For individual families we recommend ($50), particularly for larger families. Most masjids have 100 people we are feeding so the cost for sponsorship of an Iftar meal at a masjid is $500 (for 100 people) which include appetizer, main meal and dessert. In sha’ Allah, this year we will be coordinating Iftar meals at 5 different masjids (four in metro Atlanta and one in Northeast Georgia).

Eid clothing collection- In sha’ Allah, during the month of Ramadan we will collect new clothes for families in need of them for the EID. These include children’s shalwar khameez, kufis, hijabs, abayas, men’s and ladies shalwar khameez, thobes, chaddars. In particular, we need children’s shalwar khameez and kufis and hijabs.

EID toy and gift card drive (Insha’Allah, we are working on our EID toy drive for children 17 and under this year which includes toys, books, gift certificates to local stores-particularly for the teens 13 and up, games). The toys, books and games need to be new if anyone wishes to donate these for families. We can pick them up once we are contacted. We need volunteers in various areas to coordinate collection of these gifts for families in need. As of now we have over 125 children on our EID toy drive list. All children on the EID toy drive list are from zakat eligible families.

We can also accept cash donations to be used for gifts for children through PayPal on our website: www.madinahfoodpantry.org or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. via Bank of America (bank transfer) or personal check made payable to Madinah Food Pantry, Inc   845 Josh Lane, Lawrenceville, GA. 30045. Please make a note on the check how you would like the funds to be used.

Fidya- For those who can’t fast (due to illness or health restrictions, etc.…) they can feed the poor in the community through fidya for $10.00 per day or $300 for the entire month of Ramadan based on the average cost of a meal throughout the country. Medical justification not to fast should come from a practising Muslim Doctor know in the community for his or her honest and integrity.

Kaffara- Kaffara is also a donation type that requires individuals who deliberately miss or break a day of fast during the month of Ramadan without a valid reason to either fast for 60 consecutive days or feed 60 miskeen (poor people)if unable to keep the fast due to health related issues or old age. The estimated cost is $10 per person for 60 people, which equals $600  total for the  60 days.

Ramadan good deed baskets These are baskets filled with personal care items (soaps, toothpaste, facial tissue, shampoo, toothbrushes, combs, brushes, deodorant, first aid cream, band-aids and small snack items-crackers, raisins, nuts or trail mixes, dates, jams or jellies, tea) delivered to families the first 10 days of Ramadan by our volunteers.

HADITH

The prophet Mohammed (Sallalahu alayhi wa alaihi wa sallam) said,

"If a person gives iftar to a fasting person in this month, his sins will be forgiven. And he will be given as many rewards as has that fasting person,"

Can you imagine the reward and blessings you will receive if you fed a couple of families during the holy month of Ramadan? May Allah Subhana wa Ta’Ala increase your sustenance and bless and reward you for your good deeds.

Ramadan Is Also The Month Of Charity.

Holy Prophet Mohammad (Sallalahu alayhi wa alaihi wa sallam) said, “…Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month), shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time; and whoever performs an obligatory deed in (this month), shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time.

Ramadan is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast during month of Ramadan shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Hell fire, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished"

“The person who strives on behalf of the widows and the poor is like those who strive in the way of Allah and like those who fast in the day and pray at night.” Sahih Bukhari