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A Dollar or a Dua for the Philippines

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I have a special relationship with the Philippines- even though I doubt the islands know. When my son was diagnosed with autism and my husband and I were struggling to meet his monthly therapy needs and begging Allah for help, He gave us a special needs teacher and ABA therapist from there. Her passion, energy, and relentless dedication firmly paved the way for the amazing future he’s living now.

When I took a leap of faith and founded an early intervention service for children on the autism spectrum- she was a founding member, and together we hired a team of amazing specials needs educators- all of whom were from the Philippines.

We’ve travelled there together many times during the past few years, and there she’s been my tour guide as well as an ambassador for the country and the people she loves. She’s taken me to the beautiful, historically rich Fort Santiago, as well as the homely, close-streets of the poor Muslim neighborhood of Quiapo, where she stood guard as I prayed in one of Manila’s few large masajid.

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She took me through merchant-filled underpasses in Baclaran, an underwater shark tunnel in Ocean City, and the slums in Manila where one man’s trash is literally, another’s treasure- entire families live in dark, jumbled lean-tos made of discarded billboard, banners, cardboard, and desperation.

She carefully- and protectively- showed me the edge of one cabaret and red-light district, where the “Lovely Ms. Lemon” was slated for performance- her thin, disturbingly young-looking body barely dressed and cheaply displayed on a poster outside of the bar.

She’s steered this amazed, insulated, first-world Muslim past the casinos and La Lechon buffets to safety and pleasant surprises at a Mom & Pop halal kitchen in a house in Quiapo. She’s told me when I should lock the car doors and when I can roll down the window and gawk in amazement. She showed me a side of the Philippines- however limited- that no five-star tourist would be able to see, and what I’ve learned amazes me.

I’ve learned that the pleasant Filipina receptionist with the policy-mandated smile may actually hold a Master’s degree in Business Administration, but will have taken the job to escape the poor economy, poverty, and endless cycle of debt some families live in back home. She may be living in a shared bed space, paying half of her salary to rent a single bunk in a room of ten or more, with access to a shared kitchen and a single bathroom where each resident keeps a neatly labeled basket with their own soap, tissues, and toothpaste.

I’ve learned the people leave their children with aunts and grandmothers for years at a time so they can try to cover school fees and housing costs with their meager incomes, working low-level service jobs here in Dubai.

I learned that the Filipino driver who is on call 24 hours a day and hasn’t been home in five years is counting down the days until his daughter graduates from medical school back home. That the housekeeper with a nursing degree is grateful to have a job that wasn’t a scam for a brothel- and that the ladies who share rooms in Karama live in fear of rape, because the petite, polite, and well-polished Filipinas are common targets for intimidation and sexual exploitation.

I learned that to address a Filipina with respect I use Atay, which is the Tagalog equivalent of Baji (big sister) and that Atay’s counterpart is kooya. Our friends are maray and paray. And they make this amazing thing called adobo and it’s beautiful on buttered garlic rice.

Here in the United Arab Emirates, people from the Philippines fill a majority of jobs in the service industry. All but two of the employees in my local beauty salon are from the Philippines, and yesterday when I entered for a well-needed foot-scrub, the mood seemed markedly less cheerful than usual. Instead of being greeted with the usual “Hello Madame,” I was quietly shown to a comfortable chair where Jane- who has been working there for the past five years, was quietly filling a basin with soap and fragrant bath salts.

She wordlessly took my feet and began washing them, and as she worked her hands over my bubble, lavender-scented feet, I couldn’t help but stare. Her face was… pained.

After a few moments I carefully ventured, “There’s a terrible typhoon in the Philippines right now.”

“Yes ma’am, a superstorm.” She flatly replied, now taking one of my feet in her lap and preparing to pumice it.

“I was getting ready to travel there again, I do hope everything there is alright.”

She scrubbed for a few more moments and then surprised me.

“My parents are very old- 74 and 75. They stay with my niece, who’s 9. They’re ok, but the water- it was up to here.” She lifted up the hand with the pumice stone to her eyes. “My family is from a western province. The typhoon is in the south.”

“I’m glad they’re ok.”

Another employee- who went home to deliver a baby just a few months ago, walked through quietly on her way to another part of the salon. Jane gestured to her subtly.

Atay is not ok. Her family is from Samar. She can’t reach them.”

Atay headed back through the pedicure room, her face flat. I wondered where her baby was. I bet she was wondering too.

I’ve never had a pedicure that made me cry before. I think Jane could probably say the same. She scrubbed away, her eyes welling with tears that she wiped away with the back of her hand before they could spill over.

“It’s hard,” she said quietly. “You save and save- small, small amounts. And then your house is gone- it’s destroyed.”

Typhoon Haiyan was three times stronger than Hurricane Katrina, and in some areas of the Philippines, people were still living in tents- refugees from last month’s major earthquake. 10,000 people are estimated to have died in one region alone- and as aid agencies are struggling to respond, debris clogs the streets and bodies float in the waterways.

