Lulua
16-10-2004, 14:49
Assalaamu alaikum.
Just to give u folks an update on the charity organizations here in saudi. Perhaps it is not getting to ur news sources there.
Al-Haramain Organization has been shut down entirely. Last year, or a bit before, when the rage was on against this charity organization for it's suspected links to supporting or helping terrorist organizations, it's foreign offices were closed down permanently. And at that time, also, it's local offices were directed by order of US command to remove their donation boxes from all public arenas. They used to be found easily in the supermarkets, all kinds of stores and market places, hospitals, schools, restaurants, etc. You know, I am sure...the little metal boxes with a lock on the front and a slit at the top for ppl to drop in their donations...and filled with poster pictures on the front and sides reminding ppl of the poorer brethren around the world afflicted with torments of oppression, war, famine, etc. Quite similar to anything of same vein you can find in the US or elsewhere in the world, I am sure. A charity donation box. Well, those boxes were taken down and removed from all places of public traffic. And so...for a year or more...those interested in donating to such charities had to find the local office and travel there in person, get inside the office, find the proper personnel to whom to give the donation. A procedure which logically and understandably cut down the donations by a large margin.
Now...just this past week...we got word that the Haramain organization was shutting down entirely. And apparently permanently.
Let me explain a bit about this charity organization. It is based and founded in Saudi Arabia by caring muslims who are concerned for their poorer brethren both locally and worldwide. It had reached internationally touching literally all the corners of the earth. And it had done much progress in helping to establish better housing facilities and medical and clothing supplies for the poor worldwide. They had many programs available for the person giving to the charity to participate in by means of their donations. There were programs for taking care of the orphans. And there were other programs called 'iftar al-sa'im', in which the donations given were used to provide meals for those breaking the fast. And there were yet other programs which were designated to helping the widows and other poor afflicted persons. And there were yet other programs which helped establish schools, clinics, and other basic needs of poor societies. And there were yet other programs which supplied and supported Quran halaqa sessions.
This organization also was quite active in providing lecture sessions nearly weekly in each region of it's local offices, bringing in renowned and reliable speakers from all over. And they were also active in reaching out to the local non-arabic-speaking community as well.
Now they are shut down. By force. The offices closed, the personnel who used to run them out of jobs, and getting their belongings out of their previous offices.
Now a new newsflash in regards to charity practices here in Saudi.
There has been a practice for years of organizations providing a format of buying coupons for meals for ppl to break the fast. Each coupon might cost in the region of 5-10 riyals each. That makes it about 2-5 dollars for a coupon. Ppl working for such organizations would carry their coupon books with them in the market places and at the mosques. In particular at the haram mosque in Makkah.
Now there has been an official warning given to the public thru the local newspapers...to beware of buying said coupons. On accusation that those associations may be sending that money for terrorist work, and not for charity.
What next??
Lulua.
Just to give u folks an update on the charity organizations here in saudi. Perhaps it is not getting to ur news sources there.
Al-Haramain Organization has been shut down entirely. Last year, or a bit before, when the rage was on against this charity organization for it's suspected links to supporting or helping terrorist organizations, it's foreign offices were closed down permanently. And at that time, also, it's local offices were directed by order of US command to remove their donation boxes from all public arenas. They used to be found easily in the supermarkets, all kinds of stores and market places, hospitals, schools, restaurants, etc. You know, I am sure...the little metal boxes with a lock on the front and a slit at the top for ppl to drop in their donations...and filled with poster pictures on the front and sides reminding ppl of the poorer brethren around the world afflicted with torments of oppression, war, famine, etc. Quite similar to anything of same vein you can find in the US or elsewhere in the world, I am sure. A charity donation box. Well, those boxes were taken down and removed from all places of public traffic. And so...for a year or more...those interested in donating to such charities had to find the local office and travel there in person, get inside the office, find the proper personnel to whom to give the donation. A procedure which logically and understandably cut down the donations by a large margin.
Now...just this past week...we got word that the Haramain organization was shutting down entirely. And apparently permanently.
Let me explain a bit about this charity organization. It is based and founded in Saudi Arabia by caring muslims who are concerned for their poorer brethren both locally and worldwide. It had reached internationally touching literally all the corners of the earth. And it had done much progress in helping to establish better housing facilities and medical and clothing supplies for the poor worldwide. They had many programs available for the person giving to the charity to participate in by means of their donations. There were programs for taking care of the orphans. And there were other programs called 'iftar al-sa'im', in which the donations given were used to provide meals for those breaking the fast. And there were yet other programs which were designated to helping the widows and other poor afflicted persons. And there were yet other programs which helped establish schools, clinics, and other basic needs of poor societies. And there were yet other programs which supplied and supported Quran halaqa sessions.
This organization also was quite active in providing lecture sessions nearly weekly in each region of it's local offices, bringing in renowned and reliable speakers from all over. And they were also active in reaching out to the local non-arabic-speaking community as well.
Now they are shut down. By force. The offices closed, the personnel who used to run them out of jobs, and getting their belongings out of their previous offices.
Now a new newsflash in regards to charity practices here in Saudi.
There has been a practice for years of organizations providing a format of buying coupons for meals for ppl to break the fast. Each coupon might cost in the region of 5-10 riyals each. That makes it about 2-5 dollars for a coupon. Ppl working for such organizations would carry their coupon books with them in the market places and at the mosques. In particular at the haram mosque in Makkah.
Now there has been an official warning given to the public thru the local newspapers...to beware of buying said coupons. On accusation that those associations may be sending that money for terrorist work, and not for charity.
What next??
Lulua.