By Abdullahi Jamaa
Fifty six years-old Mohamed Islam bends and breathes out once more. Leaning against a wall, he is visibly exhausted occasionally wiping light sweets that are beading from his forehead.
After more than six hours of active racing, it was a total burn out for him but a rewarding effort to take part in a charity event, a gruelling cycling challenge, known as ‘Baisikeli to Bamba’.
“It was a tough race. It was particularly difficult for me” he says as he gives a gentle smile that emanates from his suntanned face. “But it was worthy “he adds, knowing very well the bold purpose behind this particular task.
Mohamed together with eleven other cyclists completed 100km race in an ambitious humanitarian effort to raise funds for poor Muslims ahead of the Holy month of Ramadan.
Still on his aero cycling gears he swelters, having endured a ‘century race’, as is referred to in cycling parlance. And the muscle cramping and mental fogginess is an unavoidable side effects for long distance cycling like the one Mohamed just completed.
His race-mate Tahir Osman gives him a reassuring hug with a giggling delight. In a casual yet charming way, they said to each other Mabrouk, a congratulatory Arabic word.
On this Sunday afternoon, Mohamed and his colleagues arrived at Masjid Omar Faruq, the finishing line at Mombasa’s Nyali neighbourhood, where adoring Muslims embraced them, shaking their hands and hugging them too.
“This is an initiative that is intended to raise funds and help feed poor families this holy month of fasting “ Mohamed said “We are creating awareness among Muslims for Iftar program”
The team event was raced amidst a hellish dry spell. Hot, dry and exceptionally timid, it is the first of its kind that has taken place in Mombasa in honour of Ramadan.
Bamba, a remote hamlet in neighbouring Kilifi County is where Mohamed and the rest of the cyclists started the race from. A bumpy race all the way to Mombasa inviting faithfuls to donate.
And they defied all odds, crossed the ragged coastal terrain while racing against capricious weather to deliver one powerful message that was written on a banner that said ‘Feed the needy this Ramadan’.
“At one point on the way and as we approached Mombasa, the temperature was hovering around 41 degrees “Mohamed said “But we are happy that have put the message across”
The race was admittedly too demanding for them, one of the longest that the professional cyclists have done in recent years. Yet their insatiable desire to put food on the table for thousands of Muslim families from the Coast was the driving force behind the rigorous race.
Mohamed and his team were in a mission to embolden the spirit of Ramadan, a month which offers a unique opportunity to renew the bond of brotherhood among Muslims all over the world.
In racing for Ramadan, they invigorated the culture of sharing and feeding the poor which is one the fundamental teachings of Islam and the way of Prophet Mohamed (SAW).
The race was part of an amalgamation of charity activities ahead of the holy month organized by Mombasa based Nyali Dawa Group, an Islamic charity organization.
For seven years now, the community based organization, through individual donations from Mosque congregants, has helped thousands of poor Muslims to break their Ramadan fast at sunset.
A cycling and a charity walk was added to this year’s activities as a way to generate more funds from the public since its traditional donors were unable to chip in this year as Mombasa’s economy slumped to its lowest.
“This year, we added cycling race and charity walk to seek more funds from the public and to increase the number of families we feed “said Tahir Osman a member of the charity.
Early on the day, Mombasa senator Mohamed Faki, flagged off the group’s charity walk, the same as the cycling race aimed at raising funds for the Iftar program.
“This is a worthy course and we are appealing to well-wishers to come and help the initiative “said the senator. “It is important to give out especially during Ramadan”
The two kilometre walk brought together people from across the county who set a challenge for themselves to raise more money and food during this year’s Ramadan to feed more people.
And that is why Mohamed has tightened up his gears, away from the comfort of his home and his office at Mombasa Maize Millers, to energise true altruism without conditions to feed Muslim families.
