Iqaluit Muslim community hosts food bank to mark Ramadan

Iqaluit's Muslim community is distributing food to people in need as part of their Ramadan celebrations.

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"Our firm belief is to share our blessings with the people especially during this blessed month of Ramadan so that's why we try to distribute the food among other people," said Muhammad Wani, vice president of the Islamic Society of Nunavut.

On Saturday, they opened the Mosque to hand out 75 bags of non-perishable food items packed by volunteers.

While giving plays a rolein Ramadan, this is the first time the Muslim community in Iqaluit has distributedfood this way. They are working to make sure it won't be the last,making plans to source donations from organizations in the south.

The Muslim community wants to continue to share food, year round. Wani said they have met with the Iqaluit Food Bank, who operate every second Saturday.

"So the Saturday they are not doing anything, we can donate the food to the people so that the people here in Iqaluit can get the food every week," he said.

There were conversations in their community about how much they appreciated the show of solidarity in Iqaluit after the Quebec City mosque attack earlier this year. Wani said, they want to give back.

Ramadan is a period of fasting and prayer for Muslims all over the world.