Montgomery County Muslims
Distribute Eid Zabiha Meat among the Needy
SeAmy
G.Gabala,executive director of Manna Food Center, with
Khalid Chaudhry (MCMC President) |
Montgomery County Muslim Council
collected about 700 lbs pounds of fresh meat and teamed up
with the MANNA Food Center, Rockville for its distribution
among the area’s needy. The meat was donated by the
Montgomery County Muslim Council (MCMC) as part of Muslim
religious requirement of Eid-ul-Adha.
Eid-ul-Adha is the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and
commemorates Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his
son, Ismail, as per the command of God. Muslims believe that
God replaced Ismail with a sheep, so they usually sacrifice
a whole goat, sheep, cow or camel during the three-day celebration.
Islamic faith recommends that at least a third of this meat
should go to the poor. The other two portions are for family
and friends.
This is the first time in Montgomery County for an organization
to make an effort to feed the needy through this religious
event. The diverse community in the county which comprises
of Muslims who are Asian, Middle Eastern, African and converted
from all ethnic backgrounds usually send money to their native
countries so the needy there can also enjoy the celebrations
of Eid-ul-Adha. However, more American Muslims are looking
for ways to observe and uphold their charitable faith obligations
locally.
Mr. Tufail Ahmed; one of the founders of Montgomery County
Muslim Council (MCMC, came up with this project seconded by
Dr. Aqeel-ur-Rehman (Vice Chair MCMC) to initiate it in the
county so that American Muslims who are looking for ways to
incorporate their charitable obligations can participate in
the mainstream. MCMC already does an annual countywide food
drive along with a ‘Feed the hungry’ in the holy
month of Ramdan among its other activities. From now on the
meat donation project is to be a permanent annual event under
the charter also; Mr. Khalid Chaudhry (current President MCMC)
has set a target of 5000 lbs for next year. Islamic faith
emphasizes that poor people in your neighborhood have the
first right, MCMC would like to invoke that right here at
home.
Syed Hafeez who helped co-ordinate this effort with two local
area Muslim stores, i.e. SAFA Market, Gaithersburg and HALAL
House, Germantown, said, “It was a humbling experience
to see the smile of anticipation on the faces of the recipients
waiting in queue for distribution” when he went to deliver
the meat to the MANNA Food Center.
Amy G. Gabala, executive director of Manna Food Center, said,
“Manna Food Center is grateful to receive such an extraordinary
amount of meat from the Montgomery County Muslim Council.
Fresh meat is a rare treat for our hungry clients, and they
were excited to find such a nutritious, treasure in their
boxes of food.” Amy added, “The remarkable generosity
of the Muslim community is greatly appreciated by the 60,000
hungry Montgomery County Manna feeds each year.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
