Earth is their Bed: Feedback

Assalam u Alaikum wa Rahmatulahi wa Barakatahu (Peace and blessings be upon you)

I must give feedback to the generous beings who stepped forward to join hands in providing a bedding to
ones who have 'Earth as their bed'.  May Allah increase you in your Ikhlaas(purity of intention) and accept this deed, Ameen.

These are opportunities from Allah to cleanse our money, to bring us closer to Him, to fulfill our obligations, to increase our ranks, to purify our hearts and to give us Falah 'Success'.

Alhamdulillah, most deserving of men and women took home the bedding you provided from your hard earned money.  Imagine the comfort of a warm bed in a cold night.  Imagine, a mother's ability to put her sick child in a warm bed when the home has no fire, and there is nothing hot to drink or eat.  Most of these people are Afghan refugees living in mud houses as in the picture below.  They cannot cook, as there is no stove, gas, or other resources to have the fire going.  They hang out at Tandoors where they wait inline for a generous being to donate some bread from the Tandoor.

On a rainy day, we set out hoping in our hearts we will find some women perhaps widows whom we can
hand these beddings to.  A wish that we thought is a far cry since on this cold and rainy day, women usually are not seen on the road sides where we were trying to an keep our eye on.  But to our amazement, down the road, as it was evening already, next to a Tandoor on either side of it were women and children lined up sitting on the floor trying to stay warm together while waiting for someone to come donate some bread...their dinner for that day.

We got to know the people running this small Tandoor, from Kabul themselves, had empathy towards their fellow community living through hard times.  Genuinely kind and looking for every opportunity to assist their welfare.  May Allah reward them immensely.

Waiting and hoping to get a free blanket and a matt.

I wonder this could be my father, my brother....would I still be
looking at him as just one in millions, who is living in abject poverty
or would he have been the one person I cared most about and for whom I would
do everything in my power to make his life a little better.

Yes there are millions.  But we can think of each as a person, a father, a son, a brother.  The numbers do not diminish the fact that it could be I or my loved one sitting on the pavement waiting for hours in cold to be handed a free blanket.  The truth of the matter is, we did nothing to deserve where we were born and in which environment we are raised.  We all all given situations where either we are showing Sabr (patience) like this man, or giving Shukr (thanks) by giving in Allah's name.

Extend whatever you have, no matter how little you think, you can.  That maybe the one thing
that Allah accepts and makes it the sirat (bridge) you walk on towards Falah (Success)

Educate a girl

On the way through the village

Yellow flowers of  'Sarson' (Mustard) are a symbol 

of the village of Bhaer

"Acquire knowledge. It enables its possessor to distinguish right from

wrong; it lights the way to Heaven; it is our friend in the desert, our

society in solitude, our companion when friendless, it guides us to

happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is an ornament amongst friends

and an armour against enemies."

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Project: To fulfill the needs of Primary and Secondary Govt Girls High School Bhera, Haripur District

February 2011, we visited Bhaer a small village in the District of Haripur, North of Islamabad, Pakistan.  Below are some pictures to share the current facility, and the lack of resources that is keeping these young aspiring girls from reaching their potential. You will notice how little is needed to change their plight, to give them hope and the confidence to excel whatever they choose to undertake.

Saba, an outstanding student who has always topped in class.

Humble resources have not been an impediment.

She may drop out of school due to lack of resources like her other four sisters.

Help her achieve her dream of being a teacher.  Her dream costs very little.

Classroom for Grade 1

Not a classroom appropriate for 5-7 year old girls.

Sitting on jute rugs, on a cemented floor, very hard and cold.

Grade 2 class sits out in this verandah on 

the floor, in extremely cold winter mornings, 

rain or shine.

This is due to lack of a classroom.

With $300 this can be enclosed and 

children as young as 7-9 year olds 

wouldn't have to endure harsh weather.

One of few fortunate classrooms that have benches.

Four girls sharing a bench meant for two students.

I did not notice any school bags.

They carried books in plastic shopping bags or in hand.

Condition of available furniture.  Notice the extra 

chipboard top placed between the two chairs to make a bench 

that could be used by three to four girls.

Not enough chairs.  Half the class sits on the jute rugs.

Courtyard of Primary School where children play.

But nothing to play with

2 toilets for 200 students

These are situated in the Primary School,

whereas the toilet in the Middle School

do not have water and girls have to walk

quite aways to come fill up a container

from the tap that you see on the right.

