Ramadan’s a busier period for Ipoh mosque with more activities drawn up to help the poor

IPOH, April 22 — Every day, Masjid Abdul Rahman ‘Auf at Taman Rapat Koperasi is a hive of activity with various programmes being rolled out for the community.

The current Ramadan month is no reason for the mosque to slow down.

Its Welfare, External Relations and Economy Bureau has drawn up more programmes to assist the needy during this holy month.

Bureau committee member Muhamad Akhyar Asnawi said on April 11, the mosque distributed 15,000 chicken eggs, 500 frozen chickens and bags of rice to the hardcore poor in the Larut, Matang and Selama districts.

“This Sunday (April 25), a similar activity will be held at our mosque here where we will distribute food items to 100 families,” he said.

Speaking to Malay Mail, Akhyar said the mosque, which was established in 2012, had been distributing food items to the poor since 2014 except for last year due to the enforcement of the movement control order.

“We decided to organise such programmes as we want to inculcate the attitude of thankfulness among Muslims,” he said.

Besides raw food distribution, Akhyar said the mosque also gives out free cooked food for the poor to break fast.

“For those who cannot come to our mosque to pick up the food, our young congregation members will send it to them,” he added.

Masjid Abdul Rahman ‘Auf’s committee member Muhamad Akhyar Asnawi (right) and assistant secretary Mohd Yazid Soib with the food items sold at the mosque on Fridays as part of their fund raising activity. — Picture by Sylvia Looi

Besides distributing food, Akhyar said the mosque also distributes money to the poor staying in the vicinity of the mosque every month.

“We give out between RM100 and RM200 to single mothers or orphans,” he said, adding that every year, the mosque also gives RM100 to the families for them to prepare before school reopens.

Recently, the mosque also started to give out food coupons worth RM30 each for people who come to them seeking aid.

Akhyar said the coupons were to compensate for the lack of a food bank at the mosque.

As part of its fundraising activity, the mosque also does charity sales every Friday where traditional food items are put up for sale.

The mosque is located at Laluan Wira Jaya Timur 17, Taman Rapat Koperasi.

For more information about the mosque, visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MasjidMaarufTamanRapatKoperasi/about/?ref=page_internal