SINGAPORE- A total of 37 local mosques have come together to contribute $600,000 towards SGUnited Buka Puasa, a ground-up effort to provide meals for the breaking of fast to members of the Muslim community during the holy month of Ramadan.

The initiative aims to provide 20,000 meals a day to healthcare workers and their families, Muis' zakat beneficiaries, as well as other families who require meals during Ramadan.

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam which requires Muslims to donate money to the needy.

This brings the total amount raised for SGUnited Buka Puasa to $2.58 million.

Muis, or the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, had previously made a $1 million donation, and a further $980,000 came from the fund-raising efforts of the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation.

The mosques' contribution comes from community donations that would otherwise be used to cover expenses incurred during Ramadan, such as the provision of congregational meals, nightly prayers and the distribution of food to families in need.

Said Mr Helmy Isa, senior director of mosque and community development at Muis: "With mosques temporarily closed, we believe that these funds which are typically spent on mosques' Ramadan activities must be used to support other Ramadan initiatives that provide relief to those in need, such as our zakat beneficiaries."

Activity at Singapore's 70 mosques has neared a standstill, as all places of worship in the country have been closed to the public until at least June 1.

The mosques have also partnered service providers to ensure that the delivery of meals to SGUnited Buka Puasa beneficiaries is timely and contactless.

"Our mosques are committed to support the SGUnited Buka Puasa initiative as we strive to build on our social resilience and help one another to overcome this difficult period," said Mr Helmy.