Only due to lack of a water tank.

Staff room + kitchen + meeting room

From this humble setup they served us tea, pakoras and biscuits
beautifully presented.  Their generosity and hospitality was humbling.

Ms. Noreen Niaz, 9th & 10th grade science teacher waiting to commence

classes.  Requesting your help to provide them with Lab equipment.

Lab Equipment cost $400 min, Lab stools, chairs $600

$1000 will ensure that the girls passing exams this month from 8th grade

will be able to continue further education by enrolling in the 9th grade.

Otherwise they will drop out of school.  Meeting this need is our top priority.

Bhera Girls School needs our help.  This program is developed on the idea: Why start new schools and spend on unnecessary overheads, when the existing Government Schools providing a very basic structure can be improved upon to become beacons of knowledge.  We will follow up on this blog by posting a comprehensive list of items needed along with their prices.  

Help educate these girls. Sometimes a reminder helps us to take a good action, one that may be with Allah's Grace a source of Sadiqah Jariya (Continued Charity) when we will have no power to do acts that benefit our beings.

Children: Facing a Bleak Future

Look at this beautiful little angel.  He is an Afghan refugee in the 'Kachi Abadi' in Islamabad

In the cold and rain, no shoes, no warm clothing and a dirty plastic wrap for a toy.

This is where he lives.  'Kachi Abadi' an Afghan refugees settlement with mud houses.

This lovely little red head with green jewelry caught my eye

Eating donated rice at a Tandoor out in the cold: Still smiling

Waiting with her mom at a Tandoor for free bread

After rain, the cold increased: You see how the little one is clad?

Would you help?

These pictures were taken during my last visit in February 2011.  This Kachi Abadi is home to a large number of Afghan refugees settled in Islamabad, Pakistan.  They have settled here for some years now with no improvement in sight, infact with the high inflation it is getting even more and more difficult to make enough to feed their children.  When it rains, the homes get damaged or are washed away.  We build them again from scratch, one of the residents shared.  They cannot cook at home, with no gas, stove or drainage.  They gather at the Tandoors (bread shop) and wait for hours for someone to donate bread or on a lucky day bread with curry.  We got to know more about them, as we distributed beddings from the funds raised for our Bedding program.  There were too many to provide for and too few beds compared to the need.
If you would like to contribute towards helping them please write directly to us at Lubna@LahauteFoundation.org.

Generosity of the Poor

I wondered why the poor share the last morsel they have with anyone around and the rich don't?

I wondered why the hungry will show dignity and will not take more than what they need but the rich will eat anything free as if they have not eaten for days?

While this thought was in my mind, I happened to come across the answer  while listening to a talk on generosity by Hamza Yusuf.  He explained, in Arabic, that the word GENEROSITY takes root from the word COURAGE.  What keeps us from being generous is our FEAR of losing what we have.  It takes courage to overcome that fear and become  generous. 

I see that the poor doesn't FEAR any loss because there is nothing to lose so she has put her trust in Allah for the next meal that she will get.  Her having nothing has given her courage to be generous with the last morsel she has. She believes that where this came from, she will get more.  It reminds me of the Ayah in the Quran where Allah asks us to reflect on the birds, how they leave home in the morning to seek His 'Barakah' (blessings, it is also described as "the greater good" derived from any act), return home with sustenance for that day and trust Allah for the next day's assistance.

A hadith (saying of prophet Mohammad peace and blessings be upon him) says how can you ask from Allah 'Barakah'(blessings) for the next day when He does not ask you for 'Amal' (act) for the next day.  The beauty of all ahadith is the comprehensive message each gives.  Besides numerous different lessons one can learn from this, it  also tells us that we must work for achieving the most in the time we have at hand, the present day, devoid of fear for what is to follow, which in turn will increase your Eimaan (faith) in Allah, relieve any anxiety and fear of loss, making you a courageous and generous human being that has tawakkal Allah (reliance on Allah).

I recall, having the privilege of being in the company of one such generous woman in Northern parts of Pakistan who had lost her family members in the earthquake and was bedridden because of an amputated leg.  

She had visitors one afternoon.  They were her mother and father in law, who had travelled on foot and on bus for several hours from hilly areas to come visit their daughter in law in the hospital.  I was astonished to see that in their age and apparent difficulty in walking , they took such pains to come all the way.  They had a small thermos in hand.  You could tell that is all they could afford but then if I saw someone took such pains for me for whatever they could offer, wouldn't that be more valuable than them offering me a palace?   

