Kids miss out on Idi, those who got gift donate money to Covid patients
City residents joined the rest of the world in celebrating Id-ul-Fitr with religious fervour amid the ongoing second wave of Coronavirus pandemic that majorly disrupted the season’s joy.
Children missed out on many things this Id, particularly idi (money given to children on the auspicious day) and visit to relatives due to the lockdown. They even could not purchase toys this time.
Giving children gifts during religious festivals is a tradition followed by families across the globe. For Muslims, those presents often take the form of idi or idiyah by way of money distributed to children for Id celebrations. These children get money from elders of the family as also from relatives and friends of their elders for three days on Id.
They receive money as idi from guests who arrive to greet them and even get idi when they pay a visit to others’ houses.
Syed Gouse Ali, a student of the Tenth class, said that for the past two years, he is not getting any substantial idi due to the difficult economic situation caused by the pandemic. “Every year, I get money from my elder relatives. Now, no guest comes home nor do we go to other houses,” he said.
However, a few children are lucky that they got handsome amounts from their parents. Some of them have donated the idi amount for some good cause. Three children of Asif Hussain Sohail collectively donated `1.05 lakh they received as idi and pocket money.
Mohammed Ali Hussain donated `45,000 for helping Covid patients while Hiba and Fatima donated `30,000 and `35,000 for the funeral of Covid victims and for providing oxygen to the needy via his father who runs a family trust by name Sakina Foundation. Likewise, Zoya Firdous and Siddiqua Firdous, daughters of advocate Wali Rahmani, have also donated their eidi for Thalassemia and kidney patients. These little girls said, “We read in the Holy Quran that saving a person is saving humanity. Though the amounts we are donating are meagre, we want this done and become a good human.”
The children say their father is not only spending money for helping the needy but also extends the needy some physical support.