15 thousand Muslims will arrive in Kazan for republican Iftar

For those who are not able to take part in it, 1 thousand lunch boxes with treats will be prepared.

(KZN.RU, May 17, Ksenia Shvetsova). Preparations for the VII Republican Iftar began in Kazan. It will be held on May 25. This year, a large-scale charity event will bring together 15000 Muslims from the cities of the republic, Russia and neighboring countries at the stadium “Kazan Arena”. The mufti of the RF Kamil hazrat Samigullin told this at the press conference in the IA “Tatar-inform” today.

Poor and large families, people with disabilities and many others are also among those invited to Iftar, not only religious figures. “This year, 15000 people will come to the Iftar. We haven’t had that experience yet”, said the Mufti of Tatarstan Kamil hazrat Samigullin. “Every year we get good reviews about this event. It is very important that people from different segments of the population together at the same table eat the same food. this unites our hearts”.

The menu this year will be the same as in the past. Guests will be served fruits, dried fruits, cookies, chak-chak, sweets, meat and vegetable, juices, water, pastries, and the main course: pilaf. Pilaf will be prepared in the Department of Food and Social Catering.

“Our task is to have 15 thousand servings of pilaf served hot. To achieve this, we need to heat the main dish. Fortunately, there are such conditions at the stadium “Kazan Arena” so we plan to bring a pilaf from the Department and warm it up if necessary”, said Radik Abdrakhmanov, the first vice president of the Association of Muslim Entrepreneurs of the RF.

Each guest at the entrance to the stadium will receive a special package where he will be able to collect gifts after the Iftar. Those who come to the stadium without a ticket or who for some reason do not have enough space will be given a lunch box with treats. In total, it is planned to prepare 1000 lunch boxes, said Aigul Biktimirova, the head of the social development department of the Muslim Religious Board of the RT.

Volunteers help organize such a large-scale event. Today about 1000 people have already signed up as volunteers, the recruitment of volunteers is still ongoing. “This year, a thousand volunteers from 16 years old were very quickly gathered. Some of them are 79 years old”, noted A. Biktimirova. “Iftar coordinators, 50 trained people who know the territory of the stadium well, conduct preparatory trainings for them. Everyone understands that this is not just a meeting, but a good event. People come with the intention to feed the fasting”.

Iftar is held at the expense of donations, and the number of people willing to help in organizing the event is growing every year, noted Radik Abdrakhmanov. This year about 20 companies and individuals provided financial support.

“The essence of Iftar is not food or treats, but that we all see each other, sit at the same table, and pray together”, added the mufti. “The Muslims still have time to participate in fundraising, make a donation, and help someone. In the month of Ramadan, any good deed increases and any sin increases. There is still an opportunity to receive the forgiveness of the Lord by doing good deeds”.

To visit Iftar, you need to get a ticket. About 2.5 thousand tickets were allocated to each region of the republic. Tickets are distributed through mosques and the Muslim Religious Board of the RT.

The entrance to the stadium for women will be provided from Yamasheva Prospect, and for men from Chistopolskaya Street.

Last year the Republican Iftar was held separately for men and women for the first time and gathered about 10 thousand Muslims at the Kazan Tennis Academy in two days. Large and low-income families, people with disabilities, orphans, community and religious leaders, Muslims from all regions of the republic and other regions of the country were invited to Iftar. About 400 volunteers were involved in the organization.