Young people serve wider community

The Holy Month of Ramadan, where Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, has a much deeper meaning and far reaching notions. It is a mode of enhancing in spirituality and an opportunity for regulating one’s attitude and conduct.

The Holy Month of Ramadan serves as a protective shield and acts as a pinnacle of human development.

Therefore, this month motivates us to step further ahead in charitable acts, giving alms, reforming ourselves and serving humanity.

This Ramadan, youth from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association (AMYA) Cardiff intensified its efforts to serve the communities and wider society in the city.

In the first half of Ramadan we visited Cardiff Food Bank in Splott where food items weighing nearly 30 kilograms were donated to the food bank for distribution to the needy.

Keeping up with this spirit of Ramadan and charity, we made our way to town to feed the homeless, those suffering and fighting hunger, and served them food and hot drinks.

We then went to Noah’s Ark Children Charity at Heath Hospital on May 31 where, as on previous occasions, we donated gifts and sweets to the children. The funds for this visit were mainly donated by children aged seven to 15 who are part of AMYA.

On June 2, the youth association hosted “The Big Iftar” in Rhiwbina, inviting members from the wider community, comprising of all backgrounds to break the Ramadan fast together (Iftar). The evening was attended by 26 guests and for many of them it was their first Iftar experience.

AMYA volunteered to help marshal the charity 10K Poppy Walk for Royal British Legion, one of many charities we work with, on the day of Royal Gun Salute to commemorate the Queen’s birthday at Cardiff Castle.

Two days before the Eid, we made our way again to the streets of the city centre to give away gifts and fed those sleeping rough. The visit was made minutes before the fast opening time (Iftar) so we could sympathise more with the hunger of those who are less fortunate that us at this time. Lots of appreciation and Eid Mubarak (Blessed Eid) felicitations from our fellow community members showed a true spirit of community cohesion.

Serving the country and society is an integral part of our faith as well as a civic responsibility and with Ramadan comes added motivation, so it does not stop here. In Cardiff and throughout the UK, AMYA is raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for multiple British charities as part of the Mercy4Mankind Charity Challenge, culminating with the annual Ride for Peace, which will stop in Cardiff on July 3 on its way to join our flagship event, a full marathon on July 8 in Sheffield, where over 500 participants will enter.

Kaleem Ahmed

Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, Cardiff

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/western-mail-letters-tuesday-june-14800974