Donations, Zakat and Sadaqah

I’ve distributed all the money that I brought with me in the form of Zakat and Sadaqah and have received some emails from others who scolded me for taking this trip before letting them know, as they would have also liked to send donations with me. I apologize for not being able to give many of you advance notice. As I am still here for some more time, if you are interested in donating money please contact my sister to pass it on. Or, if you don’t know her, contact me and I will put you in touch with her.

Banks in Ottawa waived the wiring fee to Abbottabad since it falls in the area that has been declared by the government as an Earthquake Affected zone. If the sum of the donations warrant, I’ll have Saadia wire the money to me here and distribute it immediately. I will be visiting Muzaffarabad soon, Balakot again, and there are many others in this city who also easily qualify as affected and/or Zakat/Sadaqah deserving.

When I was distributing clothing – jackets, sweaters etc. for adults – some asked me if I had any clothing for children. Unfortunately, I did not. In earlier months, immense amounts of clothing had been sent from all over the country as well as by the international community. Some clothes that were sent were very used and soiled, so these were obviously not of resuable quality. They lay on the side streets untouched and unclaimed. I had been given the impression that all, if not most, clothing lay on side streets unneeded. It’s a shame that many fail to realize that just because these people lost so much, they don’t deserve clothing that is unripped or unsoiled.

When a few people asked me for chilrens clothing, I deeply regretted not having taken the childrens clothes from my dear friend, CT, when she offered. I had been given mixed messages of whether clothing would be accepted or not. I chanced with one extra suitcase, thinking that if it is not accepted I will distribute it to poor people in the area who were not necessarily as affected by the earthquake.

Children are the biggest victims of these earthquakes. Scores of children perished in schools and many are left battling the elements with inappropriate clothing that their growing bodies quickly stretch out of. I now desparately wish I had brought a separate suitcase full of solely childrens clothing and chanced travelling with two extra pieces of luggage.

Tears well in my eyes when I think about penning what I saw at the tent villages. When we spoke to people in these villages, they looked so shocked and scared, staring with wide open eyes. Their eyes said more than any words could have expressed to describe their horrific earthquake experience, though some couldn’t utter many words. When we donated the money saying this is Sadaqah or Zakat, they immediately raised their hands to make dua for the person who thought of them enough to send some help. Sickness, disease, and amputations affect many, from new borns to the aged. They have lost so much and their condition so bad. Our group who travelled to Balakot felt ashamed of having any comfort in life when people are living with these kinds of miseries.

We lead extremely sheltered and spoiled lives in the West. Give me a few days and I will write again. However, I will end with this: When anything negative befalls us, there is, undoubtedly, an opening of hope if we look. The people here know how to look. We don’t. we give up easily and quickly. Overtime, we’ve lost something as well. We may have monetary wealth that we can impart to others easily, but the knowledge of looking for openings of good fortune and hope is lost on our sorry, lazy, ungrateful and unthankful behinds.

~ by nayya on 20 March, 2006.