Mr. Ali Aayed Al-Qahtani, Director of Hifz Al Naema Center, stated that during the month of Ramadan, as part of the Iftar project, the center distributed approximately 3,500 meals daily to various locations within Qatar, such as Industrial Area, Al Shahaniya, Al Murrah, and Muaither, which are housing points for workers. For families and individuals, meals were available for pick-up at the Sheikh Eid Charity Foundation headquarters in North Khalifa City from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM daily. For the third consecutive year, the center has implemented a coupon system. Beneficiaries register their personal information, including their personal ID number and phone number, and sign for receipt. They are then given a booklet of 30 coupons, each redeemable for one meal, ensuring that each person receives only one meal per day. The meals were supported by the Sheikh Eid Charity Foundation, providing 1,700 meals daily, with the remaining meals coming from donations through agreements with various restaurants. These restaurants contribute meals to the Iftar project, which are then distributed to deserving individuals. Accuracy in meal distribution is ensured by registering beneficiaries before Ramadan and providing them with meal coupons for the entire month through a specially designed form to streamline and regulate the process. Al-Qahtani also mentioned the continuation of the "Basket of Giving" initiative for the fifth consecutive year, launched by the General Directorate of Endowments at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in collaboration with Hifz Al Naema Center. This initiative aims to deliver food baskets to needy families, supported by the Endowment Fund for Charity and Piety, and the "Basket of Goodness" provided to families registered with the center with support from the Zakat Fund Administration. The center expresses its gratitude to the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, represented by the General Directorate of Endowments and the Zakat Affairs Department, for their support of family aid projects and cooperation with the center to deliver food supplies to deserving families. This year's contributions included 2,000 food vouchers as part of the "Basket of Giving" initiative and 5,170 food baskets through the "Basket of Goodness" initiative. Al-Qahtani concluded his remarks with a message to the community, emphasizing that the blessed month of Ramadan is a time of unity and generosity. He urged everyone to extend their hospitality to their guests and show generosity and kindness to the poor and needy. However, he cautioned against turning this generosity into wasteful and unjustified extravagance, as excessive spending deviates from the commendable generosity encouraged by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to the blameworthy wastefulness warned against in the Holy Quran. The wisdom of fasting lies in feeling the need of the less fortunate, not in excessive and wasteful spending.
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