While I was introduced to them,  I saw them pouring tea into the cup, they said something to each other in their language as the elderly did not speak in Urdu.  The next thing I know is I am offered that large mug full of tea.  I am told it is very special as it is made from goats milk and since she loves it so much they had got that for her.  'No, no you drink it, they got it for you especially and you need it more' I insisted....I saw in their faces something that said perhaps I think it low and will not think of drinking it.  I agreed to take half a cup, they still wouldn't hear of it and  so I took it.   I found out later since I did not see her drinking much but a couple of sips because they had given me most of what was in the small thermos.   I told them it was very tasty, infact it was tastier than anything I will ever taste in this life.  But how can one enjoy it when the giver is giving so much from the little she has and when you have not showed them anything close to such generosity.

Allah had bestowed great beauty on this woman besides the beauty of her heart, patience, perseverance and her generosity.  You see she could not see how rich she was.  She wore a lovely necklace made of emerald green and purple glass beads.  Upon inquiring, she informed me that she had made this herself for her wedding as this is what they wear as jewelry since gold and silver are unaffordable.  I tell you it looked more gorgeous than a diamond necklace because SHE wore it.  When I was bidding her farewell, her hands went up to take that necklace off to give me as a going away gift.  I was so moved, the words could not be uttered so I just shook my head declining to take it.  When I got up to leave quickly as she stretched her hand out and would not take no for an answer,  her daughter of 7 years ran after me with the necklace insisting 'Khaala tum lai loo' 'yeh tumharai liyai hai!  'Aunt you take it, it is for you' Such generosity was like a rare gem, quite uncommon.  Someone who wore used clothes donated to her, food that was donated, lying in a refugee hospital tent with one leg, and nothing material but this wedding necklace and she is giving it to someone she had met only 4 days ago!  Ofcourse I could not take it, but she has given it to me because that was her intent.  Her intent and generosity of heart is enough to last me the rest of my life.  I shall not forget it and wanted to share it with you.

I think I know now why the poor shower you more with their smiles, with their generosity regardless of what their situation is and how little material wealth they have.  Whenever I am amongst the poor, I feel Allah's abundance and Mercy more than when I am amongst the rich.  I believe it is so because they try to share whatever they have and it is definetly not 'little' as they put it.  They don't see how rich they are and what is the value of what they share.  That in turns tells me that their unawareness is due to their Ikhlaas (purity of intent and purity of heart).  When you become aware of your generosity, it takes away from that Ikhlaas.

A saying of Prophet Mohammad says, being Sakhi (generous) is the best quality.  Subhaan Allah! they have the best quality in abundance.  Help these oppressed people of Ikhlaas(purity of heart and intent) so they may say a Dua in our favor and it may be accepted by Allah.

Southern California Muslim Mothers' sponsor Public Kitchen

I needed to share some news of 'Khair' (goodness) for the generosity our sisters in Southern California have shown in feeding the hungry in Pakistan.

The brothers in the pictures below have been your guest for a whole week, sisters!
We are grateful to you for trusting us with your hard earned money and giving us Taufiq to help reach the deserving.

Brothers saying Dua (prayer) before meal

Dastarkhwan (runner for serving food) laid out at road side

About 125-150 people ate every night at 6.00 pm for a whole week.
Chicken Curry and wheat Roti were served.
Approx 900 people fed with $416 ($0.40 per meal).
One of the sisters entrusted us with her Zakat money which went a long way in continuing with this and other programs.
Insha Allah each person sitting on these 'dastarkhwan' will bear witness to the sisters who contributed to feeding them that day when they had no food.

May Allah give Barakah in this food, Ameen.

Aurangzeb (second from right) rep Lahaute with brothers
running the public kitchen. All volunteering for a cause.

What Khair these mothers and sisters in Southern California spread here and what wealth they accumulated with Allah Subhaanu Taala.  

'Langar' Public Kitchen

'Langar' is a Persian word, which means a public kitchen established to provide food and drink to the needy.

