Feeding the Hungry [Archives:1999/32/Focus]

By: Ahlam Al-Khawlani
Few are the people who like charity. They are, in fact, rare to be found in our hard present times and charitable practices are likely to emerge in specifically limited days during the whole year. May God prosper those tender-hearted people who always think of the needy and the less privileged people.
There lives in Al-Qadesiah area one of these men; a man with a great heart who loves and helps the people, specially the needy. As soon as I heard about him, I made my way to meet him. His name is Shaikh Mohammed Ali Al-Muaid. He built a center for helping the needy in various fields.
So many people used to come to him after each prayer (Salah) and appeal to him to help them get rid of their very poor standard of living. In the beginning, he started with only one. When many others began to come he thought that he had to work for all. Around 4.000 people and 400 families are daily helped. Regarding food, he is thinking of building a separate kitchen for serving the needy people and families. Presently, he only gives each one three pieces of bread or (kudaam). He has representatives in every area who distribute them among the people according to their cards.
Mr. Al-Muaid told me he and other people are doing this favor to the needy people just to be blessed by Allah and that they do not have any material benefit. He also said that there is no need to mention the names of the organizations contributing in this charitable project and I hope that they will increase in the future.
At present, a hospital for treating by the Holy Qura’n is being built. The treatment, of course, will be free of charge. In the future, he will build a house for the female orphans as well as a training center for women.
The Center contains a bakery. There are 12 bakers in the Center and all of them live in the same Center in separate apartments. The Center also contains a computer institute and a school. The only problem the center is facing the limitedness of the financial resources. Finally, I wish that all our traders and rich people will do the same charitable work to help their people. If we assume for instance that 5000 of Yemeni traders support 3500 of the poor people, there will not be a single poor person in our country. It is also advisable to devote foreign financial support to human deeds like feeding the starved and comfort the afflicted instead of wasting it in nothingness.
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