MCE: Orphan Care is a Religious Duty, Societal, Ethical Responsibility
The Muslim Council of Elders, led by Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, affirmed that caring for orphans is among the most virtuous acts that bring a person closer to Allah, and it is a societal and ethical responsibility that strengthens social bonds and community cohesion.
The Council emphasized the necessity of providing for their material needs and offering psychological, social, and educational care to enable them to become constructive members in their countries and societies.
On the occasion of Arab Orphan Day, which falls on the first Friday of April each year, the Council stated that the noble Islamic faith encourages Muslims to be guardians of orphans, to treat them well, honor them, and look after their welfare and interests, considering these actions among the best deeds that earn Muslims rewards and blessings from Allah Almighty. Allah says: "Give orphans their wealth ˹when they reach maturity˺, and do not exchange your worthless possessions for their valuables, nor cheat them by mixing their wealth with your own. For this would indeed be a great sin." [The Quran, 4:2].
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "I and the guardian of the orphan will be in the Garden like that," indicating his forefinger and middle finger, slightly separating them (Sahih al-Bukhari).
The Muslim Council of Elders calls for the necessity of providing support and care for those who have lost their parents due to the wars and conflicts our world is witnessing today, which have claimed thousands of innocent civilian lives and left tens of thousands of children without families, homes, and shelter. These children are now in dire need of attention, care, and social and psychological rehabilitation, and it is crucial to extend a helping hand to them.
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Al-Ahram Weekly
4 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Al-Azhar sends new aid convoy to Gaza
Al-Azhar's Bayt al-Zakat and Sadaqat of Al-Azhar announced the dispatch of an urgent humanitarian aid convoy to the Gaza Strip, as aid trucks began to enter Gaza via Karm Abu Salem crossing on Sunday. This marks the eleventh convoy sent by Bayt al-Zakat, the charity arm of Al-Azhar, as part of its international relief campaign titled "Rescue Gaza." The convoy is currently en route to the strip, carrying thousands of tons of food and relief supplies, including 1,000 fully equipped tents intended to shelter Palestinian families who have lost their homes during the conflict. According to a statement by the organisation, the new convoy focuses on women and children, who have been most severely impacted by Israel's ongoing genocidal war on Gaza, which has caused a famine for over 2 million Palestinian civilians, who have endured multiple displacements within the strip and who suffer a severe lack of necessities and essentials. The aid shipment includes medications, medical supplies, infant formula, diapers, hygiene products, clothing, blankets, canned and dry food items, and drinking water, all intended to provide immediate relief to those facing dire humanitarian circumstances. Bayt al-Zakat emphasised that the effort is part of its ongoing mission to support just humanitarian causes, particularly the Palestinian cause. The campaign, launched by Al-Azhar's Grand Imam under the slogan "Strive with your wealth… and support Palestine," has seen contributions from individuals and institutions in over 80 countries worldwide, many of whom participated in previous convoys. The institution confirmed that it will continue to send aid convoys based on field assessments conducted with local partners in Gaza to determine the most urgent needs. It also expressed gratitude for the ongoing support from donors inside Egypt and abroad, and it reaffirmed its alignment with Egypt's broader efforts to bring an end to the aggression, lift the siege, and provide comprehensive support to the Palestinian people. On Saturday, Israel announced a limited "tactical pause" in parts of Gaza to facilitate the delivery of aid, designating secure corridors for convoys. The Israeli military said the daily pause—from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm—applies only to specific areas, including Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and parts of Gaza City where it claimed its forces are not currently operating. The limited flow of additional aid follows global outrage over Israel's five-month-long blockade and the "flour massacres" committed by occupation forces at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution centres—US-registered and Israeli-backed—where over 1,000 Palestinian aid-seekers have been killed since May. Israel's deliberate starvation of Gaza's 2.4 million residents has been widely condemned as a form of collective punishment and a war crime. According to the United Nations (UN), 600 to 800 trucks of humanitarian aid are needed daily to sustain the population, an estimate far from being met under current restrictions. Aid organisations continue to warn of a dramatic surge in malnutrition among children as the blockade continues unabated. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Mada
5 hours ago
- Mada
Just 150 aid trucks depart to Gaza from Egypt as Israel announces ‘tactical suspension of military activities'