In one of the Markaz in Islamabad under a simple banner at a corner is a Langar for the refugees and the miskin.  The person heading it is hoping some people with generous hearts will book some days so food can be offered once a day every day at this public kitchen as some 125-150 people collect at 6.00 pm to eat here.  One such person had already booked all Thursdays (significance of this day as your deeds are taken up) for one full year.  Allah gives 'Taufiq' (opportunity, success).  ".......and my success (in my task) can only come from Allah. In Him I trust, and unto Him I look. " (Qur'an 11:88)


Commitments are needed.  Some days there is food donated otherwise the poor can see when the ‘dastarkhwan’ (runners to put food on) are not laid on the ground, a sign that there is no food available that evening.

Making a long Dua before the meal.

Prior to serving food a 'Dua' is offered.  They said such a long and sincere dua for the ones who have given from their earnings to feed them that day that it brought tears to our eyes.  I couldn't help but see the difference between my dua and theirs....the difference in circumstances was as stark as the power in their dua and mine.  How could mine compare to theirs, with empty stomachs and Sabr and Shukr....no comparison whatsoever.  Angels must be rushing to take their duas to be accepted...do we take the time to thank Allah when he provides us with the abundance that he has given us?  We must not be deluded to think that the abundance he has given us is for our own selves, but that there are rights of others in it.  We are not doing them a favor, we are making an effort to fulfill our obligations.  

A pot of ‘Rice with garbanzo beans is usually donated because it costs the least Rs 2500/pot ($30 per pot that feeds approx 70 hungry).  An old man said, ‘a langar is the same most of the places, they give rice but it digests very quickly.  If we got Roti ‘wheat bread’ it would last longer’ implying it would take longer to digest.  Something we do not have to consider because we can always eat something else whenever we are hungry but they have to wait till the next serving of rice is available or something affordable after a hard day of labor.

It is heart breaking to see dignified men taking off shoes and sitting in rows on the ground around the ‘dastarkhwan’ waiting for food to be served and bread handed in their hands.  I thought eating meat must be rare for them, but I tell you getting one full meal a day is rare, having Roti is rare, getting seconds is rare,…..

I see laborers working in the heat of the day all day only to give one meal to their children.  Then waiting in line at the Langar to take a few bites of rice from a small poly bag and even that they pack to use for later or take home to their families.  

Only $0.50 feeds one brother or sister.  

'Those who spent their wealth for increase in self purification, 
And have in their minds no favour from anyone
for which a reward is expected in return,
But only the desire to seek the Countenance of their Lord Most High;
And soon will they attain (complete) satisfaction'-(Quran 92:18)

Earth is their bed

Using packaging  to make his bed

On January 13^th 2011, a program was being shown on TV in Pakistan with a journalist interviewing brothers who take refuge in the ‘markaz’ (shopping district) of F-8 one of the most affluent areas in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital city.  They are day laborers who have come from Northern parts of Pakistan like Swabi, to find work in Islamabad.  None of them can afford any kind of housing so they have the earth as their bed and the sky as their roof.  Only when it rains are they allowed to take shelter in the open corridors of the shopping areas. 

It is perplexing and shameful that in Islamabad, with temperatures as low as 28º F (-2ºC), hub for most of the non profit organizations’ headquarters, the hub for all embassies, diplomats, and governing elite, there is no compassion towards ones in dire need of the basics residing amongst such affluence.

Truck delivering the bedding sets

Shahina, my mother who wanted to give the donations Lahaute had received from the sisters in Orange County, California to the most needy, realized that this is no ordinary coincidence and that she was meant to see this and these were the most in need and this imanah is meant to reach them.  She talked to me in the US our night very excited that she had found the rightful owners of the donated funds.

Aurangzeb making arrangements with a volunteer

She left for Islamabad, a 4 hour drive, the following morning, visited the area to see with her own eyes if it was true what the TV program shared.  However she had expected that most probably lots of help must have already arrived since it was telecast on national television with welfare and government organizations under scrutiny.  To her amazement, no one else had stepped up to help.  Other volunteers in Lahaute's team, in order to ensure their plight was as accurately represented, went at night to see if these brothers really spent the nights out in the cold. 

They were sleeping when they went.  Some had an opened carton, others had jute sac used for storing wheat to lie on, while still others had spread their chaddar (wrap/shawl) to use for a bed.  One of the volunteers considered himself poor and looking at them made him realize what real poverty is. 

Distributing

The next day tokens were given to each of the deserving. This was to get a count of how many were in need so an order could be placed for the bedding.  Approximately a hundred stood in line in the cold for more than an hour to get a token for free bedding.  “They showed such respect, none of them broke the line or got agitated…..(an uncommon experience in Pakistan when even the affluent show little civil ethics)…..one of the elderly even offered to bring tea for me”, says Shahina.. 

