By Shreya Chauhan Updated: Mar 24, 2020,
The Sikh community has always been at the forefront when it comes to helping people in need during emergencies. Be it the Australian bushfires, Delhi riots or the current coronavirus pandemic, the Sikh community has selflessly offer to help to the needy in whatever way they can.
In the national capital, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has offered the ‘Serai’ (inn) at the Gurdwara Majnu Ka Tilla to set up isolation wards and quarantine facilities to treat those affected by outbreak.
More recently, in New York, the Sikh Centre prepared and packed over 30,000 home-cooked meals for Americans in self-isolation. New York’s Mayor office approached the Sikh community to make the food packages that were then distributed to several federal agencies in the area.
Strict hygiene measures were taken while the food was prepared such as maintaining social distance and use of face masks and gloves.
“The ”Sewa” or service provided by the Sikh volunteers is a vegetarian meal comprising of dry fruits, rice, and lentils. The meals were prepared on Sunday and were packaged and loaded for delivery. The distribution starts on Monday in the morning, by local authorities. Volunteers who prepared and packaged the meal had a medical check and have been approved by physicians and health authorities,” ANI quoted Himat Singh, coordinator of the American Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (east coast) as saying.
The food packages were supposed to be given to the elderly who have trouble fending for themselves, specially-abled people, homeless and single parents looking after their kids who can’t go out.
Gurudwara funds and supplies were used to make the meals. United Sikhs, an NGO based across the United States, has urged people from all walks of life to donate generously.
Reportedly 99% of the people benefiting from the meals are Americans. Only a handful of Indians who have come from oversees or are in isolation are using the meals.
Other Sikh volunteers from the East, West Coast, and the Mid West of the United States are also geared up with an infrastructure to help agencies across the country. They are ready to provide free food, shelter at Gurudwara’s and even deliver essentials and medicines for the homeless and needy.
“Once we heard people were having a problem with food when they go shopping, they can’t find food in the shopping centre, then we started reaching out to people in our personal capacity in the Bay Area (San Francisco),” ANI quoted, Dr Pritpal Singh, coordinator of the American Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (west coast) as saying.
We laud the efforts of the Sikh community and their contributing in fight against coronavirus. #InThisTogether
Suggested reading by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times
We Will be Judged by Our Compassion and Deeds and Not Our Dogma
Two Hundred Verses about Compassionate Living in the Quran
A Message of Compassion and Love from the Holy Bible
True Fasting: A Message of Compassion and Love from the Old Testament
Abou Ben Adhem, A Compassionate Man
‘Love Hormone,’ How it works in Hospitality?
‘Love Hormone’ Oxytocin May Enhance Feelings Of Spirituality
Let’s admit that the Sikh Community manages this ‘feeding’ better than us. We do feed more than 30’000 at our Jalsas (annual gatherings) three times a day, but as far as humanitarian ‘feedings’ go I am not aware that we did anything in this scale (correct me if I am wrong please).
I know Ahmadiyyah has collected money from all members of Ahmadiyyah first and then you give 3 times to them. We cannot call ahmadiyyah is generous community like Sikh.
But Sikh Communities are different, they collect money from their members and give to others . That is a huge different— Rafiq!!
Do not delete when I criticize you or Ahmadiyyah OK
and you ignore the Ahmadiyya efforts of Humanity First and the hundreds of schools and many hospitals especially in Africa. I praise the Sikh effort without critizising others. That is the difference in character I suppose. When I was appreciating the 33’000 meals that the Sikh community offered I was referring to ‘meals’. Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at offers whole Hospitals and Schools and many thing more. (seems I created the wrong impression here, sorry).
YOU NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT MUSLIMS HAVE DONE IN DELHI . THEY ORGANIZED CONGRESSIONS OF FIVE THOUSAND MUSLIMS IN DELHI DURING COVID 19 WHEN GOVT HAD ISSUED ADVISORY FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ARE SPREADING IT TO OTHERS BY SPITTING ON DOCTORS AND PASSING LEWD COMMENTS ON NURSES .THERE MULLAHAS PREACHING THAT THEY WILL GO TO HEAVEN EVEN IF THEY DIE WITH COVID 19 IN MOSQUE. WHAT TYPE OF RELIGION IS THIS . SURPRISINGLY MUSLIM RELIGIOUS LEADERS ARE SILENT AND ENDORSING HARD LINERS VIEW POINTS . THIS COMMUNITY HAS BECOME DANGEROUS FOR CIVILIZATION IN INDIA AND ASIA . THEY ARE ATTACKING DOCTORS AND NURSES WHO GO TO DIAGNOSE THEM AT THEIR HOME AND THROWING STONES AT POLICE FORCES WHO WANTS TO QUARTNINE THEM . CAN YOU PASS A FATWA FROM MECCA MADINA TO SUCH IDIOTS WHO ARE GREAT DANGER TO SOCIETY
stupidity has no religion. It is wrong to blame ‘ISLAM’ for the behavior of these uneducated bums. Islam as a Religion requires us to adhere to the Government rules and regulations. ‘Love for your nation is part of your faith’ is taught by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.