The Haseki Sultan Lodge, an Ottoman lodge built centuries ago in Jerusalem, continues to provide meals to hundreds of people in need this holy month of Ramadan, as it does every year.
Commissioned by Hürrem Sultan, the wife of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, in 1552, the lodge stands just 100 meters (328.08 feet) from the Majlis Gate ("Meclis Kapısı" in Turkish) of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, defying the centuries and continuing its existence.
Referred to as the "ever-open door of benevolence" by the Ottoman Empire, the lodge prepares and distributes meals to families in need throughout the year, free of charge.
During Ramadan, the Haseki Sultan Tekke offers daily menus consisting of soup, meat, rice and vegetables to hundreds of people, opening its doors to everyone, regardless of Muslim or Christian background.
Bessam Abu Lubde, the director of the lodge, stated to Anadolu Agency (AA) on Tuesday that Hürrem Sultan decided to open such a soup kitchen during her visit to Jerusalem.
Lubde mentioned that after the Gaza attacks that began on Oct. 7, they saw families and individuals from Palestine coming to the lodge whom they had not seen before. He explained this situation by saying, "Because many shops in Jerusalem have closed, families are now even poorer due to the lack of tourists and visitors."
Lubde stated that the Islamic Foundations General Directorate in Jerusalem and some other aid organizations cover a significant portion of the food expenses, and they also receive donations from various countries, as well as zakat and charity from benefactors during Ramadan.
Highlighting that the lodge is "blessed" and never closes, Lubde said that they assist those in need living in Jerusalem and its surroundings, and receive donations, charity and zakat from Muslims living in Türkiye, Arab countries and other countries.
Covered by benefactors
The Haseki Sultan Lodge consists of a kitchen serving as a soup kitchen, an oven, a dining hall, a cellar where supplies are kept, a stable where horses used to be tied, and a mosque that was later included in the building by the order of Hürrem Sultan.
It is stated that the expenses of the lodge, which were covered by shops endowed by the Ottoman state before the start of the Israeli occupation in 1948, are currently financed by the budget allocated by the Islamic Foundations General Directorate and the donations of benefactors due to Israel seizing the shops.
As part of the Wadi Araba Peace Treaty signed with Israel in 1994, the tekke is affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf (Religious Endowments) responsible for religious affairs in Jerusalem.