Giving alms to the poor the backbone of every religion

By Mehru Jaffer

Certain members of our very acquisitive society may snigger but according to the sage, the joy in giving far outweighs that of taking. And at this time of the year the generosity of people seems to know no bounds.

Loving and giving, sharing and receiving is what Idul Fitri, the festival at the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadhan is all about.

Apart from the exchange of gifts among equals, zakaah (charity or alms giving) at the end of Ramadhan is a duty which is a must for all Muslims whether male or female, minor or adult, as long as the means to do so are there. It is usually the head of the household who pays the required amount for other members, the significance being in the circulation of wealth within an Islamic society. This way, the rich are obliged to come in direct contact with the poor and the poor with the extremely poor, the gesture hopefully going into building bonds of brotherhood and love in the community, inspiring those to be generous to those who have less.

The amount of zakaah is the same for everyone regardless of their income, the minimum amount being two handfuls of food, grain or dried fruit for each member of the family. This calculation is based on a report that the Prophet Muhammad made zakaah at Idul Fitri compulsory and payable by himself distributing two handfuls of dried dates or barley.

In the same spirit elders oblige youngsters with new clothes, gifts and money. Domestic servants receive an extra month's salary and often return back to their original villages to share with all those who have even less than themselves. This holiday time is also used to repair run down homes of elderly parents or to support youngsters in the family at schools.

The Metro department stores are decked out once again like all previous years to greet the holiday season. The lobbies and corridors are decorated once again and there are many stage performances in anticipation of Christmas and Idul Fitri. But this December is also being used as an occasion for much self reflection.

"We are constantly in search of a gesture that will go to contribute even in a small way to make this country a better place to live in," says Anskarina, assistant advertising and promotion manager. So the theme of the grand fashion show and traditional dances over the weekend revolves around unity of the nation and will be staged in the hope of inspiring visitors to live in love, peace and harmony with each other. The Twilite Orchestra will also hold concerts at the Metro premises that will celebrate in its music the unity in diversity concept of Indonesia.

Although a Hindu by birth, the owner of a small cloth shop at Pondok Indah Mall rewards his Muslim employees with free clothing for them and for their spouses at Idul Fitri, apart from offering them the gift of a double salary. "It makes me feel good when I am kind to others," says the shopkeeper, adding that economically the gesture did not make sense as he had to pay a double salary last January for the festival that is being celebrated again in December the same year.

At PT Dian Graha Electrica Siemens, all 250 employees will also return home with a double salary and enjoy rest and creation between December 23 and January 2 said Farid Mahan, sales manager.

At Pasaraya, one of the city's most popular shopping centers, goods have been tripled in celebration of the three festivals of Christmas, Idul Fitri and the new millennium. Lita from public relations said that in keeping with the generosity of the festive season, discounts are offered from 10 percent up to 50 percent at some of the outlets. On each of the five floors hundreds of attractive hampers are on sale that carry bounties from foodstuffs, cosmetics, batik, handicrafts to household items.

Giving alms to the poor and the virtues of hospitality are in fact encouraged by all traditions and remain the back bone of every religion. Charity is considered a concrete expression of the spiritual bond that ought to exist between all human beings irrespective of color, creed, gender, worldly status and even religion.

Through one parable or another all religions liken the helping of a poor person to giving offerings to the creator, and charity is a must even for the poorest of the poor. Despite many myths that exist about the miserly ways of a Jew, tzedakah in Hebrew (charity) is considered the highest of all commandments, being one of three acts that help gain forgiveness from many a sin. The Talmud describes the most meritorious of all eight kinds of different tzedakah as one that enables the recipient to eventually become self reliant.

According to Hinduism, one of the oldest religions in the world, if food is not available, a place to rest, water for refreshing one's self, a reed mat to lay and pleasing words to the guest never fail in the houses of the good. A Nigerian proverb warns that not having enough of anything can cause one to become a miser.

The ancient native American religions made sure that whoever came to the house got something to eat, however little. For such food is a source of death if withheld.

Buddhism believes that one should give even from a scanty store to him who asks and Taoism expects all to relieve people in distress as speedily as a fish must be released from a dry rill. Deliver people from danger as quickly as you must free a sparrow from a tight noose. Be compassionate to orphans and relieve widows. Respect the old and help the poor.

Charity originates from the Latin word caritas for Christian love. Caritas is also the name chosen for one of the largest charity organizations in the world today. It is another word for the Greek agape meaning love or the act of loving God with a love that transcends love for all creatures, or loving others for the sake of God and because they are all sons of God.

In Christian theology and ethics charity is most eloquently expressed in the life, teachings and death of Christ, himself. The encouragement of this kindly and sympathetic act to aid the needy or suffering, liberality toward the poor, toward benevolent institutions and worthy causes later gave birth to philanthropy, or the act of applying private wealth to public purposes.

Almshouse, orphanage and school extensions within communities and at every mosque, temple, church and synagogue have existed for eons. It was during the Renaissance that merchants in Europe created numerous special services for educational and local charitable purposes. In the late 18th century a school called Philanthropium was founded in Dessau, Germany, that aimed at fostering in its students a humanitarian world view and an awareness of the community among its students. Here the rich and poor boys were taught togetherness despite class or religious distinctions.

At IBM it is believed that good philanthropy is good business as well and, therefore, its corporate philanthropy spans the globe today with diverse programs that support initiatives in education, workforce development, arts and culture and the environment. IBM also sees itself as one of the largest corporate contributors of cash, equipment and people to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions worldwide.

In yet another gesture in the same spirit, the International Herald Tribune, the world's daily newspaper, has decided this year to donate what would have been spent on corporate greeting cards to the Nobel Prize winning medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres. This is a charity dedicated to providing expert medical treatment to vulnerable populations all around the world at times of conflict and disaster.

Good people everywhere have been insisting for thousands of years that man's love for God is best manifest by love for all fellow beings. Charity is a virtue that is able, it is said, to unite human beings to their creator. That few have been able to put into practice even this simple sentiment is the subject, of course, of quite another story.