By Yasmin Yahya
THE TEAM is a non-profit student organisation in International Islamic University Malaysia, Gombak. This organisation usually conducted food distribution for the needy.
In its latest activity for this semester, THE TEAM managed to come up with Students Kitchen Project (SKP) which has been held every week (Tuesday and Friday) at Foyer, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Mosque from 6 p.m until 7.30 p.m.
To start with, I approached the committee who looked so determined and hard working to prepare food on the table in front of the mosque.
œThe idea of THE TEAM came into establishment when IIUM was faced with students who were starving for two to three days due to insufficient pocket money, and such stories were posted in Facebook page: IIUM Confession, said the Secretary of THE TEAM, Nor Suhaila Mohd Rawi, a student from Kuliyyah of Education.
From those posts that were updated by most of the IIUM students, came the idea of establishing THE TEAM which brought these people with their pure intention to establish THE TEAM and prepared special project to help those who are really in need of it.
œThe food distributions are open for all students but priority is given for the needy students, she added.
From my observation, people are responding towards the needy. They also help others because of humanity. Humanity is not about helping and maintaining a gracious relationship between one another in the society but it is about building a bond amongst the society with the help of a sustainable values.
Humanity is not about showing the feeling of passion and empathy to each other during times of need, but about regarding love in high esteem and kindness in our heart.
Humanity is not just a word for symbolising the human compassion and civilisation but it goes beyond the horizons of human nature. It is all about using hearts along with the minds in all the deeds of human acts.
Human being has come a long way in learning the ways of building relations and creating civilisations in order to inhabit this world with livelihood full of love and harmony. Every human being has a part in doing this great task of taking care of others and the noble feeling to be concerned towards others on this planet. And this is where we all have to be proud of ourselves and pass this message on to the future generations.
Humanity, in general, is also perceived as a charity. As the old saying goes, ‘it begins at home.’
It spreads across the roads we travel, places we stay, and people we meet. Humanity is considered as a noble or pure act that should be done by people today. In fact, it has grown and evolved much better than centuries ago, whereby people nowadays are willing to help other people when they are in need of help.
It is from the individualistic aspect to a social perspective, or even in a larger perspective, humanity has thrived well in embracing and supporting the human race in many different forms.
We now moved to financial problem among students. I was approached by some students who were eating at that time to know their view and opinion about this matter. Siti Aisyah Muheddin a students from Kuliyyah of Languages and Management, said, œIn my opinion, this project does help the needy students in terms of financial particularly; they can save their money and eat here for free! The foods are awesome!
For those who have financial problem, they can come to the mosque and enjoy delicious food for free with their fellow friends. I believe many students agree that financial problems will effect on their academic performance overall. Thus, this project will help those who are in need especially.
Obviously, IIUM students love this project so much. This project gives benefit for the students as well as for the organiser. In my opinion, doing a service for humanity is one of the greatest ways we can show our devotion to Allah. All of the revealed scriptures, Al-Quran especially, have placed great emphasis on helping others.
In Islam, helping others and solving their problems are not only an important virtue but also an act of worship. It is a means or medium of righteousness that promotes peace on Earth and allows us to earn Allah’s eternal reward in the world and the Hereafter.
What they have done to people will receive great benefits and rewards from Allah.
Allah likes it so much when we help others until He forgives our sins for something as simple as moving some thorns out of the path where people walk (helping others).***
