WITH the advent of Ramazan many welfare organisations start advertising to persuade philanthropists to donate charity and give their zakat to them.

Islam lays special emphasis on charity. Allah says in the Holy Quran that if you give charity publically, it is good, but if you conceal it and give to the needy it is better. Thus charitable work should be done sans fanfare.

It is unfortunate that of late in Pakistan charity has become more of a show business. I refer to the advertisements on electronic and print media of organisations asking for zakat, fitra and sadqa. God alone knows how much these outfits spend on such publicity.

One can learn from philanthropists in the West. They choose to remain anonymous and never run costly advertisements on media.

Every Muslim should follow the saying Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) that charity should be done in such a manner that if given by one’s right hand the left hand does not come to know. The daily advertisements go against this Hadith.

AAMIR AQIL
Lahore

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2019