Updated on 06/11/2012

The following article is one of a series of reports on ‘DELIVERING THE FUTURE’ where we will share some of The World Federation’s amazing experiences from our recent visit to Pakistan’s flood affected areas. Sayyid Aliraza Naqvi, Assistant Secretary General for Islamic Education and Kaniz Bhimani, Relief Manager for International Relief and Development visited Pakistan’s rural communities to see the progress of our activities in Pakistan between 14 and 21 September 2012.

The Holy Prophet (s) said:  ‘Whenever an orphan cries on earth, God the Almighty says:  Who has made this servant of mine who has lost his parents on the earth cry?’
The angels will say:  ‘You are Pure. We do not know anything except for what you have taught us.”
God the Almighty says:  ‘I will use you as witnesses that I will please with Heaven whoever pleases this orphan.’
Then a man asked the Prophet:  “What will please him”
The Prophet said:  ‘Caressing his head or feeding him with a date.’


Every day, 5,760 more children become orphans. Around the world, there are an estimated 163 million orphans who have lost one parent. Of this total, 13 million have lost both parents.

On day four of our journey, we visited an Islamic Centre in Kot Addu, Punjab sponsored by The World Federation. Little did we know that before long we would be walking out with heavy hearts.

The local religious guide led us into the Islamic Centre and introduced us to the madrasah children who had come to meet us. Two of these students were Mohamed Ali (age 13) and Mohamed Islansha (age 12) – two orphan brothers who lost both of their parents.   

The two brothers sat next to us as they shared aspects of their life struggles with us.  They told us that their mother died of kidney disease and their father left them when they were very young. Now they live with their grandmother who earns a meagre 500 Rupees a month working as a maid. The boys have two older brothers ages 14 and 15 – one works in a hotel in a nearby city, and the other one migrated to Karachi in search of work. Both brothers had tears streaming down their cheeks – as did we. The other children in the room who were much younger than them also shared in their pain as they wiped their eyes dry every so often.  These children were more than just classmates; they were a source of support for each other.

The village here has a significant sadaat population. The religious guide who runs this Islamic centre started a madrasah here where 45 children attend every day. They learn Qur’an, salaat and akhlaq. Now, finally, the village children, including Mohamed Ali and Mohamed Islansha have some meaning and structure in their lives and are not left alone to play all day.

The religious guide has also started Jamaat Salaat where the local men come to pray in the afternoon and evening. Short lectures are then provided on Islamic morals, ethics and akhlaq. None of these programs existed prior to the Islamic Centre being built.

Hearing of the boys’ struggles brought tears to our eyes.  Our partner in Pakistan told us that during the August 2010 floods, this family lost their home to the monsoon rains that washed through their village. In 2011, a new house was built by our partner and gifted to them.

Childhood isn’t always easy. If it wasn’t for these Islamic Centres and the religious guides, children like Mohamed Ali and Mohamed Islansha would otherwise live alone in their own silent world – with no one to guide them spiritually, emotionally and to help meet their basic needs. Since we learned about the plight of these two brothers, The World Federation is working with its partner in Pakistan as well as a caring sponsor to provide both boys an opportunity to go to school to give them a real head start to a brighter more promising future.

Please help more children feel wanted and accepted and make a donation to the ‘Delivering the Future:  Islamic Scholars for Islamic Centres Fund’

Stay tuned for next week and see the devastating effects of land erosion on a village along the Indus River.     

DELIVER THE FUTURE

Donations to the ‘Delivering the Future:  Islamic Scholars for Islamic Centres Fund’ will fund the placement of desperately needed religious guides in the 105 newly built Islamic Centres across Pakistan’s scattered and remote villages sponsored by The World Federation. This initiative is essential to ensure that the centres are properly utilised, and that people, especially the children and youth are educated in Islamic teachings. This project is underway and the results are phenomenal. The cost of sponsoring one Islamic Scholar in one Islamic Centre for an entire year is only £965 GBP / $1,540 USD-CAD per year. Donors to this fund are making a real and lifelong impact on thousands of men, women and children who are rediscovering the light and guidance of the Ahlul Bayt (as). Sponsor an Islamic Scholar in full or in part and join us in ‘Delivering the Future’.

DONATE ONLINE:

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Jamaat Treasurer:
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For more information, please email relief@world-federation.org or islamiceducation@world-federation.org