A man hadn’t heard of a relative for a long time. So he sent some money to that relative as an acknowledgment that he was thinking of him.
Like a switch, this relative realized that he had a benefactor who would take care of all his problems. So he turned to him for food, school fees for his children, medical bill for his family and even rent.
The requests became frequent and torrential. Before my friend could grant one request, two more had been added. But that is not all. Ten more relatives and friends are making the same demands of my friend who isn’t a rich man.
This man grew to fear his phone, because before breakfast, text messages have already collected, all saying the same thing: give me money.
Additionally, people don’t believe him whenever he said he is broke – even when he sends them his account balance, they give him only one day off, and resume begging the next day.
We used to be a proud, hardworking and bashful people. Our forefathers – and more recently, our fathers – even in the face of poverty, would rather break wood to sell than beg, in accordance with the Prophetic advice. But our generation is different. We shamelessly beg for everything.
“I pay for other people’s children before I pay my own children’s school fees,” my friend told me in frustration, “but our people are becoming merciless and relentless.”
I’ve received many stories similar to this. A lady said to me recently that she told her relatives early in the year that she would stop giving them monthly stipend by December.
I know times are hard. But it didn’t start today. For thousands of years, good and bad times have existed. It is called the economic cycle.
I also know that generous individuals are few and far between. But let’s not drive away the few generous ones like my friend. And I appeal to those who are well off to continue with the good you are doing and expect your reward from Allah.
Let’s maintain our well known dignity even in the face of challenges.
Ibraheem Dooba is a newspaper columnist
