Fortunate

In this life there’s always somebody better than you. Their job, their clothes, their cars, and their life. When you start to feel a little bit better because of your career change, for example, somebody else gets a raise.

Or when you’re planning to go Umrah, somebody else beats you to it by two years.

It’s never going to be enough isn’t it?

So when I saw the state that some kids grow up in, I felt humble. Because they’re living on so little, yet they’re so happy.



Yesterday I was fortunate to have visited Madrasah Hashimiah—the boarding school for Myanmar muslims and Rohingya refugees.

The state that they’re in… I’m living like Queen Elizabeth compared to them. To them, sleeping on comforters and eating capattis are a luxury.

Imagine not being able to go to school or to work because of the refugee status. A refugee basically means that they are stateless. Being chased around like slaughtered sheep. They’re chased out of their country and our country doesn’t recognize them as citizens.

That’s not the worst part. Having no identification means that they’re also NOT eligible to receive zakat nor money from any government agencies. UNHCR can only help so much by giving the temporary ‘refugee’ status cards.

They are mainly funded through the founder’s own sweat. He teaches quran recitation classes to pay for most of the school’s expenses. ok masyaallah. The rest is funded by caring individuals. Even so, most of the time they lack funds to properly manage the school/orphanage.

It’s clear that they’ve been through worse. One kid relayed to me that they paid a lot to flee their country and that they hid in car bonnets at immigration borders. Most of them have similar stories. They can’t go home.

Do you know what made me feel ashamed though? They are happy and joyous. Well, at least they seem to be, most of the time, more than me.

The reason why I’m writing about this orphanage is not to highlight what I did, but rather for us to reflect on our lives and objectives. It’s true that life is short. Fact is, life is merely but a test. Money should not make us happy, nor should it make us sad. Money does not dictate us. We should use the money to make a difference!

So what will guarantee us happiness? Two words really – good deeds.

“Then, as for him whose scales of good deeds are heavy, he will be in a happy life.” (101:6)

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P/S: For more information on Madrasah Hashimiah, please visit their blog or call Muslim Aid office 03-22881996 (attn:En Muhammad). Donations to the orphanage can be tax exempted.


P/P/S: A huge thanks to En Muhammad of Muslim Aid for answering all our questions and giving us a tour of the kids’ humble abode. He is clearly concerned about the orphans’ wellbeing.