Day 7: The First to Give, the Last to Take

MadinaIftar

Guest blogger: my dear cousin SaimaOne of my fondest childhood Ramadan memories is breaking fast at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. The Prophet’s Mosque, Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi, is exquisite - gleaming marble archways, undulating domes, the distinctive green dome marking the tomb of the Prophet – I was awed by its beauty and history and soothed by its tranquility each time we visited. However, during Ramadan, Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi was transformed. My mother and I would step into the mosque and immediately be greeted by smiling women, their hands outstretched in invitation. Each one would gesture towards us, “Ta’ali”, “Tafadhali a’la sufratna” they would say “Come, join us, come to our table”. On those Ramadan evenings, I could barely see the plush carpets on which we usually prayed. Instead, row upon row of white plastic tablecloths, stretched the length and breadth of the mosque floor, in preparation for breaking the fast.It is a longstanding tradition that the residents of Madinah provide iftar for worshippers at the Prophet’s Mosque; the estimate is that, collectively, they feed one million people each day during Ramadan. The “hosts” provide luscious locally grown dates, freshly baked bread, and cool yoghurt. Many families have been hosting for generations, and each host has designated tablecloth areas where they lay out their contribution; some may feed 100 people, while others may feed 1,000 or more. These women were inviting us to sit in their area and break our fast with food that their family had provided. Holding tight to my mother’s hand, I would follow her lead, and soon find myself seated cross-legged at the edge of a tablecloth covered with food, greeting women and girls I had never seen before, and would likely never see again, with the universal Muslim greeting, Assalaamaleikum.I remember so vividly the feeling of camaraderie and the smiles we shared as we sat together, waiting for time to break fast. The warmth and sincerity of these strangers, both the hosts and the other “guests”, captured for me the spirit that I loved best in my religion and my culture, and in the month of Ramadan. Hospitality, generosity, equality, shared humanity – these iftars in Madinah represented all of that to me. What was usually a beautiful but somewhat solitary experience, visiting this awe-inspiring mosque with Ammi and praying and observing in silence, became a joyous, communal experience during the days of Ramadan. Sitting knee to knee with girls and women from across the world, using hand gestures and lots of pointing to communicate with those we were, literally, breaking bread with, passing glasses of Zamzam down the row of seated women to ensure that everyone had some, each of us - regardless of where we came from or how old we were – wanting to be the first to give, and the last to take. And then, when the Iqama was called, standing side by side with these fellow Muslims to offer the Maghrib prayer, joined by this shared experience, a beautiful tradition that forged a sense of compassion, community and shared identity among strangers.Day 7, Tradition 7: Breaking fast at the Prophet's Mosque