People are so busy
today that life seems to be on fast forward most of the time. We seem to have
become so busy and absorbed in the cares of every day that we have forgotten
our obligation to take care of our neighbours.
As a faithful Muslim,
it is important to find time to help the needy. This is one of the teachings of
Islam. We are required to take care of the brother or sister who has less than
we do.
While many of us
would like to do the right thing and serve the poor and needy, we simply don’t
have the time to do so. We may also not be in a position to physically assist
the poor or needy. This however, does not mean that we should give the idea up
completely. There are many ways that we can still give a helping hand.
One of the best ways
to give to the needy is through a charitable organisation. There are many
Muslim run charitable organisations that will help you fulfil the requirements
of Shariah law and help the needy in the process.
These organisations
work in various countries offering assistance to those in need. These
charitable organisations provide health care, food, clothing and shelter for
those in need. Many of these organisations work with whole populations and
without discrimination.
These organisations
are non-profit organisations. This means that they are totally dependent on
donations from well-wishers. You can, therefore, give Lilah to
support these organisations.
However, if you want
to support these organisations for the long run, you can choose to channel your
Zakah to the organisations. Many of
these organisations will calculate what you are required to give and help to
facilitate the distribution of the money you give to the poor.
If you choose to give
Sadaqah to these organisations, you can sign up to their accounts and organise
for the transfer of funds on a regular basis depending on what is comfortable
to you.
It is important to
ensure that you are giving your Zakah to a Muslim run organisation. Ensure that
the organisation does what it says it does by researching about it online or
asking around. There are various registries for non-profits, which you can look
through to find out if the organisation is really registered.
Your Sadaqa will go a
long way in assisting others who are living without basic needs. You will make
someone’s life much better.