They said they feel blessed to have a chance to help those who have lost jobs and homes as a result of the pandemic NEW DELHI: Arif Shah was delighted when he heard his name was on the list of people granted permission to travel from India to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year, along with those of his wife and son. After putting money aside for years, he had saved $10,000 to fund their pilgrimage. When the Indian authorities declared a nationwide lockdown on Mar. 24 in an attempt slow the rapid spread of coronavirus cases, however, his family decided to cancel the trip and instead use the money to help others. “We were really looking forward to visiting Makkah and Madinah for Hajj but the coronavirus intervened,” said Shah, 48. “We thought Allah does not want us to visit this year, He wants us to use the money for some noble cause.” The family’s generous gesture was motivated by the realization that many people had lost their jobs and homes as a result of the pandemic. It has created a humanitarian crisis in India, with thousands of desperate migrant workers who suddenly found themselves without any income forced to set off on foot to return to their villages in eastern India, in some cases a journey of 1,000 miles or more. Shah and his family live in the city of Surat, in the western state of Gujarat, and for many people there the situation is just as desperate. So he enlisted the help of his 25-year-old son, Akram, who in addition to working as a textile merchant has been running a local Unity Charitable Trust (UCT) since 2016, and the family began to help the poor and needy. “After the lockdown a new humanitarian crisis emerged in our area, with many people becoming jobless and homeless,” said Akram. “We decided to use the workforce and resources of the UCT to help the poor and started distributing food packets so that no one went hungry.” What began as a simple idea during a conversation in the family’s living room in March grew into an aid project that has provided hundreds of needy residents with food and other essentials. It has been so successful that Akram’s UCT received letters of thanks from the local government and representatives of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The services and aid provided by the UCT are available to all those in need, regardless of status or religion. “It’s not only Muslims that we have helped, but people of all faiths,” said Akram, who added that efforts are under way to raise additional funds and resources to support and help even more people As the eldest of six siblings, Akram said he is “aware of the hard work and sacrifices” his parents made to save up for their Hajj pilgrimage, and he is proud they have “chosen to use it to help others.” His father has no regrets about the decision. “It was the money that Allah gave to us,” said Shah. “It was the wish of God that we should use the money to serve the poor and help those in real need. We are blessed to have the opportunity to serve the people on behalf of Allah.” His wife, Razia, 40, agreed, adding: “You go for Hajj only when Allah calls you. I feel Allah wanted us to serve His people this time, and we used the saved money to help those who needed it. This is also pious work.”