On Giving Back

Meet Sakinah, Shahirah, and Barirah. Aged  4 - 7. Still so very young, and have such bright futures ahead of them..

But wait..there's just something not quite right about this picture..

Take a look into their eyes.. and tell me, what do you see? I see innocence, I see hope, anger, pain, and above all, I see a longing to be loved and cared for unconditionally by the people we call.. mom, ummi, abi, ayah, papa..... 

According to UN statistics, there are about 410,000 orphans, presumably only those with no parents in Malaysia, yet the whole population of Malaysia which is about 28million people, aren't even able to give these children in need the necessities they deserve. As Muslims, it is our duty to make sure our Muslim sisters and brothers don't go through what we wouldn't want our family or even ourselves to go through. 

Prophet Muhammad (S) has said: "No one of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."

That is why Islam encourages us to give Sadaqah. Sadaqah does not always traslate to money. All good deeds are considered Sadaqa in Islam. So If we cannot contribute in means of money, or food, or other necessities, we can always pay a visit to the orphanage or charity shelters and take the time to play with them, read them a story, show them some love, anything to make them smile. Or maybe even the simplest gifts like bringing them fruits or 'kuih muih'.. apa apa saja yang kita mampu..

Allah (SWT) says in the Noble Qur'an: "By no means shall you attain to righteousness until you spend (benevolently) out of what you love; and whatever thing you spend, Allah surely knows it." (3:92)

Ramadhan is almost ending, so don't let our good deeds come to an end as well.