Imagine if Muslim Americans, yes Muslim Americans only, decide to do the following, how much change can be introduced in the world. Yes, change, that has become so elusive to Muslims, can come to us through our own efforts. This does not even need the resources of the rich Gulf and wealthy people.
Imagine
1. If all the Muslim relief agencies in the US pool their resources in one place,
2. If all those who are spending on lavish iftar parties in masajid and homes donate those resources to the relief agencies.
3. If all of us observe this month with simplicity, trying to emulate our Prophet in consuming food and donate whatever we save to relief agencies,
4. If all of us pool our zakat at one place rather than giving it individually to whomsoever we deem deserving,
5. If all of us give the equivalent to what we spend on Eid ul Fitr gifts to our relief agencies,
6. If the money that is spent on buying animals for eid ul Adha is donated to relief groups,
And imagine
7. If we can control our spending habits during these festivals by not spending the money on six flag mountain trips or Disney world, just for one Ramadan, this is what can be achieved.
a. Safe and clean drinking water in those areas where water is not easily available
b. A school for children within the walking distance of their living vicinity
c. A book, a pen and a notebook to every child
d. A decent full meal every day for every child
e. A small dispensary to every village
d. A small vocational center in every town
e. A university to every country
And much more
But this would not happen with the current thinking among Muslims because
1. Each organization is concerned about its organizational goals regardless of the outcome
2. Each organization considers itself better than others,
3. There is no sense of urgency to the problems of people,
4, there is no proper planning and coordination,
5. There is no serious leadership among Muslims who can prepare them for this task,
6. There are no proper channels of communications among Muslims to prepare them for this role.
Thus the resources will be raised, the money will be spent, donations will be collected, zakat will be offered and help will be given, but the impact would not be felt the way it should have felt.
Consequently, things would not change and we would end up blaming each other and the conspirators for the ills that we have been exposed to. Someone rightly said: Those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
All this is doable, but the leadership is not coming.
The Islamic relief groups in America can take leadership if they have the vision. The idea was proposed in 2,000, but a Muslim political group took the idea and turned it into its own political action to convince the state department that it can monitor the relief work of Muslim relief agencies in the US and can report about their fundings etc.
So we are back to the stage of apathy and indifference.
Let us have a sumptuous iftar meal and pray to Allah to help the Muslim Umma to come out of its ills.