TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK

DOHA QATAR Charity has raised QR23 million for its Yemen campaign after a special fundraising event held at the Sheraton Park, Doha, and broadcast on Al Jazeera Live, Qatar Radio and Holy Quran Radio.

The event featured singing of hymns, fund raising and a photo exhibition, and was attended by Dr Ahmed al Hammadi, Sheikh Abdullah al Buainain and chanters Osama al Safi from UAE and Amin Hamim from Yemen.

The ceremony began with a recitation of the Holy Quran and a brief report on the situation in Yemen from the master of ceremonies.

Hamin sang songs advocating charity and devotion.

Buainain delivered a speech in which he urged Muslims to practise charity, and told people about the great reward that may follow an act of philanthropy. He was all praise for Qatari people’s culture of philanthropy and encouraged them to extend a helping hand to those suffering in Yemen.

Hammadi noted that one Qatari philanthropist had donated a shipload of food items valued at QR2,250,000 and another had committed himself to sponsoring 1,000 Yemeni orphans for life.

He reminded people of the religious imperative of helping others and discussed aspects of the tragedy endured by the Yemeni people.

The chanter Osama al Safi expressed his happiness at taking part in the Qatar Charity event hosted for the benefit of the Yemeni people. He commended Qatar for its charitable activities around the world.

Safi has been singing since 1998 and has taken part in international festivals in France, Turkey, Britain and Australia, as well as a number of the GCC countries, including Qatar.

He has produced seven albums, the most successful of which was Amaaq Al Sukun (Depth of Stillness) and Ammaq Al Saliheen (The Path of the Righteous) and Fi Ayni (In My Eyes) and Leih Al Khouf (Why Fear) and Laka udt (To you I returned).

In his talk, Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi, head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, urged the poor in Yemen to be patient in facing this disaster.

He also sent a message to people throughout the Middle East to give everything they can.

“We must support our brothers in Yemen with all possible means,” he said, stressing that believers should be supportive of each other in the face of a disaster. He issued a ‘fatwa’ (religious instruction) that it is permissible to help the poor Yemeni people with Zakat.

The Zakat Fund provided QR2 million to the campaign. Jassem al Kubaisi, director of the Zakat Fund, said in a telephone interview that the tragedy in Yemen demands concerted efforts by all organisations and individuals to help them.

He referred to the difficult living conditions faced by many groups of Yemeni people, particularly orphans and the elderly. Kubaisi thanked Qatar Charity and the people of Qatar for their help.

The General Administration of Awqaf (Religious Endowments) provided QR1 million. The contribution was announced in a telephone interview with Director of Awqaf Abdullah bin Geithin al Dossary.

For his part, Dr Mohammed al Awadi commended the donors who provided a shipload of aid and sponsored 1,000 orphans, stressing that in these circumstances, donations made publicly are better than given secretly because open charity generates interest in the cause and inspires others to do so.