RAMADAN DONATIONS FOR ARIZONA NEEDY

Arizona, 25 Ramadan 1436/12 July 2015 (MINA) – As a part of its Ramadan charitable program in 20 American cities, a leading Islamic nonprofit charity has donated hundreds of boxes of food to a phoenix local food bank to feed needy people in the city during the holy fasting month.

“Part of the month, spiritually, is about kind of putting yourself in the position of someone who is struggling,” said Minkailu Jalloh, U.S. Program Specialist at Islamic Relief USA, told ABC 15 on Tuesday, July 7.

“Feeling that hunger and kind of having that increased sense of empathy is meant to encourage people to do more charity.”, On Islam reports as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

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Islamic Relief USA delivered on Tuesday 3,000 boxes holding approximately 30 pounds of food, packaged to help feed a family of five to seven people for two weeks to a month.

According to Jalloh, the boxes that include foods like pasta, rice, beans, oil, canned meat, cheese, and dates were packed by staff and volunteers in Springfield, Virginia, earlier this month.

“It is highly encouraged to do more charity during this month,” Jalloh said.

Ramadan is the holiest month in Islamic calendar.

In Ramadan, adult Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

The sick and those traveling are exempt from fasting especially if it poses health risks.

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Fasting is meant to teach Muslims patience, self-control and spirituality, and time during the holy month is dedicated for getting closer to Allah though prayers, reading the Noble Qur’an and good deeds.

“If, I think, they knew the community better, if they had more interactions with them and more experiences with them, they’d see that the norm is really things like this,” Jalloh said, “as opposed to whatever it is that they see on the news.”

Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) is an international relief and development organization consisting of a family of 15 aid agencies that aims to alleviate the suffering of the world’s poorest people.

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Founded in the UK in 1984 with the stated mission of alleviating suffering, hunger, illiteracy and diseases worldwide regardless of color, race or creed, Islamic relief is now the biggest Muslim international relief and development charity in the West. (T/P010/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)