A convoy of just 150 aid trucks left Egypt early on Sunday morning for the Karam Abu Salem crossing in preparation for entry into the Gaza Strip. The supplies were the first to leave out of thousands of aid trucks that have remained stationary in North Sinai for weeks near Egypt's border with Gaza, as Palestinians endure mass starvation imposed by Israel through almost five months of siege. The window for the small aid delivery from Egypt opened after Israel announced a limited pause to fighting on Saturday night, intended to 'expand the volume of humanitarian aid entering the strip.' The Israeli government is under international pressure to loosen its siege on the millions of people in the strip after starvation-induced deaths accelerated in recent days, with the Gaza Health Ministry announcing over 30 deaths caused by malnutrition, many of whom were children. Despite opposition to the step from officials in Tel Aviv, including National Security Minister Itmar Ben Gvir, who called for a 'complete stop' to humanitarian aid on Saturday night, the Israeli military announced that it would implement a daily 'tactical suspension of military activities' for 'humanitarian purposes' in the areas of Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Mawasi, with military activity still ongoing in the majority of the coastal enclave. The pauses are to begin Sunday and last from 10 am to 8 pm until further notice, the military said. Following two days of preparations at Egyptian Red Crescent warehouses in Arish city, a source from the agency said that trucks belonging to the Egyptian and Emirati Red Crescent Societies and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), carrying flour, food supplies, medicine and medical supplies departed toward Karam Abu Salem on Sunday morning. A statement published by the agency said the shipment included around 840 tons of flour and 450 tons of various food items. Trucks arriving from North Sinai to the Karam Abu Salem crossing — which joins Egyptian, Israeli and Palestinian territory and is under Israeli supervision — were required to unload their cargo on the Israeli side for inspection before reloading onto Palestinian trucks for entry into Gaza, the red crescent source said. All 150 trucks had crossed from the Egyptian side by 6 am on Sunday, the source added. But as of 8 am, the Israeli military was yet to greenlight the aid's entry into Gaza, according to a WFP official in Egypt cited by the BBC. The limited volumes join a trickle of aid still reaching Gaza. The WFP said on Sunday it delivered only 350 trucks of food aid into Gaza last week 'under extremely challenging circumstances that put civilians and aid workers at tremendous risk.' Without permission from Israel to move along secured routes without the risk of being subjected to Israeli fire, WFP convoys have been exposed to looting in south Gaza by the armed group operating in Israeli-held Rafah, while convoys entering the north last week were rushed by crowds of thousands of people waiting to access limited supplies of aid. The agency mourned the loss of 'countless lives' last week, after Israeli forces shot and killed 80 aid-seekers in a crowd of people waiting to receive aid from WFP trucks entering north Gaza at the Zikim crossing. As part of its tactical pause, the Israeli military also said that it designated secured corridors for aid convoys, coordinated with the UN and international organizations, to be maintained daily from 6 am to 11 pm. WFP also noted that Israel's latest commitment follows earlier assurances to allow more trucks into Gaza with quicker clearances and permit the use of alternative roads and routes, as well assurances of no armed forces or shootings near convoys and the ability of humanitarian organizations to import and use the communications equipment to coordinate deliveries. But the agency also stressed that 'an agreed ceasefire is the only way for humanitarian assistance to reach the entire civilian population in Gaza with critical food supplies in a consistent, predictable, orderly and safe manner.' Around 62,000 tons of food aid is required each month, the agency continued, warning that a third of Gaza's population is going days without food and that 470,000 people are facing 'famine-like conditions,' including 90,000 women and children in urgent need of nutritional treatment. Over the past 24 hours, six Palestinians, including two children, died from hunger and malnutrition, Gaza's Health Ministry said on Sunday. This brings the total number of starvation and malnutrition-related deaths in the strip to 133, including 87 children. Gaza's Government Media Office described the entry of a few dozen aid trucks as 'a limited step that does not suffice to break the famine,' stressing that the strip needs 600 trucks a day — including baby formula, humanitarian supplies and fuel — to meet the minimum needs of the population.' The office also noted that children in Gaza require 250,000 cans of formula per month to prevent infant malnutrition and starvation. Meanwhile, Jordan and the UAE airdropped 25 tons of aid on Sunday, following a prior airdrop conducted by the Israeli military comprising seven aid pallets of flour, sugar and canned food. Hamas described Israel's airdrops of aid as a 'superficial and deceptive move aimed at whitewashing its image before the world.' As the number of people killed by causes tied to malnutrition spiked over recent days, governments in Europe and the West increased calls for Israel to stop starving people in Gaza.
