Lucknow: The YouTube channel of The Adam’s Kitchen, Lucknow says, the doors of Islamic Centre of India opens wide, before the sunsets, for those guests who come to dine in the Adam’s Kitchen (Langar – e Aadam).
Guests start arriving even before the langar starts and stay late at night. Followers of all religions arrive and maintain discipline. They sit in a row, maintaining social distancing. With the grace of Almighty Allah, this practice is being continued since 200 days. We appeal to Allah that it may continue like this. May Allah accept the sacrifices of all those who are related to the Adam’s Kitchen.
The anchor says, the Adam’s Kitchen in the Islamic Centre of India, has come into existence with the help of many doctors and many good Samaritans.
In last 200 days, Adam’s Kitchen fed thousands of people daily, without any interruption. The lockdown has completed 75 days; during these 75 days, not a single one has passed where Adam’s Kitchen was unable to feed the needful.
During the lockdown, many families came to dine in the langar. The number of guests is increasing day by day; 500-600 people attend the langar. With Allah’s blessings and under the supervision of many good doctors, Adam’s Kitchen is being managed efficiently. People are fed by observing Islamic tenets. In Islam, to serve humanity is regarded as the highest form of worship.
The anchor relates a qudsi hadith, which goes; ‘on the Day of Judgement, Allah will ask a person, “I was hungry, why did you not feed me”. The person would reply, “O Allah you don’t feel hunger”. Allah would say that a particular person was hungry, “if you had fed that person, you would have found Me with him.’
Therefore, it means that if someone feeds a poor or hungry person, Allah will be happy and will agree with us. If a person receives the blessings of Allah, then there would be success for him in this world and also in the hereafter.
The anchor humbly requests us to help the Adam’s Kitchen with whatever means that Allah has blessed us with. So that, this noble act of serving the underprivileged should last forever. Also, this system can be started in other centres and mosques. He further requests people to come forward to start the branches of Adam’s Kitchen in their cities. The Adam’s Kitchen service is spreading very fast; with other people’s cooperation, it would go a long way.
The commentator adds, anyone belonging to any religion can come to the langar from 7:30 to 9:30 pm and avail the opportunity to eat food.
The food is purely vegetarian so that brothers from other religions can also eat; the table is laid down before the schedule time. Many ladies and children also attend the langar, therefore there is a separate arrangement for ladies and only ladies are appointed to serve them. Apart from this, social distancing is observed strictly. The guests sit in a line, maintaining the required physical distance. Hygiene and sanitisation is maintained very carefully. Because cleanliness is next to Godliness in Islam. Apart from this, the guests are educated about cleanliness, all the guests wash their hands thoroughly with soap before eating. After dining, they themselves wash the plates and keep them in the specified place. Guests, who come to langar to dine also take part in service to feed others.
Dr. Ghufran Rashid, who is a volunteer at Adam’s Kitchen congratulates the management for successfully managing the langar. He hopes this candle which has been lighted in Eidgah, in Lucknow, will spread in every nook and corner of India, serving the downtrodden. He says, during pandemic, poor people were benefitted considerably.
Volunteers and donors like Dr. Noor ul Haq Siddiqui, Sartaj Wali Khan, Dr. Salman Khalid, Dr. Ahmed Raza Khan, Dr. Anas Ahmed Abdullah, congratulated the management for successfully running the Adam’s Kitchen continuously for 200 days and opted for more Adam’s kitchens in other mosques, in different parts of India with the help of all broad minded people — without differentiating between religion, caste and creed. This would be helpful for the poor and the best service to our nation.
Dr. Anas Ahmed Abdullah commented that initially, they faced many difficulties. However, they overcame them by the grace of Allah and with the encouragement of the people. He adds that they thought to execute the work with 100 donors who can donate Rs. 100 every day or more. Fifty persons agreed and the Adam’s Kitchen has now completed 200 days. He further says, they wanted to expand this service by starting langar in other mosques of the city. He states that this type of service requires spirit and perseverance and professionalism. Donors may agree but unless there is motivation nothing can be done. He requests the Muslim community to start team work because one man cannot do all things. He advices to appoint professional cooks. He says, it is easy to start any project but it is difficult to manage and continue it for a long time.
Mohammed Feroz, who is a head cook says, in 200 days there was not a single day where they did not cook the food. There were marriages and deaths in the families of cooks; there were festivals, but the cooks never abstained from their duties.
Mohammed Atif Ansari, who is a volunteer and accountant at the Adam’s Kitchen says, they consume from 20-25 gas cylinders every month. He maintains the accounts and arranges ration, vegetables and other required items.
There is also a Mall in Islamic Centre of India, where people donate used belongings like clothes, toys, jackets, blankets, shoes purses, books, etc. Last winter, People who have extra things in their homes donated them to the mall, the needy people collect their requirements from this mall. If the clothes are soiled they get them washed and pressed. Just how we go to malls for shopping, in the same manner the poor people visit the Adam’s Mall and select whatever they want. Currently there are two Adam’s Malls in Lucknow. They are trying to open more malls in the future.
Dr. Abdul Ahad says Prophet Mohammed (mpbuh) spent two third of his life in serving the humanity and one third in propagating Islam. In serving the humanity, his most preferable act was feeding the hungry. As it were the early days of the advent of Islam, the majority of the people during that time were non-Muslims.
Dr Ahad insists to begin Adam’s Kitchen at least from the big mosques in the city where langar can be arranged. If anyone needs guidance on how to commence the work, the team of Adam’s Kitchen is always available to guide and help them.