Being charitable and providing for the needy is a major aspect of Islam and characteristic of a Muslim. Charity is one of the major foundations of Islam. If it is weak, then the foundation of the faith and the Muslim community is weak. This will eventually come to touch each of our lives, one way or the other.
In spite of this, there are still an unfathomable amount of starving, poor, hungry and destitute Muslims and non-Muslims in this country. At the same time, there is a high number of rich Muslims and Islamic organizations in Malawi wasting their wealth on luxuries, and even forbidden items.
Remembering to give charity correctly is crucial to both the well-beings of the needy as well as our own ultimate happiness.
In the teaching of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), we learn that a person’s family has a right to receiving charitable assistance (if they are in need of it) from another person or organization.
Prophet Muhammad said: “To give something to a poor man brings one reward, while giving the same to a needy relation brings two: one for charity and the other for respecting the family ties.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
Before the Prophet Muhammad started receiving revelation, he would spend a great deal of time meditating in a cave outside of Mecca and one of the issues he refrected on was how some members of his society like women, orphans and those without tribal protection were treated. It is for this reason that there are many hadith which emphasize the importance of helping others.
This is the reason why Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) is still trying harder to assist the needy in the country until the harvesting season comes.
On Saturday, the association was at Nkwangwa Primary School in the area of Tradition Authority N’gabu in Chikhwawa district where they donated maize worth 4 million Malawi Kwacha to over 1000 families.
“MAM is trying to compliment Malawi Government’s efforts in assisting the needy in the country and today we are here to assist these people and some of them are also the 2015 flood victims.
“MAM never looks at the religion background of the beneficiary as you aware that 90% of people in Chikhwawa are non-Muslims. But we are all human beings created by one God so we have to help each other,” said Sheikh Farooq Jumah who represented MAM National Chairman Sheikh Muhammad Idrissah.
Sheikh Jumah said the program was funded by Kuwait’s based Revival of Islamic Heritage Society.
MAM has shown its good responsibility towards people in the country (Both Muslims and non-Muslims) for its continuing support to the needy and this is one of the features that has assisted to recognize Islam by non-Muslims in the country.
“We want to assure people in the country that we will never live them alone in offering assorted items to the needy. We will help them until the coming harvesting season,” he said.
And we made them leaders, guiding (men) by our command, and We sent them inspiration to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to practice regular charity; and they constantly served Us (Quran 21:73)
