by Dana Al Emam | Aug 22, 2012 | JORDAN TIMES
AMMAN — The son and students of Jordan’s late grand mufti Sheikh Noah Qudah have teamed up to fulfil what they say was the last wish of the lamented Islamic scholar: to see an end to poverty in Jordan.
His son Mohammad, a former minister and a professor of Islamic law, said that ending poverty was not only Sheikh Noah’s dream and passion, it was also his stated will before his death in 2010.
Mohammad therefore sought help from wealthy students of the sheikh to make their teacher’s dream a reality.
Just 13 months after its establishment, the Sheikh Noah Rifadah Society has provided financial support for 9,000 students, 6,000 orphans and 590 underprivileged families, according to its director, Imad Hirmas.
“The Sheikh Noah Society operates on two tracks,” Hirmas said, “the philanthropic field in which we help people in need, and the educational field which has to do with voluntary work and spreading awareness.”
Around 12,000 volunteers are helping the society achieve its goals.
The charity provides people in need with food and school supplies, helps cover their medical costs and bails out people who are imprisoned because of debt.
“Many people are in jail because they made financial commitments and fell short of money. We help those whose debt is roughly JD1,000 or less after doing our own investigations,” Hirmas told The Jordan Times in a recent interview.
What distinguishes the Sheikh Noah Society, in the director’s opinion, is that it helps the poor while preserving their dignity.
In Lamsat Dif (a touch of warmth), one of many initiatives the association organised last winter, beneficiaries received smart shopping cards with set limits to shop for brand new clothes, heaters and food items.
In another campaign, called “We are Supporters of Allah,” thousands of the society’s volunteers renovated a school in Mafraq in only six hours.
This Ramadan, the association carried out several activities.
“We hosted 100 orphans in a Ramadan tent every day. We provided them with iftar, gave them school supplies and Eid allowances, and entertained them with games and activities,” Hirmas said.
Like many other charity organisations, however, the society faces the problem its efforts being duplicated.
“Some of those who apply for aid from the Sheikh Noah Society also ask for help from other organisations. We do our best to help those who have not been helped,” Hirmas said.