I was having a little conversation with Anas (my young Egyptian friend from ICT, a student leader). We tried to figure out why students are so manja and expect everything to be given on a platter.They just want to take but not give (ni I dah addressed in my Gen-Y talk at Segi).Then we got to discuss about fund-raising and how Egyptians are so generous with their money.Look at that cancer centre which provides FREE treatments to patients (it's run on wakaf money).And we know Al-Azhar has produced many great leaders around the Muslim world and it runs on wakaf money since its inception.So I asked Anas to tell me how an average Egyptian child is raised to understand Egyptian culture of giving.
Anas said kids were taught from young (aged 3 or 4) to be aware of rezeki from Allah e.g. if they see a cent (tak tau la its equivalent in Egypt), the child has to pick up the coin and kiss it, letak atas dahi and says alhamdulilah (all praise be to Allah) and put it aside/keep it.Likewise if they see food remains. Every Friday, a child is taught to give to the poor/needy.To do sedekah (parents will give a dolar or two and say give this to so and so who needs it).
MasyaAllah...how many of us do this to our child? Or do it ourselves? Kalau orang nak kutip sedekah for orphanage pun kita jeling2 dengan hujung mata kita and kata dalam hati, "ni sindiket ni..mesti ada dalang kat belakang nak tipu ni."
Biar beri sikit but consistent.Dan ikhlas.Tak perlu lah nak soal orang tipu ke tidak.Allah knows who is more sincere of the two: the giver or the taker.
That is all that matters.
Will you give, for my Nov. conference? :))
2 comments:
tahla. i know it's not that good to question whether orang yg mintak sedekah tipu ke x. but this very society that i'm living in has made me to stigmatise orang2 yg mintak sedekah ni. and, as much as we want to help them, in the end, these people have to realise they need to help themselves first. they cannot expect easy money all the time.
betullah tu.The Prophet pun tak suka orang hidup meminta-minta.Ingat tak baginda kasi tali suruh orang bekerja? But at the same time we are also encouraged to give kpd yang tiada.The best is to give them skills to be financially independent.
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