Kuwait: A Beacon of Charity, Generosity, and Humanity

By: Dr. Ali Lagha (1)

Through my observation of scientific and charitable activities in Kuwait as published in "Al-Mujtama" magazine, I was struck by the veiled criticism directed at the charitable work undertaken by the people of Kuwait across the globe.

Many times, I intended to write a thought about this matter. However, the jurisprudential rule "defining the defined is to make it indefinite" always dissuaded me, until I read an interview with Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Mutawa, may Allah have mercy on him (2). Suddenly, the words of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) sprang into my mind: "How can a people prosper who have stained the face of their Prophet?!"

Please excuse me, this is a spontaneous thought, written without pretension or elaborate phrasing.

Anyone who considers curtailing or prohibiting charitable work in Kuwait is effectively making a decision to abolish Kuwait itself, whose name originates from "Kout" – a fortress, a storehouse of goodness.

Kuwait's presence in the minds of the entire world is far greater than that of other nations. Indeed, any comparison is unfitting. Some countries may be remembered for their brutal power, tyranny, and the wars they ignite here and there. In contrast, Kuwait is remembered for its goodness and the blessings it abundantly bestows, by the grace of Allah Almighty, upon the weary, the afflicted, and those aspiring to climb the ladder of glory and dignity. Great nations are remembered by those whose cities were destroyed, whose children were killed, whose resources were plundered, whose freedoms were curtailed, and whose existence was annihilated. However, those who constantly remember Kuwait are: sponsored orphans, students pursuing education, the thirsty who drink, the afflicted who are relieved, and worshippers who remember Allah Almighty in the mihrab of a mosque. These are the ones for whom the symbolic Kuwait never fades from their minds, and to whom their hearts yearn. What a difference there is between these two!

Nations worldwide desire to have a presence in other parts of the earth. Countries like the United States, France, or Britain provide grants and aid to developing or poor countries, as well as loans. If there were no benefit in it, why would they do it? But the difference always remains between the charity of Kuwait and other Gulf states, and the aid from other countries. The people of charity emulate what Allah Almighty described as the qualities of believers eligible for paradise:

(And they give food, in spite of their love for it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [saying], "We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.") (Al-Insan: 8-9).

As for others, they provide their assistance to gain control over the weak and downtrodden, enslaving them, or working to bankrupt their economic and productive institutions. Furthermore, they arrange debts and usurious interest that will lead to the bankruptcy of the assisted country, and there are many examples of this.

As for the people of charity, it is their destiny that Allah Almighty protects them from evil, beautifies their faces, illuminates their insight, and grants them happiness in both worlds.

The author of this article, hailing from a mountainous region in the Lebanese countryside of Tripoli, "Al-Danniyeh," awakens in the morning to the sounds of the muezzins echoing among those hills and plateaus. He delights his eyes with the beauty of the soaring minarets and experiences moments of closeness to Allah Almighty as he hears "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar." His memory takes him back to the benevolent people of Kuwait and the Gulf, and his tongue utters praise, thanks, and gratitude to Allah Almighty.

In this majestic mountain, "Al-Danniyeh," Kuwaiti hands have built a magnificent hospital that impresses observers with its innovative design, similar to what has been done in other areas of Lebanon.

Should anyone interested in knowledge and exploration venture there, they will find a large school, a mosque, and a clinic in every direction.

The Kuwait of goodness is the lung through which the weary breathe, those who ask Allah Almighty to make the hearts of people incline towards them and provide them with Allah's bounties and the fruits of His creation. May Allah Almighty preserve goodness and its people, for He is All-Hearing, All-Responding.

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(1) This article was written by Dr. Ali Lagha, a Lebanese researcher and university professor, and was published in issue (1374), 24 Rajab 1420 AH / November 2, 1999 AD.

(2) Uncle Abdullah Al-Mutawa, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Islah Society, passed away on Sunday, Sha'ban 10, 1427 AH / September 3, 2006 AD.