POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN

"Whoever saved a life,it would be as if he saved the life of all humanity."
<Qur'an-Maida 5:32>

Sadly, once again the ordinary, destitute Afghans find themselves in the middle of an international crossfire. It appears that the nightmare called "life in Afghanistan" which has now gone on for 23 years is entering a new dimension. Up to 8 million people face severe food shortages or starvation. The reality is that the end of this "nightmare" is no where in sight. Afghans are starved, exhausted, hurt, incapacitated, suffering. A few years ago, the United Nations estimated that there are 500,000 disabled orphans in Afghanistan, a country with no economy, no food. There are millions of widows. Journalists witness scenes of utter tragedy, virtually every wall, every building, every landmark had been hit by shells in the big cities.One would be shocked and in disbelief over the magnitude of the devastation. One in every ten land mines in the world is littered in Afghanistan, claiming an average of 25 victims a day.

In Afghanistan death is a constant reminder. The total lack of international attention has left this brave and forsaken people to die a sad and lonely death. No wonder the UN Development Index ranks this as 169 out of 174 poorest countries in the world. The average Afghan man, woman and child die as a result of simple curable diseases like diarrhea, and fever. 1 in every 4 children in Afghanistan does not make it to the age of 5 and the life expectancy is only 40. The Afghans have accepted the death as a way of life: "Life without struggle & effort is like dying before death".

One night last winter, a hasty settlement of tents was hit by a freak storm of heavy snows and sub-zero cold. In the morning, more than 150 people, mostly children, were found dead of exposure, leaving many to wonder what worse horrors could befall the Afghan people.

In all this misery, people long for peace and stability. It seems that it will be a future full of darkness, full of disappointment, full of tragedies and catastrophes. An entire generation has been sacrificed to war. The young innocent children know the word war before peace, the word weapon, before pen. Orphans are crying wanting their parents. Widows are crying wanting their husbands. Who is going to wipe the tears of the innocent children? Who is going to wipe the tears of the oppressed widows? May Allah (swt) be witness of the injustice that Afghans suffer, and maybe bring peace to their country.

• How to help?
  

"For those who give in charity, men and women, and loan to God a beautiful loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit) and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward."
<Qur'an-Hadid 57:18>

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