Issue# 205

15th Feb 2011

Fruitful Thoughts!


Fruitful Thoughts
By Amna Tariq

Think

BY: Ms. Amna Tariq

                        

Assalam-O-Alaikum!

Hope everyone is hale and hearty.
It is a common sight to see beggars strolling through out streets, roads, public parks, hospitals, colleges, offices, mosques; in short they are seen in every nook and corner. They might be professional beggars but there are many, who are victims of poverty. Poverty alleviation has become a matter of increasing concern in modern times. The gap between haves and have-nots is widening and that is really alarming because it can call for a disaster. The existing clash in our modern day societies is due to lack of following the eternal rules of humanity so beautifully laid by in Islam and in all other religions as well. Had the charity system being effective and all of us duly paying our zakat, the existing conflicts between the capitalists and poor; money lender and debtor; landlord and tenant; mitigated and charity might not have existed. Charity nurtures the feelings of fraternity and homogeneity. It maintains economic equilibrium thus diminishing the idea of greed.
My cousin is a teacher in a secondary school abroad. During past summer holidays, her group of pupils started on a project to raise charity to help the poor. They called upon the community for support, asking people to drop off their no-longer in-use clothing, mattresses, blankets, canned goods and other non perishable food items. Then the group would sort these items and pack them to be handed over to poor families. One day, as they were sorting the canned foods, one of the boys said to his teacher, “I am amazed to see how many people donated canned goods that had an expired date on it.” My cousin replied to her pupil that though such food wasn't good enough for the ones who had dropped it there, but it will be good enough for the poor.” The boy replied, “But that shows that if one can afford to let food expire on one’s shelf, one can afford to help feed people regularly." What a thought! How right he is.
I leave you with this to ponder over and see for yourself what you can do.
Till next time,
Allah Hafiz

Ms. Amna Tariq-UK