7 Things MSAs Can Do to Help Pakistan Flood Victims

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"Ramadan or no Ramadan, we are already dying of hunger," a 50-year-old flood victim told the Associated Press. "We are fasting forcibly, and mourning our losses." 

Pakistan Flood Situation – The Facts:

• 17 million affected by the floods - almost the entire population of New York!
• 6 million people are homeless
• 1600 lives lost
• 1.7 million acres of farmland uprooted
• 800,000 people are completely cut off and are reachable only by air
• The extent of damage is said to be worse than the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake combined.   
• Clean water is scarce and waterborne diseases threaten lives

 7 Things MSAs Can Do to Help Pakistan Flood Victims: 

1. Organize a fundraising event
   It can be as simple as having some friends over for dinner and collecting donations or as elaborate as organizing a basketball tournament to benefit Pakistan.  You may consider donating collections from your Fast-a-Thon. 
    
2. Work with other campus organizations and take advantage of text message donations
   Bombard campus with simple flyers that refer to these texting numbers.  Collaborate with other campus organizations (e.g. Pakistan Students Association, other International and humanitarian clubs) to sponsor ads in the school newspaper promoting these numbers, and include photos and facts.  Remember the teaching of our Messenger (SAWS), "Whoever points to the good has the reward of those who act on it. [Muslim]"

   • In the US: text "SWAT" to 50555 to donate $10 to UNHCR efforts or "RELIEF" to 20222 to donate $10 to Islamic Relief efforts.
      

   • In Canada: text "REDCROSS" to 30333 to donate $10 to the Canadian Red Cross or "GIVE" in English or "DON" in French to 45678 to donate $5 to UNICEF.  The Canadian government will match your donation to these charities, dollar for dollar.
      
   • Circulate this link on Facebook and campus listservs: http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/pakistan_floods.html

      

3. Have a “brownbag Iftar”
   If your MSA holds nightly iftars, for one night, ask the students to bring their own packed dinner and donate the funds that would be used for that iftar to the relief efforts.  Let’s sacrifice from the many things we have been blessed with for just one night!

    

4. Ask your members to donate their Eid gifts for the relief efforts
   Instead of buying gifts for family and friends, donate on their behalf to the relief efforts as their gift.  Ask others who are planning on buying you gifts to do the same for you.
    
5. Buy your MSA T-shirts from a business that will donate to relief efforts for your purchase
   When you buy your MSA shirts for the year, look for companies that are supporting relief efforts in Pakistan with your purchase.  For every shirt you buy, one is donated to Pakistan (e.g. Rickshaw lane). 
    
6. Du'a!
   Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an: "If My slaves ask you about Me, surely I am near. I answer the call of the supplicant when he calls on Me..." (2:186). 

   For example, the Imams of the Haram are mentioning this du’a in Witr: "Oh Allah (SWT), relieve the distress of our brothers and sisters in Pakistan.  Oh Allah, for they are hungry so we ask you to feed them.  Oh Allah, for they are sick so we ask you to cure them.  Oh Allah, for they are not clothed so we ask you to clothe them."    
    

7. [Insert your idea here]
   Send us what innovative efforts your MSA is making so we can share with others and spread the khayr! E-mail us at pakistan@msanational.org and we will post your ideas on the Muslim Contributor blog.

Overcoming the catastrophe of the past few weeks will require short-term as well as long-term solutions.  Please send us your ideas on what Muslim students can do long-term to help alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Pakistan. 

May Allah accept all of our efforts.  May He make any hardship or suffering in this dunya a source of purification and relief in the akhira.

Photo Credit: United Nations Development Programme