By Kouthar Sambo
“Many years ago we visited Beirut as our head office is based there, and we visited the Al Burj Refugee Camp in Al Burj – there was a need for a Masjid in the camp and the people of Cape Town sponsored the Masjid on the ground, which is now in full operation, was purchased,” explains Yoonis Allie, Al-Quds Foundation (SA) Co-ordinator for all projects.
Yoonus further went on the necessity of funding to improve the conditions of the refugee camp in Beirut, which consist of 25,000 Palestinians and 10,000 Syrians living under, what he describes as, “very bad living conditions.”
The Masjid, explains Yoonus, is called Masjidul Rayaan, and the Haafiz School is called Darul Quran. The school consists of approximately 150 Hifths students, of which some of them are orphans.
Furthermore, Masjid Al Tuba, based in Panorama, Cape Town, which also consists of the Dar Al–Tafawwuq Institution of Excellence, has decided to sponsor the Hifths school in Beirut. This comes after the mosque held its official handover of R10 000 at Masjid Al Tuba yesterday.
“We aim to educate and empower the children and community through the teachings of the Quran. Additionally, we would like to connect Masaajids from Cape Town with Masaajids in Palestine. We have a pledge line on the 2nd of April whereby we appeal to the community to assist us with different projects in Masjidul Aqsa, Gaza, and Palestine,” Yoonus reiterates.
Photo: Supplied