The Prophet's Mosque Provides 1 Million Free Takjil For Iftar But Must Be Done Eating In 10 Minutes

Waiting for breaking the fast at the Prophet's Mosque, Medina, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday (7/5/2019). (Antara/Aji Styawan)

JAKARTA - The Prophet's Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia provides about one million portions of takjil or iftar dishes on the second day of Ramadan 1443 Hijri. However, the takjil must be completed within 10 minutes before performing the Maghrib prayer.

"All the congregation eats simultaneously. In about 10 minutes, the meal must be finished. Today the Maghrib call to prayer is at 18.39 p.m. local time, iftar begins, and the party must end the next 10 minutes, 18.49 p.m.," said Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Asrorun Ni' am Sholeh who was in Medina Saudi Arabia, Monday, April 4.

Asrorun recounted his experience of fasting in the Holy Land. In the afternoon before breaking the fast, the Ifthar Shaim committee at the Prophet's Mosque prepared an iftar meal for approximately one million Muslims.

The proposal was prepared in a very short time. Starting half an hour after the Asr prayer in the congregation, the Ifthar Shaim Team carried out their duties swiftly.

Among them are laying out a sufrah, a plastic place for eating mats that is spread on a multi-functional mosque carpet, for a place to eat, a carpet protector from food residue stains, as well as a trash can for wrappers and leftovers.

The Ifthar Shaim team consists of volunteers, university students, and even high school and junior high school students.

"I briefly had a chat with a volunteer who at first I thought was a student, but from the results of the discussion it was found out that he was a junior high school student at a madrasa in Medina City," he said, as reported by Antara.

When maghrib comes and the muezzin sounded the Maghrib call to prayer, all the Muslims present broke their fast together.

The menu that is provided by religion starts from seven sugar dates, fresh yogurt (zabadi) plus dukkah madini (seasoning to be mixed with zabadi), one wheat bread and a bottle of zamzam. Some people also distributed tea and coffee.

After breaking the fast, in an instant, the Ifthar Shaim team returned to their duties, assisted by the mosque cleaning team, lifting the dishes that had been eaten, along with sufrah plastic and transporting them to large plastic bags for disposal. In no more than three minutes, the mosque was clean again, then at 6:54 p.m., the iqamat was echoed to carry out the Maghrib prayer in the congregation.

"But what you need to remember is, if you want to break the fast together in the mosque, enter early, because if the capacity is full you will be refused entry. Likewise when you want to join the Tarawih Prayer in the mosque. If you are late, you have to prepare to pray in the mosque yard," he said.

Between Asr and Maghrib, there are several taklim mejlises held in the Prophet's Mosque. There was a Kyai who delivered religious teaching materials in Arabic, followed by the congregation who were willing to take part in the recitation.