Allah sent Islam as a mercy to mankind, and Muslims are instructed to have mercy- not only for other Muslims, but for all of mankind.

There are an armload of places and worthy causes that need help right now, and trying to put the Philippines in some sort of tragedy competition is not the point. Shaytan would like you to believe that you can only help one people (Muslim vs. Non), or one place (Syria vs. Palestine) at a time. The truth is though, there’s no limit to how many people, how many times, or in how many places you can help. However much you help, Allah will reward you. However much Allah rewards you, your sins will be erased and your rank will be raised in the Aakhirah.

Whether you help with a dollar or a dua, please help.

Editor’s Note: Image from the Washington Post.

Here are some charities who are on the ground helping, readers please add any links that you know are doing work in the Philippines:

Zakat Foundation of America

Helping Hand USA

Islamic Relief

Red Cross

Global Giving

Charity Right

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.

Zeba Khan is the Editor at Large - Special Needs for MuslimMatters.org, as well as a writer, speaker, and disability awareness advocate. In addition to having a child with autism, she herself lives with Ehlers-Danlos Sydrome, Dysautonomia, Mast-Cell Activation Disorder, and a random assortment of acronyms that collectively translate to chronic illness and progressive disability.

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. Mahmud

    November 10, 2013 at 9:03 PM

    Assalamuaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

    JazzakAllahu khair, may Allah accept this from you.

    I recommend to everyone,

    http://www.uwt.org/site/default.asp

    They are committed to 100% donations. I think it’s run/influenced by Sheikh Haitham al Haddad from Britain.

  2. Yahyaa Chua

    November 10, 2013 at 9:24 PM

    Jazakallah khair! I appreciate your blog, coming from a Filipino revert of 7 years! May Allah swt calm the storm and may He guide the Filipinos into their original religion ameen!

    • Abez

      November 11, 2013 at 12:19 PM

      Ameen, kooya. Ameen.

  3. O H

    November 11, 2013 at 12:35 AM

    *Note from CommentsTeam: JazakAllahu Khairin for your comment. Based on our shura, we felt that the content in its entirety was not appropriate at this time/place and hence edited your comment. We apologize if you do not agree with the editing.*

    Our response when there is an earthquake or some other sign such as an eclipse, strong winds or floods, should be to hasten to repent to Allaah and pray to Him for safety, and to remember Him much and seek His forgiveness, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said when there was an eclipse: “If you see anything like that, hasten to remember Him, call on Him and seek His forgiveness.” (Part of an agreed-upon hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (2/30) and Muslim (2/628)).

    “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much” [al-Shoora 42:30]

    “Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allaah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself” [al-Nisaa’ 4:79]

    It is also mustahabb (recommended, encouraged) to show compassion to the poor and needy, and to give charity to them, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

    “Show mercy, you will be shown mercy.” (Narrated by Imaam Ahmad, 2/165)

    “Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5/75), Muslim (4/1809)).

    • O H

      November 13, 2013 at 12:00 AM

      Wa iyaakum. By the way I think this part below is an important tid-bit which isn’t inappropriate.It’s always important to know the views and attitudes of the righteous predecessors and scholars of the past.

      Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Allaah sometimes gives the earth permission to breathe, which is when major earthquakes happen; this makes people feel scared, so they repent, give up sins, pray to Allaah and feel regret [for their sins]. When there had been an earthquake, some of the Salaf said: your Lord is warning you. When Madeenah was struck by an earthquake, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with you) addressed the people and said: if there is another earthquake, I will not stay here with you.”

      And there are many similar reports from the Salaf.

      • Aly Balagamwala | DiscoMaulvi

        November 13, 2013 at 3:11 AM

        JazakAllahu Khairin for understanding. This bit was appropriate but we decided to limit the length while editing. :)

        WasSalamuAlaikum
        -Aly

        • O H

          November 13, 2013 at 4:11 AM

          Yeah I do realise it was too long! I should have copied and pasted parts of it whilst leaving the websites link for those who wanted to open the link and read more

  4. halimah ceesay

    November 11, 2013 at 7:41 AM

    As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh my dear sister. May Allah continually bless you and your family and may others follow in your example of goodness and kindness. I pray Allah bless me to uncover and utilize my writing talents to reach out and help the people as you do.

  5. Yasser Alip

    November 11, 2013 at 5:33 PM

    As Salaamu alaikum.. Shukran… Inshaallah we will be able to manage this catastrophe.

  6. RCHOUDH

    November 12, 2013 at 7:33 AM

    Assalamu alaikum thank you for this wonderful article and information on how to donate. May Allah reward you for your efforts!

  7. Pingback: How to Help in the Philippines

  8. sana najm

    November 15, 2013 at 11:20 AM

    both by Dollar and Dua….

  9. Pingback: Three Good Reasons You Shouldn't Give Me Money | Abez | MuslimMatters.org

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