It is indeed amazing when some people rejoice at the closure of charitable organizations which assist the poor all over the world. The announcement last month that Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation was closing eight of its overseas offices was warmly welcomed by some writers who went so far as to say they were waiting to hear that the organization had closed all 50 of its offices.
I can’t understand why people feel this way. It is going entirely too far indeed to seek the end of a charitable body without even taking a look at its activities, both inside the Kingdom and outside. Are these writers unaware of the volume of support being extended to church organizations all over the world to finance missionary activities that target mainly Muslim countries?
The support received by Al-Haramain is insignificant when compared to that given to missionary organizations which work to keep people from God while, at the same time, winning the backing of many Western leaders. Just recently, in fact, the US president spoke of how Western charitable organizations would face difficulties in future and that it was a duty to support them.
If this is the case with those who dissemintate falsehood, how can we — a nation preaching righteousness — criticize such commendable efforts as those of Al-Haramain which are intended to help the needy and destitute all over the world? Many people may be unaware that this organization also gives help to people in this country who are so uninformed about their religion that they cannot even recite Surah Al-Fatiha, the opening chapter of the Holy Qur’an and the essence of our Book.
Don’t our brothers in other parts of the world who suffer from the multiple evils of ignorance and poverty deserve our help? Aren’t we required to show compassion and let them know that we care about our brothers in Islam wherever they are?
We should remember that the West had plans to convert the world’s largest Muslim state, Indonesia, to Christianity by the year 2000. The focus is now on Africa. Their method is to extend relief with one hand and offer a Bible with the other, all the while manipulating poverty, ignorance and destitution so prevalent in so many places.
Are we to allow our brothers to fall an easy prey to such campaigns that seek to deprive them of the most valuable thing they possess, their religion? If we do so while knowing that we are capable of changing their lives for the better, we would be committing a very great sin. Those who accuse philanthropists of terrorism have already done much damage to a noble cause. The media should play a more active role in educating people about poverty and how all of us should become involved in fighting it.
Arab News From the Local Press 16 June 2003