Daily News Egypt
5 hours ago
- Daily News Egypt
Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens
A convoy of Egyptian aid trucks loaded with food and reconstruction materials began moving from the Rafah border crossing on Sunday morning, making its way toward the Gaza Strip. The trucks, carrying large quantities of flour and other food supplies, are en route to the Karem Abu Salem crossing for inspection before entering the besieged Palestinian enclave. This delivery is part of a broader effort to address Gaza's rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation. Alongside the aid convoy, limited supplies also entered the Gaza Strip on Sunday via the Zikim and Karem Abu Salem crossings. In a parallel operation, Jordanian and Emirati aircraft carried out the first airdrop operation in months, dropping 25 tonnes of relief supplies over northwestern Gaza, in coordination with Israeli authorities. However, these efforts come amid growing international criticism and mounting warnings from the UN. Humanitarian agencies have condemned the ongoing blockade, with many describing the situation as a 'deliberate starvation strategy' targeting Gaza's civilian population. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would implement a 'humanitarian pause' starting Sunday morning, opening designated civilian corridors for aid distribution. Despite this, military operations and airstrikes continued, further deepening the crisis. Gaza's Ministry of Health reported that 88 Palestinians were killed and 374 others injured in the past 24 hours. The overall death toll from the ongoing Israeli assault since 7 October 2023, has now surpassed 59,821, with 144,851 injured. Since 18 March, 8,657 people have been killed, and 32,810 wounded. Health and humanitarian organizations in Gaza have made it clear that at least 600 aid trucks are needed daily to meet the basic needs of the population. The Government Media Office in Gaza issued a statement warning that, while dozens of trucks are entering, it remains 'far from enough to break the famine.' The territory, it said, faces a 'genuine humanitarian catastrophe' that requires urgent action. In a related development, the Israeli navy stormed the Handala, a ship part of the 'Freedom Flotilla' that was attempting to break the blockade. The vessel was intercepted while sailing in international waters. Hamas condemned the Israeli raid as 'an act of piracy and terrorism,' accusing Israel of using its control over humanitarian corridors as a deceptive tactic to bolster its image globally. The movement argued that airdrops are merely a tool to manage starvation rather than solve it. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also condemned Israel's actions, stating that Israel's prevention of food from entering Gaza is a clear violation of international law. 'This is unjustifiable,' he said. Meanwhile, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Tom Fletcher welcomed the announcement of safe land routes for aid convoys but emphasized that it is crucial for UN teams to reach as many people as possible. In Cairo, Egyptian authorities hosted an Israeli technical delegation consisting of security and military officials to discuss logistics for aid delivery through the Rafah border crossing. Key topics included the coordination of truck routes within Gaza and the timing of Israeli-approved ceasefire windows to ensure safe passage of aid. On the ground, Hamas's armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, reported that it had targeted an Israeli armored personnel carrier with a powerful roadside bomb east of Khan Younis. Additionally, Israeli media reported that Hamas carried out a deadly ambush on Israeli 'tracker' units in southern Gaza, using a double agent to lure soldiers into a booby-trapped tunnel, resulting in casualties. International organizations, including the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs, continue to stress that airdrops are no substitute for overland deliveries. A Jordanian official involved in the joint airdrop operation with the UAE explained that while the airdrops are a necessary symbolic gesture, they cannot replace the essential opening of border crossings. UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, reiterated that 'man-made hunger cannot be solved from the air; it can only be ended by political will—by lifting the siege and opening the gates.'
