In a recent TVO program ‘Agenda’ Tarek Fattah said about MuslimServ’s Jihad to feed the hungry in the name of Islam. As usual Tarek Fattah was railing against Islam and painting Jihad and indeed Islam as violent. Just then Steve Paikin read excerpt of my post. Tarek's sheepish response
“Alhamdu lillah, that is how Jihad should be”
It is unfortunate that no one asked Tarek a 'moderate' Muslim, what he has done in line with his non-violent values in the name of Islam? The fact is that he has carped, finger pointed and maligned us. My second question would have been; Is 'moderate' Muslim similar to 'moderate Muslim countries'? (Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan; read "Our SOB").
The following is the full text of my submission to TVO.
January 21, 2009
Steve Paikin
TV Ontario
My Jihad
When I heard last night that tomorrow’s program will be on Jihad, I rushed to write about MY JIHAD.
I am a retired Engineer, 68 years old and 40+ years of Canadian citizen. I was never very religious and even now seldom go to mosque on regular basis. I was never been politically active and neither had I done any social work before. After 9/11 I felt that Canada had changed and Muslims and indeed Islam became the target of criticism and abuse at a level I had not witnessed before. Even now if you want to read what is being said about us, please actuate a Google Alert for blogs having words “Muslim”, “Islam” in it. I get dozens of such examples of “free speech” every day practically since 9/11. They say about us what can not be said against anyone, such as Blacks, Jews and other past targets. We are the new “N____” but we dare not complain. Witness the Mark Steyn and Maclean’s fiasco. There is a strategy at work; to discredit and besmirch Islam and portray it as evil. The terms Jihad, Shari’ah, fatwa are targeted as pejoratives. Thus it is attack on our entire being, ethos and who we are. Our detractors are defining us similar to what nazi’s did to the jews.
In 2004 I was moved to embark on my personal Jihad; feeding the poor in the name of Islam. Feeding the hungry is the Islamic injunction. I started a registered charity MuslimServ Inc (www.MuslimServ.com). In the masthead it proudly proclaims “Our mission is to burnish, emblazon and raise high the name of Islam.” I collect donations, predominantly on the web from Canadian Muslims, with this money we buy symbolically loaded halal meat and deliver it to the Daily Bread Food Bank. All our meat is packaged in bags printed with Islamic crescent and inscribed by words “A gift From Muslim Canadians” and translation of Quranic verse of injunction to feed the hungry. All our deliveries are in Canada but occasionally we also collect money for foreign disasters eg Gaza, Earthquake in Pakistan and Tsunami of Indonesia. In these cases money raised is handed over to a registered charity operating overseas.
We have just 3 projects: Zabiha Project to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son. Ramadan Chicken Project collects money during Ramadan and delivers halal chicken. Khairat Chicken is for the rest of year.
This year we sacrificed 30 cows which were 20% greater than last year. We delivered 11,000 lbs of beef to the Daily Bread. Last Ramadan we delivered 14,000 lbs of chicken and 2,000 lbs of Khairat Chicken. For the last two years we have been among the 10 highest donor organizations to the Daily Bread. We provided $50,000 worth of meat for the hungry.
This all is one man’s ‘struggle’ nay Jihad. We like to blow our horn, CBC TV, OMNI TV, Global TV and CFRB, CBC Radio have all came to my house to shoot a news item.
My Jihad is not very unique, my sister a teacher in Pakistan regularly places children on one week’s of Jihad of truth that is to speak truth and say no lies during this period.
Finally If an old man like me can rise in defense of Islam, we have nothing to fear from abuse of the detractors.
Shah Nawaz Husain
13, Grouse Lane
Brampton, ON L6Y 5L1
289-997-1119
www.MuslimServ.com
