Kigali Pelé Stadium was filled to capacity this Friday as Rwandan Muslims and their friends gathered for the national prayer marking the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
This Eid al-Fitr celebration was not only a time for prayer but also an occasion to highlight the tangible results of the outstanding charitable activities achieved during this month, where support reached thousands of families and youth on their educational journeys before the faithful departed to join their families for celebrations.
During this concluded month, the Rwanda Muslims Association intensified its efforts by providing food relief to seven thousand three hundred and twenty-nine families, aimed at socializing with them and supporting their livelihoods. To ensure this celebration was joyful for all, over thirty-eight million Rwandan francs were collected and used by the association’s leadership to purchase food supplies for the needy to break their fast on this day. These charitable acts were further reinforced by the distribution of twenty tons of rice shared among three thousand eight hundred and fifty-six families across all districts of the country.
Beyond immediate welfare support, the association demonstrated its commitment to the future of the youth through education and vocational training, where five hundred and eighty-seven young people were sponsored. Within this group, four hundred and ninety-seven were supported to pursue various vocational trades, while sixty-four were assisted with secondary school fees. Furthermore, twenty-six students were provided with opportunities to pursue higher education and university studies, both in domestic institutions and abroad.
The Mufti of Rwanda, Sheikh Sindayigaya, in a powerful message delivered to the congregation, pointed out that the conclusion of the fast should not be perceived by the faithful as the end of doing good deeds. He said: “Muslim brothers and sisters, the fact that we have concluded the fast of the month of Ramadan must not be the end of performing good deeds. We must not stop praying, we must not stop acts of devotion and helping the needy; rather, a wise person is one who draws lessons from this month—lessons of increasing speed and strength, thus continuing to perform good deeds.”
He further emphasized that the month of Ramadan trained the faithful in solidarity and building strong unity, urging Muslims to continue protecting and preserving that heritage to avoid divisions. He said: “What the month of Ramadan trains us in includes togetherness and building our unity. We must continue to protect and preserve it while avoiding anything that could divide us, set us against each other, or scatter us.”
This year’s conclusion of the fast in Rwanda leaves a new image of a faith that prioritizes development based on knowledge and cooperation within the Rwandan community. As families return to their homes to share and socialize, the significant challenge remains the one presented by the Mufti: not to lose the momentum of the good deeds started during Ramadan, but to instead continue the path of charity and unity as demonstrated by the remarkable figures and actions that characterized this year’s Holy Month of Ramadan.
