The unusual initiative in pandemic time: Turkey is turning mosques into supermarket

The plaque in the mosque window asks anyone who might leave something and says those who need it can get something. Abdulsamet Cakir, 33, the imam of Dedeman mosque in the district of Sarier, came with this idea to reach the poor through the place of worship after Turkey suspended mass prayer in the mosque until the threat of the explosion passed.

Turkey's official death toll from the virus is now in 2,259 after 119 other deaths were reported on Tuesday, and major cities including Istanbul will be closed for four days by Thursday. “After the suspension of prayers in mass, I had an idea to revive our mosque by joining good people in need“, Cakir told AFP inside the mosque, where bags of food and cleaning products were collected on the floor.

The new imam, which takes products from the floor and puts them on the shelves at the entrance, said it was inspired by a donation culture in the Ottoman period called charity “, a small stone set up at specific locations in the city to connect rich people to the poor.

Cakir hangs a list on the mosque wall where citizens who need help write their names and phone numbers. Imam later forwards the list to local authorities who check whether their names are really in need and his team then sends him a message that they can visit the mosque and take everything they need - the maximum of eight articles.

The mosque has already provided services for two weeks and has helped up to 120 needy people a day, while the list includes over 900 people. A maximum of two persons wearing masks and gloves can enter the mosque and get what they need, while others wait outside, taking some steps from each other. (AFP)