Food
Continued from page 2
Verbal thanking is quite easy. But a great way to show our real
appreciation would be to do in turn for others the way God has done
for us. If we don’t want to sleep hungry, we must help someone
else not to sleep hungry. If we want to be alive to develop our
souls, so must we help others to be alive to develop their souls.
God can easily feed whomever He wishes to feed, but as believers
the responsibility and test is upon us. Therefore, among the reasons
God gives for people ending up in hell, one of them is “not
Feeding and not Advocating Feeding.”
Do you know who really rejects the faith? That is
the one who mistreats the orphans. And does not advocate the feeding
of the poor (107:1-3).
While in Paradise, they will ask about the guilty.
“What brought you to this retribution?” They will say,
“We did not observe the contact prayers (Salat). “We
did not feed the poor (74:40-41).
Fortunately, the command to feed the poor is fervently obeyed by
the believers around the world. Everywhere many
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brothers and sisters are spending their
time and money arranging to feed the poor individually or through
soup kitchens. God has promised to shower these believers with His
blessings and grace manifold. Many people from different faiths
and religions are also doing the same. Still there are millions
around the world hungry.
This article is not to remind the believers to do what they are
already doing well, praise God. It is to see if we can encourage
(advocate) more people, be they believers or not, to feed others
who are hungry. God willing we must increase our efforts to see
that more people are fed. When one person contributes to a feeding
project, it feeds many. So imagine if we were to just double the
contribution or the number of contributors, how many it would feed?
Just think. If everyone who could afford to give Zakat
and charity did their bit, maybe there would not be a single needy
or hungry person on earth! More of God’s land would be put
to harvest, jobs created, more people alive and healthy, less diseases,
less worries, less crime and what not! Simply because the people
have no hunger worries.
While we know that we must advocate feeding, people who are not
yet blessed to follow
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God’s laws, have perhaps not realized
how important and necessary this act of charity is. Yet I have never
had an associate or friend refuse me support when I have asked for
a contribution to feed or help the poor. Maybe they are doing charity
to maintain their “social dignity” with me. But at least
someone benefits from it. In fact when you point out to people that
charity is mentioned in all scriptures, they react quite favorably.
Additionally, when you tell them it is a command from God and obligatory
on those who can afford it, they may respect your religion for its
advocating of charity and may even want to know more about Quran!
Who knows what God will make happen? You may get a lot of believers
on your hands. The more believers, the more the human race will
enjoy peace. And personally, you will end up with the best meal
of all. Food for your own soul multiplied manifold!
Surely, the charitable men and women have loaned
God a loan of goodness. They will receive their reward multiplied
manifold; they have deserved a generous recompense (57:18).
Kais Rahimtulla, Mumbai, India
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