NAIROBI,
January 9, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – Kenya's three million Muslims
will celebrate `Eid Al-Adha on Tuesday, January 10, by donating
sacrificed animals to thousands of needy fellow Kenyans suffering a
searing drought that has killed dozens and placed millions at risk of
famine.
"We
must show our faith in its true colors by helping our brothers and
sisters who are in dare need of food and water for themselves and
their animals," Halima Yusuf, a Nairobi-based businesswoman, told
IslamOnline.net on Monday, January 9.
`Eid
Al-Adha and hajj came at an opportune time for Kenyan Muslims to show
their kindness and love to their brothers and sisters suffering from
hunger, added the 35-yrea-old Muslim.
In
his New Year address, President Mwai Kibaki has declared the drought
as a "national disaster".
More
than 70 Kenyans, mainly children, have died of hunger, malnutrition
and related illnesses in Kenya's northeast, which along with
neighboring southern Somalia and southeast Ethiopia are the regions
worst-affected by two years of chronic drought.
In
addition to the human toll hundreds of thousands of cows, goats and
camels have perished, severely hurting the area's livestock-dependent
pastoralist population.
Sharing
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Kenyan youths, queuing with empty water containers, search for water due to the drought. (Reuters).
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Faraj
Mohamed, a Muslim faithful residing in Mombasa city, said that plans
were underway to donate foodstuffs to the national relief food kitty
coordinating relief food distributions to famine affected areas.
"Muslims
will be praying for our brothers and sisters dying of hunger in
famine-stricken areas to get enough food and water.
"As
we mark `Eid on Tuesday we will share with them the little we
have."
Sheikh
Hamad Kassim , the Kenyan Chief Kadhi on Friday, January 7, urged
local Muslims to be generous and help those in need, especially
starving Kenyans.
"This
is a period of sacrifice and generosity to please God" he said,
adding that Muslims should find time to help the needy.
