The initiative expanded from Abu Dhabi to Al Ain and Suwayhan over time, seeing a substantial increase in participation.
Every Ramadan, tens of thousands of faithful gather at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to break their fast together in what has become the largest mass iftar in the UAE. Yet few of today’s attendees know how the tradition began — not with a formal plan, but in a moment of grief.
According to the documentary series Erth Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Media, the initiative traces back to the passing of the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It was Ramadan, and the mosque that now bears his name was still under construction.
Caravans at the graveside
When Sheikh Zayed passed away, his close relatives and those near to him could not bring themselves to leave the burial site. Caravans were set up on the mosque grounds, and people stayed overnight beside his grave during those first days, expressing their profound grief and paying their respects.
Major General (Retd) Mohammed Hilal Al Kaabi, Chairman of Erth Abu Dhabi, recalled: “The Sheikh Zayed Mosque was not yet completed. We were still working on the pipes, and even Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, may God protect him, was there with us, working alongside everyone. We were all contributing together.”
The crowds that gathered at the mosque were immense. “The amount of grief, the tears flowing from people — I am not talking about leaders, I am talking about ordinary people,” said Mohammed Atta, Head of Logistics and Distribution at Erth Abu Dhabi. “Every one of us truly felt that we had lost a father.” The area was filled with Quran recitations, prayers, and a deeply spiritual atmosphere that accompanied profound loss.
The first Ramadan iftar, 2004
Sheikh Zayed passed away on the 19th of Ramadan, 2004. By the 24th of Ramadan, directions had been issued to prepare the mosque grounds, and the first iftar for fasting worshippers was served while construction was still underway. The Armed Forces Officers Club in Abu Dhabi supplied the meals — a role it continued in subsequent years, with kitchens staffed by hundreds of chefs, stewards, and support personnel working to feed the growing number of attendees each evening.
From 300 to 2.6 million meals
What began as a modest effort of roughly 300 to 400 meals grew steadily over the years. The initiative expanded beyond Abu Dhabi to Al Ain and Suwayhan, with numbers climbing dramatically.
“We started with around 300 to 400 meals,” said Major General Mohammed Hilal Al Kaabi. “And we reached two million, six hundred thousand meals.
Up to 95,000 iftar meals are now prepared daily, contributing to a total of 2.66 million meals throughout the holy month.
The meals are distributed not only at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque but also at Sheikh Khalifa Mosque and various labour accommodations across Abu Dhabi. The operation involves over 2,000 personnel, supported by a fleet of 150 trucks delivering meals across the emirate before Maghrib each evening.
