One that died Fasting
By D.A. Sait
Today, though it was well past 8 a.m. now, that little boy with that small plastic lunch box, was not to be seen going to work. As my daily walking exercise took me to the route that boy used to take to reach his place of work, I began to recall my first meeting with him more than a week back.
He was about ten years old, thin and dark, wearing a threadbare greasy, blue shirt and knickers. Being much addicted to studying the living conditions of the slum-dwellers and other have-nots in general I was a frequent visitor to this particular area, out of which this boy swam into my ken one morning. He and that never-failing lunch box of his drew me like a magnet. I wanted to engage him in small talk. But he was in a perpetual hurry and never gave me the chance. Apparently he belonged to that rare species that set such store by punctuality. Exactly at eight on the dot he would emerge from that bye-lane where he lived. And one day, when I found him without his ubiquitous lunch box, my curiosity was roused, and I was in no mood to be put off. I buttonholed him then and there, and asked, "Why are you without your lunch box today?"
"You are a Muslim?" He countered, in his turn. When I nodded in confirmation he said, "Then you ought to know that Ramzan has begun. I am fasting. So is everybody in the family."
You could have knocked me down with a feather. That poor little boy was FASTING while hundreds of thousands like him of affluent families were going about gorging themselves to bursting point, hardly aware that we are into the holy month of Ramadan now. Why, even adult Muslims think nothing of coolly walking into a restaurant and filling themselves to the brim during Ramadan.
"How many of you are there in the family?" I asked.
"My parents and two sisters, aged eight and six."
What does your father do?"
"Nothing. He lost both his legs when the auto he was driving was run over by a lorry. He has been on his back ever since he was discharged from the hospital."
"You are the only breadwinner of the family then?" He nodded. "How much do you earn?" "Ten rupees per day, paid weekly."
What’s your name?"
"Hussein."
"Ever been to school?"
"No." Then he dashed off, muttering that he was going to be late for work.
This boy, the sole breadwinner of a poor family, was working his fingers to the bone for a pittance from early morning to evening to support his parents and two sisters. And he was fasting to boot. Where on earth could that little frame find the energy to do so much and still stand on his feet? Perhaps going without food had become a way of life for these unfortunate underdogs, and fasting came easily to them.
When Hussein failed to make his appearance for three mornings consecutively I knew in my bones that something was wrong. I made a beeline for his street, and asked around, and, finally stood before his hut. I called his name. An eight-year-old girl took me in. The boy was nowhere in the hut.
"Where is Hussein?" I asked, my heart going pit-a-pat at the unearthly silence pervading this little family.
"He is gone!" Sobbed the bear dead man, sitting up in bed with an effort. The mother was slumped in a corner, quietly crying into her sari.
"What happened?" I choked.
"He got pneumonia. He was in high fever for two days. He was gone yesterday!"
"He was fasting when he left us". It was quite obvious that they found themselves unable to mouth the dreaded word ‘dead’ about their little boy, for he had been so much alive while he lived. That little crusader had died fasting. And what better way to enter heaven?
Desolated, my eyes filled with hot tears, I left them, after handing over to the bereaved father all the money I carried on my person, promising to do what I could to make life a little more bearable for them. But that little boy with his lunch box shall always be in my memory.
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Muslim Community and Child Labour
Dr. Shukur Ahmed
Muslim community has one of the largest labour force in the country. Inspite of the provisions made in the Constitution of providing education to every child in the country it appears to be an utopian task to achieve the desired result. According to a reliable estimate our country has the largest child labour force in the world, between 14 million and 18 million which is seven per cent of the country's work force, contributing 20 per cent of the gross national product. The then Union Human Resources Development Minister, Mr. Madhav Rao Scindia, was of the opinion that the Government was committed to eliminate child labour, specially from hazardous industries and hoped that the target of sending 17 crore children to schools for primary education instead of work would be achieved by 2000 A.D. Our neighbouring country, Pakistan too has the distinction of 60 lakh child labourers who are engaged in various works.
