371,000 benefit from ‘Our Fasting Guests’ in first week of Ramadan

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre has announced that 371,050 people benefited from the “Our Fasting Guests” iftar initiative during the first week of Ramadan.  For Ramadan prayer timings, click here.

According to the Centre, 204,130 fasting individuals were served at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, 116,320 at Sheikh Khalifa Grand Mosque in Al Ain, and 50,600 at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Fujairah, which is hosting the initiative for the first time this year. 

The annual project is held in memory of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and is organised under the patronage of the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation in cooperation with Erth Hotel Abu Dhabi.

Daily iftar meals are served in the mosque courtyards, while food supplies are also delivered weekly to ZonesCorp to support meal preparation for workers from different communities. 

Mahra Rashid Al Dhaheri, Head of the Visitor Experience Section at the Centre, said more than 140 volunteers are contributing to the success of the programme. This includes 75 volunteers in Abu Dhabi, 40 in Al Ain and 25 in Fujairah. 

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Volunteers help prepare outdoor areas, distribute meals and ensure a welcoming environment for individuals and families from various backgrounds. 

Several partners are also supporting the initiative, including the Emirates Red Crescent, Tadweer – Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre, Abu Dhabi Police, the Department of Municipalities and Transport, and the Integrated Transport Centre. 

Five central kitchens are operating around the clock to prepare the meals. A total of 650 chefs and 1,550 workers are involved in cooking, packaging and transporting the food. Around 150 trucks deliver meals daily to the mosques before iftar.

After iftar, teams clean the sites quickly to prepare for evening prayers.

Al Dhaheri said the initiative reflects the spirit of the “Year of the Family” and attracts families from different cultures. Dedicated areas are allocated for families to enhance their Ramadan experience. 

She added that the project shows the UAE’s values of generosity and coexistence, bringing thousands together daily at one table in a spirit of unity and respect