The next morning an order was placed for 100 sets of bedding.  Each set included a quilted mat to lie on, a comforter, and a pillow, costing Pakistani Rupees 700 each (approx US $8.50). Since they were day laborers with all returning late in the evening, they had requested the distribution at night time.  The security guards at the markaz warned Aurangzeb (Lahaute volunteer organizing this program) that distributing free bedding to them late at night may jeopardize security and cause a disturbance since there are so many in need.  Aurangzeb went to apologize to them who were waiting to be handed what was promised.  It took some courage on his part as standing in such temperatures at 9.00 pm in a long queue is not easy especially after a hard day of work, very little food and no place to sleep.  But to Aurangzeb’s surprise his apology was accepted so graciously with a warm hug from each of the approx 100 brothers in line.  They were requested to come at noon the next day to which they obliged to happily.  I wanted to share the details like these because to me, they tell you a lot about the Adab (manners) and Sabr (patience) such beautiful people show even in extreme adversity.  If this does not represent control over Nafs (self) what does?

Happily walking away

At noon the next day, the truck came with the bedding promptly,  there was no chaos, no disruption but sabr, shukr (thankfulness) and adab.  The ones handing out the goods, were finding it hard to articulate what joy they felt doing what they were doing.  What beautiful people, what is this bond we have with each other…..that unsaid bond of ‘Yaqeen’(belief) in Allah, His subservience, and the Ikhlaas (sincerity of intent) of one giving and the other accepting.

This brother brought his 8 year old to help

It seemed they did not have enough for all.
Approximately another 100 brothers in need of bedding had gathered around waiting to be helped as well.  With no more to distribute they were bidden farewell with the promise that we will return with your bedding soon.  Some gave their names, a few had a contact address, others shared their plight, the number of dependents they have, one requested to be relieved of a debt,  yet another needed treatment for two handicapped daughters and the third with tuberculosis.  One had come from Muzzarfarhgarh, one of the badly affected areas in the recent floods.  Most of them are from Northern parts of Pakistan where the devastating earthquake hit in 2005 with still no evidence of recovery.

That day did not end there.  There were more wonderful surprises to come.  Aurangzeb of Lahaute, ready to head back home at night after exchanging his phone numbers to any brother who asked for it, was stopped by police and taken to the police station for investigation (law and order situation has prompted such checks) suddenly his phone rang and a brother from these refugees called to thank him.  Aurangzeb shared that he is at the police station in response the brother simply hung up.  In a matter of a few minutes, a large crowd gathered outside the police station, chanting ‘Hamarai aadmi ko raiha karoo’ ‘Free our brother! Free our brother’  The brother who had called, had woken up brothers sleeping outside, walked in the cold for 15-20 minutes to rally to the police station in order to get Aurangzeb released.  You can imagine, what Aurangzeb must have felt for them, when he could see how they felt for him.

These brothers who are refugees in this city cannot see their families for 6-12 months due to lack of funds to buy a bus ticket back home.  They are not old, but the circumstances have aged them.  Their households consist of 6-9 dependents each.  Look what they have and yet how each of this soul sleeping under the sky is also a caring son, looking after parents along with wife and several children whereas the ones who have more, abandon their parents.

A dignified brother forced to seek help

I am using this blog to provide feedback to those who entrusted us with their Zakat and Sadaqaat.  Initially I thought, these should be kept short for the convenience of the readers but I see that the little details carry a lot of weight, a lot of feeling, and a lot to think about so I must share this part with you as well. 

Are you willing to give them a warm bed to sleep in or they are to accept Earth as their bed?  If we do provide for one, know that Allah subhaanu taala is the One who gave us Shelter and I pray that He rewards you for every moment of the sleep and comfort a brother gets every night.  But if we decide not to hand them a blanket, know that they will be the ones insha Allah whose accounts will not be opened on the day of judgment and they shall be asked to enter Jannah without questioning, and on that day I would wish I had done a good deed towards them so they would give shahada in my favor and lighten the weight of my sins.  So this is how I see this.  They have a lot more to offer us than we have to offer them.  I assure you it is the best $10 you will ever spend.  Are you willing to give them a warm bed to sleep in or are they to accept earth as their bed?