Day 3 – Drive-Thru Iftar – Sayeda Khadija Centre – Faith of Life Network

Day 3 – Drive-Thru Iftar – Sayeda Khadija Centre – Faith of Life Network – Mississauga, Ontario

04 26 20'

Written by HiMY SYeD

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Day 3 of Ramadan 2020 was weird.

The Pandemic Lockdown has transformed this project’s premise from

30 Masjids in 30 Days of Ramadan,

30 Masjids At Home in 30 Days of Ramadan 2020.

Yet, unexpectedly, Sayeda Khadija Centre‘s Drive-Thru Iftar Pick-Up, for regular Masjid attendees, allowed us a real, and not virtual, Masjid visit !

@ihslimi just announced drive-thru iftars for folks who need a meal. Loving the innovative concept to serve the cmty during these difficult times. Other mosques should follow this example.

— Remziya (@Remziya) April 24, 2020

Even though we’d never leave the car,

We could still visit the Masjid in person during Ramadan 2020 to pick up an Iftar Meal.

After praying Asr, The Late Afternoon Prayer, at home, we hopped in the car and headed out . . .

Sayeda Khadija Centre’s Drive-Thru Iftar Pick-Up service was what you would expect it to be.

Cars enter from one side of the Masjid, then await their turn.

The “Temporarily Closed” sign posted outside Sayeda Khadija Centre entrance included a link to their donation page.

Because of the Pandemic Lockdown, every Masjid, Musallah, Islamic Centre, Temple, Synagogue, Church in Canada is physically closed, yet still financially on the hook for their monthly bills.

So like the sign says,

“Please Continue to Donate in these difficult times” to Sayeda Khadija Centre !

The line moved pretty quick.

Waiting inside the car didn’t feel long at all.

The actual Drive Thru Iftar Meal Pick Up was simple.

Tables outside on the parking lot.

Pre-Packaged Iftar Meals in disposable containers atop those tables.

You lower the passenger side car door window.

A volunteer wearing a face safety mask asks you through your open car window, “How many meals ?”

The volunteer, wearing disposable blue safety gloves, hands you the Iftar meals through the car window.

And that took all of a few moments.

Thank you. Come Again.

Next !

We exit around the other side of the masjid and begin the return journey . . .

MashAllah!

Minutes later we are home with our Drive-Thru Iftar meals.

The first thing we did at home, of course, was to wash our hands.

Only then, with hands washed, did I place the three Iftar Trays on the dining table.

Around 7 p.m., we began listening to Brother Asim Malik deliver this evening’s Pre-Iftar Lecture from the same Sayeda Khadija Centre in Mississauga via livestream.

An hour plus change passes while we listen to the Pre-Iftar Lecture.

Time well spent.

We broke our fast at home listening to Adhan Al Maghrib, The Call to Sunset Prayer, livestreaming from Sayeda Khadija Centre.

On any previous Ramadan Weekend, after breaking our fast in a large Public Iftar Gathering, we would be praying with hundreds of fellow worshippers inside a large Prayer Hall.

Tonight, it’s a couple of prayer mats spread out on the living room floor.

I don’t know about you, but I really, really, really, really, needed a coffee to go with my Iftar Meal tonight.

Chicken.

Rice.

Paneer.

We added the triangle of bread.

And of course the coffee.

Alhamdulillah.

This Drive Thru Iftar Pick Up is only available on Saturday and Sunday between 6 p.m and 8 p.m.

It’s for people who really need an Iftar meal.

It’s mostly intended for the regular people would normally gather on the weekends in Ramadan inside Sayeda Khadija Centre to break their fast, pray Maghrib, and enjoy their Iftar Meals with friends and extended family.

This is one service among many activities Sayeda Khadija Centre is providing to its regular congregation during the Pandemic Lockdown.

So, Toronto… umm…

Please don’t show up at the Drive-Thru Iftar if you wouldn’t normally show up at Sayeda Khadija Centre on a Ramadan Weekend.

This program is running on donations, by and mostly for its own congregation.

Yet, if you really need an Iftar Meal, no one is going to ask you for ID nor turn you away.

As Sister Remziya says it her tweet atop this story,

“Other mosques should follow this example.”

InshAllah, other Masjids around Metropolitan Toronto will do so.

When I learn of other local Drive Thru Iftars,

I’ll attempt to visit and blog about them.

Day 3 of 30 Masjids At Home in 30 Days of Ramadan 2020 summed up :

We visited Sayeda Khadija Centre
Staying inside the car, we picked up three Drive-Through Iftar Meals
Returned home
Listened to Pre-Iftar Lecture livestreamed from Sayeda Khadija Centre
We broke our fast At Home while listening to Adhan Al Maghrib, The Call to Sunset Prayer being Livestreamed from SK Centre
Prayed Maghrib in our Living Room
Enjoyed eating our Drive-Thru Iftar Meals at home

Was this the only Drive-Thru Iftar Meal services out there ?

Nope.

There are Drive-Thru Iftar meals happening every night in Manitoba at the Winnipeg Grand Mosque.

30 Masjids visited the Manitoba Islamic Association for Iftar on Day 15 in Ramadan 2016.

In the United States,

Drive-Thru Iftar Meals are also happening every evening of Ramadan 2020 in