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CHAMCHAMAL, Kurdistan Region - A group of volunteers have opened a pop-up restaurant on the Sulaimani-Kirkuk highway near the town of Chamchamal to provide free food at dusk for Muslims breaking their fasts during the holy month of Ramadan.
"We cook chicken, rice and beans. We are now cooking these three dishes," said Sardar Abdulkareem, a chef. "Every day, around 1,000 TO 1,200 people stop by and eat and they go. We are three chefs cooking. They eat and go. They are very satisfied with our service."
Water and dates are also available for those who do not want to eat a full meal but just want to break their fast.
Volunteers say they usually cook food for up to 1,200 people, starting work two hours before the maghrib call to prayer at sunset.
Named 'The House of God Restaurant,' the project is funded by two wealthy brothers from Chamchamal.
"To receive God's grace and for the sake of this holy month of Ramadan, we have opened The House of God Restaurant," said Yaseen Hussein, one of the brothers.
He said they have fed people from across the country. "For example, today a man from Basra passed by here and stopped. He had said that he was interested in breaking his fast at our place."
In addition to passing drivers on the Sulaimani-Kirkuk highway, people from the town of Chamchamal have also come to the restaurant.
"This is a very beautiful thing for Chamchamal and its surroundings. It is very beautiful for the whole of Kurdistan. It is beautiful for our lives and our hereafter," Mullah Aziz Shkur, a cleric taking part in an iftar meal at the restaurant, told Rudaw.
"As clerics and relatives [of the owners of the project], we are proud of them. I hope people will see this beautiful thing through your amazing TV channel, so similar wealthy people can imitate this beautiful norm, culture, and behavior,” he said.
Some of the food goes to poor families and students living in dormitories.
"I have come from Sulaimani just to see this beautiful gathering and job done by these Muslims. I would like to thank them for what they have done to help the poor and the destitute people," said Wrya Mohammed, a visitor from Sulaimani city.
At least 250 kilograms of rice, 300 kilograms of chicken, and 50 kilograms of beans are cooked and prepared for the iftar visitors.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (Hijri). Those observing the holy month abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. They traditionally break their fast as the Prophet Muhammad did with a sip of water and some dates at sunset. Then family and friends gather for a large feast. Part of the evening is often spent at the mosque in prayers called "Taraweeh," while others play traditional games.
"We cook chicken, rice and beans. We are now cooking these three dishes," said Sardar Abdulkareem, a chef. "Every day, around 1,000 TO 1,200 people stop by and eat and they go. We are three chefs cooking. They eat and go. They are very satisfied with our service."
Water and dates are also available for those who do not want to eat a full meal but just want to break their fast.
Volunteers say they usually cook food for up to 1,200 people, starting work two hours before the maghrib call to prayer at sunset.
Named 'The House of God Restaurant,' the project is funded by two wealthy brothers from Chamchamal.
"To receive God's grace and for the sake of this holy month of Ramadan, we have opened The House of God Restaurant," said Yaseen Hussein, one of the brothers.
He said they have fed people from across the country. "For example, today a man from Basra passed by here and stopped. He had said that he was interested in breaking his fast at our place."
In addition to passing drivers on the Sulaimani-Kirkuk highway, people from the town of Chamchamal have also come to the restaurant.
"This is a very beautiful thing for Chamchamal and its surroundings. It is very beautiful for the whole of Kurdistan. It is beautiful for our lives and our hereafter," Mullah Aziz Shkur, a cleric taking part in an iftar meal at the restaurant, told Rudaw.
"As clerics and relatives [of the owners of the project], we are proud of them. I hope people will see this beautiful thing through your amazing TV channel, so similar wealthy people can imitate this beautiful norm, culture, and behavior,” he said.
Some of the food goes to poor families and students living in dormitories.
"I have come from Sulaimani just to see this beautiful gathering and job done by these Muslims. I would like to thank them for what they have done to help the poor and the destitute people," said Wrya Mohammed, a visitor from Sulaimani city.
At least 250 kilograms of rice, 300 kilograms of chicken, and 50 kilograms of beans are cooked and prepared for the iftar visitors.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (Hijri). Those observing the holy month abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. They traditionally break their fast as the Prophet Muhammad did with a sip of water and some dates at sunset. Then family and friends gather for a large feast. Part of the evening is often spent at the mosque in prayers called "Taraweeh," while others play traditional games.
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