Kensington Grows, Cooks, & Blogs: An Interview with Anas Dabbour of Al-Amana Grocery Store

Interfaith Philadelphia launched the Crafting Community Project in Kensington in Fall 2020. Through this neighborhood-rooted art and education initiative, we collaborated with organizations, faith communities, and neighbors to launch the Kensington Grows, Cooks, and Serves series to explore the intersections of food, faith, and culture. One component of this initiative is a blog interview series highlighting Kensington-based restaurants and grocers who demonstrate understanding, community-centeredness, and the celebration of diversity. 

This week we sat down with Anas Dabbour at Al-Amana Grocery Store at Al-Aqsa Islamic Society, to learn more about the store, hear about what community means to them, and the importance of food within the Islamic faith.

1. What inspired you to get involved with Al-Amana Store?

My Uncle opened the store 20 years ago when they opened Al-Aqsa Masjid and its community center. My siblings and I actually went to school here at Al-Aqsa Academy. My Dad had a pizzeria in Bucks County, but every Friday he’d come to Al-Amana to help with the Jumah prayer rush. So we were here as children and got connected to the community that way. Then 15 years ago, my Uncle returned to Palestine with his family, and handed the shop over to my Dad. My Dad sold the pizzeria and we moved here to take care of this business. So I really grew up here, and it’s been amazing to see people who were once kids growing up and bringing their own kids in here.

2. In what way does your business foster understanding and community relationships?

It’s easy to miss us if you don’t know where to look that you’re allowed on the property, but we want people to know that our doors are open for everyone. Not only is the store here, but there is a playground, and people are around all the time. Our community is here for people to come in, ask questions, and get to know us, and we want to create ties to one another. Building community is hard work, but it’s also a blessing. 

We also offer public Iftars. During Ramadan  (our holy month of fasting) we’ll prepare food for other masjids who don’t have a kitchen, and host community Iftars each night to break that day’s fast. We’ll serve anywhere from 150-300 people at Al-Aqsa, including neighbors and anyone who needs food. It’s a spiritual practice of strength and gratitude to cook daily for hundreds of people, while we’re fasting ourselves. And for those community members who attend, it’s a moment of religious education and connection across our differences.

3. What is your favorite item on your menu or in your stock?

My favorite food is our chicken shawarma, or chicken breast with shawarma spices. On Fridays we make a huge batch of it. We put about 100lbs of chicken onto a rotisserie cone, and it cooks as it spins. The top layer (which you cut off before eating) gets crunchy and the inside is left nice and juicy. After the Jumah prayer everyone comes to get shawarma.

4. In what ways is food connected to a faith, religious, or spiritual practice/value?
   
   

The Quran, our holy book, is the primary guide to our eating practices. The biggest dietary element of our store is that all of our food is halal, meaning it is slaughtered, cleaned, and blessed in a specific way. Halal is about raising and treating an animal humanely. It’s the idea that if you take care of your food, your food will take care of you. So we aren’t supposed to eat an animal that has been stressed or raised in inhumane conditions. We also don’t eat pork because the pig is not considered the cleanest of animals. It’s also important to note that there is a varied spectrum and interpretation of practice. For example, some Muslims consider shell food not halal, while others may choose to eat it.

5. In what ways is food and the sharing of food, connected to culture, faith, and community?
   
   

For many Muslims, the sharing of food is vital. The most important day involving food is Eid the day after Ramadan. On Eid we close early for a family dinner. Many will slaughter lambs and give the meat to the poor, so even after a month of fasting many Muslims are focused on feeding others and practicing gratitude for what they have. On Eid we also have a big prayer at Al-Aqsa, with 400-500 people coming to pray and celebrate the breaking of fast. 

It’s also important to note that many of the ingredients, cooking styles, recipes and food practices within the Mulsim community are impacted by the different geographies and histories (including the impact of trade routes and the spread of spices) of these various communities. For example, in Northern Africa, places like Morocco and Egypt, there is a drier climate and less livestock, so many of those dishes rely on specific types of grains and vegetables. 

At Al-Amana we serve a wide variety of Muslim communities. Some of our customers are from Egypt and Morocco, others are from Syria and Palestine, still others are from Afghanistan and Iran, the list goes on. While a lot of our foods are similar, there are also significant differences. We are learning all the time and always work with customers to get them what they need.

The Al-Amana Grocery Store is located at 1501 Germantown Ave. They welcome all to come check out their store and the Al-Aqsa community!