麻豆约拍

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Latifa Akay, director of education at Maslaha

Good morning.

Charity takes many forms and is encouraged in beautiful ways in cultures and religious traditions across the world. From the concept of 鈥榙ana鈥� in Buddhism 鈥� the act of giving and sharing without expecting anything in return 鈥� the Sikh principle of 鈥楽eva鈥� meaning 鈥榮ervice to humanity鈥� or the Christian teaching to 鈥榣ove thy neighbour.鈥�

In Islam we are told that God will reward those who give discretely in such a way that 鈥渢heir left hand would not know what their right hand gives in charity.鈥� While the value of acts of kindness and generosity are referenced throughout the Quran, Muslims are also obliged to pay Zakat, a fixed payment of 2.5% of one鈥檚 wealth each year to benefit those less well off. The aim of giving in this way is to build civil cohesion and a social and civic consciousness motivated by a common good. Personally, I really like the fact that the principle of Zakat in theory is motivated by a sense of restoring a balance.

Such giving should therefore never be a 鈥榩atting on the back鈥� exercise or a gesture motivated by pity or for show, but instead, an act grounded in an understanding that we live in a drastically unequal world.

Perhaps we would better overcome global inequalities if charitable giving was seen as an act of solidarity, or more over of compensation, in a world order that so unfairly sees an elite minority flourish at the expense of a majority.

In the words of the poet Rumi, 鈥淚nside the great mystery that is, we don鈥檛 really own anything. What is this competition we feel then, before we go, one at a time, through the same gate?鈥�

May our intentions in giving always be pure, and may we find ways to give that will reach those in need most effectively. Ameen.