This is from a good friend who has continued her late mother’s efforts of helping needy children during Eid by collecting money for gifts. This year they are focusing on assisting Dar al-Salaam, a school in Mauritania. They are working with the Alalusi Foundation, an organization that has helped establish important institutions and many local Muslims through charitable donations. Please consider donating to this worthy project:

Asalam Alaykum 
Ramadan Mubarak
Hope this letter finds you and your loved ones in good eman and health. Many of you have been so helpful in aiding us to provide eid gifts, clothing, and supplies for needy children at Granada and other orphans. You can not be thanked enough Alhamidullah. Right now, we are focusing our efforts to the needy in Mauritania.This is a tax deductible donation.

 

We are collecting donations to provide eid gifts of clothing to the children. There are about 60 under the age of 8. This project is very dear – Dar Al Salam. It is a school in Mauritania. This school is central for the children and region. There is need in getting gifts for the underprivileged children/students, updating the school facilities, student dormitories, paying the educators, or building water wells. Ma sha’ Allah your help really makes a difference.

Ramadan is moving fast and I’m sure we all hope for forgiveness and mercy. It’s always a good time to give saddaqa especially now in Ramadan. Please send your contributions, sadaka jariyah, or zakat.  That way we can have an estimate. You can designate where you would like your donation to go in your memo.

children’s clothing

You can also give to: 
student support
teacher salaries

water wells
zakat

sadaqa or other

 

You may pass the donation to us at

29869 Bello View Place in Hayward Ca 94544.

pleas make check payable to:

Alalusi Foundation

 

Checks made payable to Alalusi Foundation. Be sure to fill in the memo section. Contributions are tax deductible.

 

Finances are tight for most people now. May our eman and bank accounts all be expanded for the better by helping others who are in need. Honestly, even $5 can help. Every bit counts.

 

Barak Allah feekom. May Allah be pleased with your efforts and multiply your rewards.  Please distribute to your friends and family.

…the day that my father died, September 11, 2002. I have to admit that I barely knew him, but have had to piece together his life from my brief memories and stories that his friends, family, and loved ones shared. I was a daddy’s girl, up until age 5. According to all accounts, he spoiled me rotten. After my parent’s divorce, we moved to California and 18 years passed before I saw him at the age of 23. I came to Florida out of my own accord in 1999, seeking reconciliation, seeking to find a part of myself. My mother was never one to bash my father, although she was often disappointed that his contact was sporadic. He made no effort to send for me and I spent years trying to placate that void. I understood his pain and forgave him for failing me.

During the first year anniversary of 9-11 I remember listening to radio broadcasts commemorating the dead. Loved ones shared their stories of their last words or things they would have shared had they known that they’d never see their fathers/mothers/brothers/sisters/husbands/wives/daughters/sons/friends ever again. A deep urgency and anxiety filled me to reconnect with my father and family in Florida in light of the loss so many had experienced that day. I anticipated that the search wouldn’t be easy, but vowed to get started once I returned home from work. But the moment I stepped in the door and turned on the answering machine and heard, “Margari, this is you cousin Nancy…” I knew he was gone. I called her and she confirmed my greatest fear, I no longer had a father.

My father was a flawed man, but he had many good sides. He was a sensitive soul, haunted by his memories of the Vietnam War and wounded by his own failures and by those around him. At his memorial services I talked to his friend. She told me how he used to speak of me, how sad he was that I wasn’t in his life, but that he felt too ashamed to contact me. I learned that he took care of family members on the sick beds as they went through the long drawn out deaths. His family members spoke of his generosity and the ways he stood by people to take care of them. My cousins on both my mother and father’s side often tell me he was one of the coolest cats you knew. I experienced him, I got to know him, I got to see his protective side, his jealous fathering side, his gentleness, and his story telling. Sometimes I envy those who knew my father more than me, but try to let those feelings rest and be grateful that someone can tell me bits about him.

I just want to commemorate my father and provide a reminder for each of us. I pray that each one of us who has lost contact with someone we love to try to reconnect. Don’t let the time slip past. Don’t worry about being ashamed for failing them. But just try…