One of the most important reasons for this sad state of affairs is 'Poverty'! In most cases Muslims live below the poverty line throughout the length and breadth of the country. Even WHO agrees, "Poverty is the world's deadliest disease." A discussion with a few parents of a predominantly Muslim populated slum of the Bangalore City reveals that their children are made to take up hard work to supplement their income. A widow says that she earns Rs. 300/- per month working as maid servant in two houses from which she has to pay a sum of Rs. 75/- towards the rent of the premises in which she stays. She says that it becomes difficult for her to fill her and her son's bellies, in case he attends a school. Another parent is of opinion that he has the capacity to send his son to a Government school where no fee is collected. With displeasure he remarks after a while, that it will not be of any use as he will not be able to learn anything in these schools. He is very clear that he cannot make both ends meet by admitting his son in a reputed private school where boys get real knowledge. In a predominant Muslim locality of Mumbai, on placing an order a boy of the age of about ten years brought a cup of tea for me in a lodge where I was staying. When asked as to how many hours he was made to work, he with great dismay replied, "I am allowed to go to sleep at about 12 midnight and again forced to get up as early as 4' O clock in the morning." The boy seems to have left his native place to earn his livelihood and has taken refuge in this hotel as a servant.
Another factor responsible for Muslim kids not opting for studies is the horrible atmosphere prevalent in and around Urdu schools most institutions run by the Muslim community. The teachers seldom take interest in their profession. To supplement their own income and most of them are being engaged in one business or the other. They absolutely have no time to locate the hidden talents of their students so that they can be encouraged. The parents, mostly illiterate, do not have time to coach their children at home. On a particular day, a boy of about nine years of age entered a hotel run in the Lal Bagh area of Bangalore. My colleague took a fancy in talking to this boy. From his dress it was obvious that he worked in a mechanic's shop. When asked as to why he opted for such a hard work instead of being educated, the reply of the boy was that his friends who had been studying were in no way better than him. He meant that the temples of learning were not providing them any education at all. To another question the boy said that he preferred taking lunch at the hotel because the pay master gave him a daily allowance of Rs. 10/- towards lunch. When told that he could save that Rs. 10/- in case he brought certain eatables from his house, he replied that the owner would stop paying that allowance too, if he saw his tiffin box.
What is needed
The parents should be persuaded by rigorous propaganda to send their children to schools. Quranic verses and Ahadith should be quoted extensively to make them understand. They should be told that in the light of the Qur'an, "You are the best community that has been raised up for mankind. Ye enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency and ye believe in Allah." Surah Imran, (3:110) Needless to say that good education alone is a pre requisite to their responsibility towards children to make them moderately educated. Prophet Muhammad, (Pbuh) says, "It is incumbent on every Muslim, both men and women to seek 'ilm.'" It is not enough if a child is made to read the verses of Qur'an, he must be equipped with modern scientific knowledge as well. The Prophet (Pbuh) of Islam appeals to followers to go as far as China to seek knowledge. He undoubtedly meant modern knowledge, as in his life time Islamic knowledge was not available in China. The parents who claim to be the 'ummati' of the Prophet (Pbuh) shall necessary follow his words about an educated person- "angels offer their wings to the seekers of knowledge."
Conclusion
To achieve this aim of sending Muslim kids to schools, a little bit of sacrifice is needed by those brethren who are born with silver spoons in their mouths. They should spare a little wealth to promote education of the kids belonging to the poorer sections of the community. Every Mosque should have Bait-ul-Mal. Every Muslim who is under the obligation to pay Zakath should part with certain amount to the Bait-ul-Mal of his locality. The bureaucrats and the employees who have been employed in various public and private sector undertakings should voluntarily deposit a minimum amount of Rs. 5/- a month to the Bait-ul-Mal. The trustees of the Bait-ul-Mal too should perform their duties with optimism. Allah will definitely help those who struggle, this is the promise He makes to the humanity. The major portion of the amount so accumulated should be spent on the payment of stipends to the poor kids who study, sacrificing their earnings to supplement the incomes of their parents. This is not a herculian task. Al-Ameen Educational Society is a glaring example before us. The people who are associated with it started their activities in rented premises without much resources at their disposal in sixties. By the grace of Allah it has grown into a gigantic movement at present on account of dedication, sincerity and hard work. Blaming the Government will not help. When once community struggles and shows substantial progress, the authorities themselves are attracted and are compelled to extend their helping hand by providing grants, aids etc. willingly.
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Editorial
Clad in black chador, Mrs. Turan Jamshidian maintains a gait steadier than most men in India. Chador is an engaging passion as she sits fiddling with its corners. Her roaming eyes gather a comprehensive view of the surroundings. She weighs her words carefully before speaking out. Iranian journalist Mrs. Turan Jamshidian Ghaleh Safedi, in her 47th year epitomises the confidence the Islamic revolution has instilled into that nation of 60 million people to whom "self-respect" is more valuable than prosperity under servitude, as she claims.