Sudden Halt

Abrar had just clocked out of work and was heading home during the early stretches of the morning. It had been a long night; he was tired and hungry, but had one thing on his mind: to see his children’s faces and send them off to school. Finances were a bit tight lately, but he was doing fine. He was out there working days, working nights, working overtime. Life here did not come cheap, but it was worth it.

As he drove down the open road, he recited the Surahs of the Quran that he had memorized in his youth, back to himself. Then, in an instant, without warning, he heard the screeching sounds of tires, a terrifyingly loud bang, and before he could comprehend anything, he was spinning in circles. When the car finally came to a halt, he found himself shocked and puzzled, staring through the windshield down the empty road in front of him. When reality finally came to him, he attempted to exit the vehicle but realized he could not move his leg.

Abrar was rushed into the hospital, treated for multiple fractures in his leg and was placed on extensive bed rest. There would be no work for several months; there would be no income. He had done everything he could to give his family a comfortable life, but now he could not even afford to put food on the table. His friends offered to help him out for a couple of months, but he knew he would not be able to rely on them for too long. Most of them, like him, were living on very tight budgets.

Fortunately, he had heard of National Zakat Foundation through his local masjid. Immediately, he contacted us and applied for Zakat. After reviewing his case, we were able to provide him and his family with food and assist with his rent. The months ahead would be very hard on him. He had fought through a bad infection post-surgery, and was looking at several weeks of painful therapy. His only goal was to get better and get back to work. This would take time, and until then, your Zakat kept them fed and safe. Alhamdulillah, with the help of hundreds of Muslim Canadians, Abrar and his family had the assurance that they were being taken care of.

Written by Zaid Mirza