News and Views
Video: How to help Pakistan (even better than money!)
Keep supporting MuslimMatters for the sake of Allah
Alhamdulillah, we're at over 850 supporters. Help us get to 900 supporters this month. All it takes is a small gift from a reader like you to keep us going, for just $2 / month.
The Prophet (SAW) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small. Click here to support MuslimMatters with a monthly donation of $2 per month. Set it and collect blessings from Allah (swt) for the khayr you're supporting without thinking about it.
-
Announcements1 month ago
MuslimMatters Official Statement On Wisam Sharieff
-
#Society1 month ago
Statement Against Abuse: The Female Scholars Network
-
#Culture4 weeks ago
[Podcast] How To Free A Jinn & Other Questions | Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil
-
#Islam4 weeks ago
Study Classical Texts The Traditional Way [Session 3] | Sh. Yaser Birjas
mystrugglewithin
August 24, 2010 at 9:38 AM
perfect, mashallah.
HydTech
August 24, 2010 at 9:48 AM
jazakallah
Pingback: A little box that will make a LOT of difference…(please read!) « Ramadan: The Greatest Month of the Year
Shafkat
August 24, 2010 at 2:13 PM
As salaam alykum,
Alhamdulillah .. Excellent work..
Lots n lots of people want to help our brothers and sisters in Pakistan … But do not trust the corrupt government officials one bit .. whose track record as far as honesty, transparency and integrity is concerned leaves a lot to be desired …
Enough said !
Is this service by PIA available all over the world ??
Would love to get things organised from here in Kenya, if possible..
Ma asalaam
Ameera
August 24, 2010 at 11:20 PM
Please visit the website linked to in the post above… I am pretty certain that wherever PIA has flight routes, it will gladly carry the goods Inshaa’Allah. :)
Hena
August 24, 2010 at 8:50 PM
Thanks for posting this Ameera! This can be sent from each and every place that PIA flies from. He was on the ground during the 2005 earthquake so he knows what he talking about.
As for the bags of rice and lentils send those by ship in containers which will get there in 30 days. That is long term nourishment that they will eventually need. Maty ALlah accept everyones efforts. Ameen
Salman Aslam
August 25, 2010 at 3:59 AM
Mashallah he has been a true inspiration for us youngsters
Atif
August 25, 2010 at 10:30 AM
I haven’t seen long-life milk (that doesn’t need refrigeration) on a store-shelf here in the US…if I don’t find it, I might just send soy-milk, or rice-milk (which do come in long-life boxes)
Hena
August 26, 2010 at 8:09 AM
Don’t know how well that would go as far as taste- Granola bars from here haven’t been a hit (reports from people on the ground there) so I’m guessing neither will soy milk- maybe dry milk ie Nido would be a better option.
Farhan
August 25, 2010 at 3:54 PM
What are the drop-off locations for PIA? Are there any near Washington, DC?
Mansoor Ansari
August 26, 2010 at 10:06 AM
Contacting NYC office for more details would be ur best option .
Ibrar
August 25, 2010 at 5:27 PM
MaashaAllah, what a nice video, and what an inspirational guy.
One question I have though, which is related to the traceability and accountability of these boxes once they arrive in Pakistan. Fakhre Alam said that on arrival these boxes will be “distributed to the military and NGOs” so that they can reach the people. Does anyone knows how this will occur? I mean, if I was donating to any NGO then I would expect a report from them (as almost all do) in terms what they are doing on the ground, how they have spent the donations and what projects they are involved with. What we seem to have here is a general appeal for a worthy product (the box), with no one taking responsibility for it once it leaves the country of origin and more importantly no one accounting for what happens to it. I guess my concern is that this could end up being no more than a feel good exercise for the diaspora communities that are getting involved in this campaign in their hundreds, with the people who really need these items actually not benefitting from them. Why do I say that? Well my experience from the 2005 earthquake is that lots of cargo items (including in one instance £250,000 worth of orthopaedic equipment from the UK) were “procured” on their arrival in Pakistan and added to the “President’s fund” never to be seen again, and we dont know if any of them reached those they were supposed to. It would be a real shame if the same happened here, and worse if people started profiteering from these generous donations. So. if anyone can answer the question, that would be great.
