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My dad grew up in South Africa in the 1930s and he tells me that the situation for Muslim women in this country wasn’t all that nice.
Some young girls would be beaten just for looking out of their windows. Many of them would not be allowed to complete their schooling. And sadly, lots of teenage girls were forced into marriages when they were just 15 or 16 years old to people they had never met.
Like I mentioned, this is what my dad and many other South African mums and dads tell me about the 1930s.
If life was that tough for a Muslimah in South Africa, in the 1930s, can you imagine what it must have been like for a Muslimah in Egypt in the 1920s? Tough is surely an understatement.
Well, the other day I was reading a book about an awesome young woman who grew up in Egypt in the 1920s and who taught us that no matter what the circumstances, life is what you make of it!
Most of you have probably heard of this woman, some of you may even know her.
Zainab Al-Ghazali, may Allah have mercy on her, was one of the most extraordinary women the last 100 years has seen.
Where was I when I was a teenager? Well, I was standing outside the Maharani Hotel on the Durban beachfront, under a scorching sun, waiting to catch a glimpse of a Bollywood actor.
Did I benefit anyone by doing this? Nope. I got his autograph, yes, but more than 15 years later, I don’t even know where it is (let alone where he is!), and to be quite honest, I couldn’t care less.
And where was Zainab Al-Ghazzali as a teenager? Well, she was busy establishing the Muslim Women’s Association in Egypt.
Did she benefit anyone by doing this? You bet she did. She established dozens of mosques, she educated people, she inspired Muslim women to have the high self-esteem they deserved, and in doing so, she occupied a page in the history of this Ummah that will continue to inspire people the world over.
Zainab Al-Ghazali was a teacher and student of Islam, a public speaker, a writer, an activist. But don’t forget—she was also a VOLUNTEER.
Many people discover the joys of volunteering at a late age, when they are retired or semi-retired and have lots of free time on their hands. But Zainab Al-Ghazali started young, and she went on to grow as a person and a role model.
Follow her example! Start young! Volunteer now! Yes, we all have commitments—family, school, social, etc. But I’m sure we have even just a little bit of time in which we find ourselves wishing we had something to do!
Well, the good news is, “something” is an understatement—there is plenty to do!
We don’t have to go all the way to Niger to make a difference (but, of course, if we can, that’s great, al-hamdu lillah).
There are many ways in which we can volunteer. I mentioned Niger. Let’s focus on the famine there and zoom in on a few ways in which we can make a difference from thousands of miles away:
- Design pamphlets and advertisements for relief organizations sending aid to Niger. This will save them lots of money, which they can donate instead.
- Help set up or update their Web sites.
- Not into graphic design? Well, help distribute these pamphlets. The more people they reach the better it is for the people of Niger, and the more reward you stand to gain in the Hereafter, in sha’ Allah.
- Something that may be a little more challenging, but that is extremely rewarding: volunteer to raise funds for these organizations. We once did this for refugees in Afghanistan, by hosting a function that we called “A Cup of Tea for Afghanistan.” We asked bakeries and various generous people to sponsor goodies, tea, soft drinks, etc., arranged for some knowledgeable people to speak about the importance of charity and the plight of the Afghan refugees, and then told our guests to contribute as much money as they wanted in exchange for a cup of tea and some cakes. Al-hamdu lillah, we raised a substantial amount, which we donated to a couple of relief organizations who were working in the area.
- Approach these organizations and ask them how you can help them. In most cases you will find that they can do with an extra driver, typist, someone to answer phone calls or reply to e-mails, etc.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) told us that all actions will be judged according to the intention behind them. So remember when you volunteer, it’s not the size of the task that matters, but rather the size of the intention that counts! Typing a letter to a potential donor might seem small and trivial, but if you type it with the intention of encouraging others to give charity, then, in sha’ Allah, you too will be rewarded for the great act of assisting the poor.
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