A Pakistani family residing in the United Kingdom has dedicated the last five years of their lives to serving the destitute individuals in their home country. Abid Hussain, his wife Rukhsana Shaheen, and their two daughters have donated more than £500,000 to those in need. They take one month’s leave from their jobs in the UK once or twice a year and travel across Pakistan to locate white-collar destitute individuals who don’t beg for their pressing needs. They then provide them with whatever is missing, including groceries, medical aid, wheelchairs, assistance in establishing businesses, paying defaulted rent, operation expenditures, and other facilities. The family’s kindness has left an indelible mark on those they have supported and serves as a testament to the power of empathy and generosity, and an essential reminder of the need for goodness in difficult times.
The family has installed more than 600 tubewells in water-scarce areas of Pakistan, constructed a mosque worth over £30,000 in Yemen, and established religious seminaries in Africa, Syria, and Lebanon. Currently, they are searching for land to establish a large shelter home in the federal capital Islamabad with all the necessary facilities. Despite receiving offers from various charity organisations to join them, the family prefers to work independently.
In the UK, they distribute groceries and other necessities to the homeless and unemployed, while in Pakistan, they distribute flour, cash, prayer mats, and copies of the holy Quran among deserving domestic workers in Media Town, Islamabad. Rukhsana shared that the idea of serving suffering humanity came to her after the death of a relative, realising that life is temporary and she wanted to devote herself as well as her family towards helping those in need. She believed that the world is fleeting and that one should strive to do good in this life to prepare for the hereafter.
Starting with teaching the holy Quran to children, Rukhsana’s daughter, Rummana Shaheen, known as ‘ustadha’ or teacher, founded and currently heads “The Rahman Academy”, which provides religious education to children and others in Bradford. In response to reaching those who cannot access the madrasa physically, the academy has recently expanded to offer online courses to students worldwide. With over 250 students, currently enrolled in various courses and modules, Ustadha Rummana draws on her 10 years of teaching experience to rekindle the love of religion through understanding and practice.
Her commitment to education and service is reflected in her family’s charitable work in Pakistan, where they have served the suffering humanity at their doorstep. In 2018, Ustadha Rummana travelled to Tarīm, Yemen to visit the renowned Dar al-Zahra school founded by Habib Umar bin al-Hafiz. The family’s charitable work and dedication to serving those in need demonstrate the importance of empathy and generosity towards those less fortunate.
In other news, the Christian community around the world, including Pakistan, is celebrating Easter today with religious enthusiasm. Special prayers and events are being held in churches across the country, with a large number of Christian community members attending. The government has made special arrangements for prayers, and tight security measures have been taken outside churches.
In Karachi, a colourful Easter celebration was held at Holy Trinity Church, where carols related to Easter were sung at a ceremony. Easter does not fall on the same date every year, and the second major festival for the community is celebrated on the first Sunday of the Christian calendar.
President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari all tweeted felicitations to the Christian community living in Pakistan. Similarly, Punjab Governor Baligh ur-Rehman and caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin
