For Covid era devouts, Ramzan is also about arranging O2, meals, medicines
LUCKNOW : Maulana Sufiyan Nizami, a resident of Lucknow’s Talkatora area, is a busy man these days. An Arabic teacher, like every Ramzan, he is devoting his time in fasting and praying.
But that’s not all what is keeping him busy this Ramzan.
With second wave of Covid-19 at its peak, and people suffering all around, he has taken upon himself the task of serving the needy persons, albeit in a unique way.
“During Ramzan we compulsorily give Zakat (giving a share from one’s surplus wealth for the poor). Usually, it is about donating money to the poor and the needy ones but since this time the situation demands something else, I decided to save lives by providing oxygen to people,” he says, while dubbing his mission as ‘Oxygen Zakat.’
So far, this Ramzan, Nizami has served more than 90 people, who he claims, could have died without oxygen.
“Religion is not about being rigidly following rituals but about reacting to the situation the way humanity demands. Hence, as per the need and demand, I thought saving lives of people by providing them oxygen will be of much more significance than giving cash to the people in need,” says the man
As this time the situation demands something else, I decided to save lives by providing oxygen to people
MAULANA SUFIYAN NIZAMI, Arabic teacher
who spends more than six hours in facilitating oxygen cylinders.
He currently owns around 22 jumbo cylinders and also helps people in getting the cylinder re-filled. “Not just cylinders, we can help in any which way the situation demands, says the young man who has fed over 800 people during Ramzan.
Like Nizami, there are many other young people who are serving the humanity by ‘earmarking’ their ‘zakat’ for the needy, in their own way.
Mohammed Iqbal, 36, who resides in Chaupatiya area of the Old City, is another man who strongly believes that feeding the poor and Covid patients, free of cost, is his way of offering ‘zakat’ to those who deserves.
“The pandemic has affected us all. There are many who are not able to manage meals for their family and hence we have started a drive to arrange the same for them,” says Iqbal, who owns a small embroidery business. So far, he and his team have covered more than 800 people during Ramzan.
As part of the initiative, our team distributes food packets, which include both cooked and raw meals, to the people who are in need.“In every area, we identify the needy people with the help of locals and arrange hygienic meals for them. The focus, especially, is on those suffering from Covid,” he says.
Maulana Mushtaq, 48, and his team of 12, too is serving the mankind in their own different way.
“We make sure that the last rites of those who die of Covid are performed with dignity, even if their family members refuse to come forward due to the fear of the virus,” says Mushtaq, who carries out the burials at Aishbagh Eidgah Kabristan.
“During the first Covid wave we came across many cases where nobody from the family was willing to come forward to carry out the last rite of their near and dear ones. Hence, we thought this time we should ensure that nothing like this happens again. We have a team of 12 persons, who not only assist people in carrying out last rites but also carry it out in a traditional way when no family member is available,” says the man, who has assisted the burial of more than 90 Covid patients. There are many others who are serving the humanity in their own different way, this Ramzan.While some are distributing ‘iftar’ packets, there are many who are distributing free Covid medicine kits among people who are ill.
“Observing Ramzan is not only about fasting, offering namaaz and giving zakat. In fact, it is about how we obey Allah in the present scenario. Though last Ramzan was also observed amid Covid scare, this year the situation is shocking. Under such circumstance, serving people is above everything. And if devouts are discovering their own ways to please Allah, it must be welcomed,” says Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, Imam Eidgah and senior member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).