Umm Khadija
August 25, 2010 at 8:43 PM
“International shipments will have to be endorsed by Pakistani Embassies/Consulates/ High Commissions and the consignee should be a registered NGO or Government agency such as National Disaster Management Authority.”
See Here:
http://www.piac.com.pk/PIA_PolicynTerms/PIA_Flood_Relief.asp
The army comes under the NDMA listed above.
Shafkat
August 26, 2010 at 1:52 AM
As salaam alykum,
It would really boost our confidence if this effort could go one CRUCIAL step further to show us how the donated items are reaching the afflicted..
Suggestion : Link up with the likes of Dr Shahid Masood ( CEO – ARY ) who was shown on ARY TV ‘on the ground’ – in the effected areas some time ago commenting on the lack of help to the people at that particular time.. Maybe/Hopefully things have changed for the better in the meantime …
I do not think this should be very difficult and will go a long way in encouraging more relief items come in ..
Wa billahi Taufiq.
Amad
August 26, 2010 at 9:49 AM
It did sound too good to be totally true… at least in Qatar here, we called PIA to get lame excuses of already being “full’ and having too few small planes… They arranged one cargo of 1 ton, and that’s about it…. so basically saying dont bother.
Okay, its probably true for Qatar, but they could have figured out another way to support the effort!
So, pls call the nearest PIA office to check their “compliance”.
Ameera
August 28, 2010 at 3:44 AM
That’s bad publicity, for sure! :( I wonder if I can somehow contact Fakhre-Alam and apprise him of this…
Fathimah
August 28, 2010 at 5:22 PM
Assalamualikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu
This sounded so good to me and thought we should try and organise it here….but just now found that there is no guarantee that the goods will reach the deserving…
After the earthquake in Pakistan 5 yrs ago, Hidaya foundation had shipped their containers to PIA in NYC…but it ended up backlogging in the warehouse and then was sent as cargo…so the promise that it will reach immediately is not so true as they have limited space..and even if it does reach there, it goes to the corrupt officials and then nothing will be heard of the goods again.,….
Umm Anas
August 29, 2010 at 3:28 PM
wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatUllahi wa barakatuh,
I would add a few toothbrushes…
Um Mohammed
August 30, 2010 at 1:39 PM
How about non food items,like cloth,blankets,… do you know any one(airline or others) will deliver them for free.I think people here in USA want to donate those items but don’t know where.
Mohammed Hamza
September 3, 2010 at 8:15 AM
Salaams Br.
Just go to any local Islamic Center near you and you will find an answer Insha Allah, If you live in California please let me know I will send you more details.
Mohammed Hamza
September 3, 2010 at 8:07 AM
Salaams All,
Let’s not worry about what happened 2005 Earth Quake and what will happen NOW, there is no time for judgment people are suffering, Insha Allah just do our part and pray to Allah and Insha Allah it will reach out to needies. If we were to talk about negatives year after years, people would get discouraged, SO IT IS NONE OF OUR BUSINESS to worry whether it will reach or NOT, just do our part and pray to Allah, Insha Allah May Allah will reward you! And make sure to remember all suffering hearts in your Dua’s, Especially Lailathul Qadr is approaching Insha Allah. May Allah guide us in the right path and give them the speedy recovery and patients during this time! AAmeen
bohemia
September 14, 2010 at 6:33 AM
koi faida nahi hay sary pisa or cheeza zardari kay pass ja rahy hongy dont waste money in pakistan that country desirve 2 die i hate 2 be a pakistani pakistan ending ho nay ka waqt agaya hay
Isra Sarntisart
September 15, 2010 at 8:58 PM
The Well-being Foundation for Muslim Thais have collected donation from Thai people, mostly muslims. The amount will be sent through the Embassy of Pakistan in Bangkok next week.