Feed The Needy
“So establish regular Prayer and give regular charity;
and obey the Messenger that ye may receive mercy.”
Quran; Surah An-Nur (The Light) 24:56
The Revival of the Ummah (ROU) organization was
formed three years ago, and is the host of an annual
convention which engages the minds of thousands
of Muslims across Trinidad and Tobago and also
a large and continuously growing non-Muslim
attendance. It is a knowledge based convention,
where many international scholars impart Islamic
knowledge to the community. In Islam, emphasis
is placed on gaining knowledge and acting upon it.
One such aspect of Islam is Charity; which is not just
recommended in Islam, but is obligatory upon every
financially able Muslim (Zakaat). There is another
form of charity (Sadaqah) which is an optional but
immensely beneficial form of charity. Sadaqah can
be given in many ways, even a smile counts an act of
charity; so that those who may not be able to afford
charity, financially, can still benefit from the act of
giving what they can afford.
Taking these obligations into consideration, and
noting that there were many families across Trinidad
and Tobago who needed urgent help, the ROU Feed
the Needy (FTN) Program was founded in 2015, by a
few members of the ROU. The vision of the FTN, does
not stray from its umbrella organization as it seeks
to ‘revive the community’ through the assistance
of those who lack the basic necessities of life- food,
clothing, and shelter, as well as achieving these goals
through the Jamaat in their area. The establishment
of Islam in a community encourages and facilitates
order to make life easy for the people, and we believe
at the heart of this movement, it requires Masjid
leaders, Imams, executives and ordinary Muslims
and human beings to start making a change to better
the condition of our country. Allah says 13:11 “Indeed,
Allah will not change the condition of a people until
they change what is in themselves.”
The FTN drives started off during the holy month of
Ramadhan 1436 (2015), visiting the underprivileged
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persons of Icacos,
Cedros, Sangre Grande,
Mayaro, Guayaguayare,
Barrackpore, and
Moruga. It continued
thereafter on a monthly
basis to areas like Toco,
California, Couva, Diego
Martin, Laventille,
and Tobago. This
Ramadhan (2016), the
group revisited the first
few areas with over
500 hampers being
distributed.
On a typical FTN drive,
a needy person can
receive food hampers,
clothing, shoes, toys,
books, and most recently
medical advice (sugar,
blood pressure, eye,
cholesterol and testing).
A very important aspect
of the FTN is that the
group ensures that the
community leaders or
Imams are fully involved
to ensure that follow-ups
can be done within their
locality.
In addition to the FTN
Drives, special cases
are noted through the
community leaders
highlighting families
who live in deplorable
conditions due to their
lack of finances coupled
with other limitations
(physical disabilities).
The FTN has assisted
approximately ten needy
persons with either
the rebuilding of their
home, building of toilets,
or supply of furniture
and appliances- always
within the necessities of
any human being.
A sub-section of
the FTN is the Soup
Kitchen which feeds
approximately 120
homeless persons (POS,
San Fernando, Tunapuna,
Chaguanas) twice per
month. A full meal,
that is prepared using
the best ingredients, is
packaged and distributed
along with a drink and
snack, and sometimes
even clothing. Meals
have varied from chicken
soup, to pelau, and even
goat roti. In Islam, we
are reminded that what
we give to someone is
what we would like to
receive from them, so
when one says ‘best
ingredients’, one means
the best- Our Prophet
Muhammad, (peace
be upon him) advised
Muslims “you will not
believe until you love for
your brother what you
love for yourself”.
This FTN programme
seeks to bring the
Islamic community
together in helping
humanity through the
masjids. The masjids in
every single area that