We have stopped helping others, we have forgotten the art of it and charm it has. Once we reconnect the human to human interaction, restore their faith in helping each other, these little acts of kindness shall be our economy boosters. We have to remember, we do not need to pass on the economic crunch to the hand we used for giving alms.
Opinion article by: Enem Ali Abbas
All the things of littlest importance and/or of no significance which apparently go unnoticed when we talk macro hold no special place in our hearts that these items deserve. We have made life about billions of dollars, and millions of jobs and trillions of problems that come with these facilities. Anything that’s less is condemned, trashed and wasted, be it about minorities or little acts of kindness. We want volume in everything, we wish to purchase in bulk and then waste in bulk, same happens at the restaurants when we order beyond our eating capacity. We purchase plenty of clothes that we can’t even choose from in the morning while going to work. We want our kids to be doctors and engineers because studying arts is considered low or less ideal than taking up subjects of scientists, physicists and etc. We want salaries in six digits since day one, we get into a never-ending race that just ruins our focus towards all that’s beautiful but little.
Those who are studying arts, humanities or social sciences have actually understood life more than what an engineer does. People who haven’t studied hardcore pure sciences are more considerate and soft at heart, they roam around in their own horizons that’s definitely broader than what’s in the atom and the nucleus. They can be less calculated but they prefer celebrating it the most. Obviously not all literature students are pure at heart and not all engineers are cruel but what performing arts, poetry and language have inculcated in the souls of those who had inviting brains, have actually taken them above the sea-level. The sea-level here is the cream of science students that earn and maintain as per the social norms. But these subjects are looked down upon, same is the case with kindness. Little acts of kindness are the backbone of economy in a way that we haven’t ever heard before. Offering somebody food is a little act of kindness and a virtue that we don’t usually count. With the Islamic teachings and cultural norms of an Islamic society that we still practice in a country like Pakistan, they all have contributed to the system. We offer langer during Muharram and we distribute Biryani and other edibles in Rabi-ul-Awwal.
We need to continue sharing the bread regardless of the economic depression, the chain must continue – it’s for our survival
Rich and poor all contribute as per their disposal income and in just a few days billions of rupees come in circulation in the market. Offering food to one person can push the economic wheel in a way no other festival could do. A Biryani plate is not just food for one person but an opportunity for the rice traders, chicken vendors, spice vendors and all of them who are attached with the industry. Despite closing business in respect of these days, the economy continues to work and prosper even with closed markets. A cherry on the top, these little acts of kindness feeds millions of people, promote peace and love among generations. Following in the footsteps of Islamic personalities, we can boost our economy and trade and this is what the teachings are all about. We are currently under economic stress with the crunch crippling the system gradually but continuously. This is because we have stopped valuing little things in life that make us bigger, with growing economic pressure we have withheld the outflow of finances. Industrialists are squeezing their spending on human resource to keep balance with the revenue generation, we are taking investments out of people, same is happening with media industry where newspapers are sacking the employees.
The circulation of money, and circulation of virtue, its all being minimized. We are gradually giving up helping others. This is entering our daily lifecycle, we have stopped giving ways to other motorists on the road, we have stopped holding elevators for others rushing towards it, we have stopped helping elderly cross the road, we have stopped giving rides to anybody in need, we have stopped exchanging virtues, those little deeds that count but are going unnoticed. This nation needs to start giving back to people, holding hands of those who are not independent like you, support those in trouble and leading them ahead by patting them, giving them a hand won’t hurt us but shall actually result in consolidated growth. We need to stop judging people and start giving people, the alms that we withheld just because we think the beggar is healthy enough and he is faking his medical expense. Squeezing the money flow of those who take salaries from you can never heal the financial loss the current government is causing you. It’s high time that we carry on the little virtues that shall help us overcome the bigger crunch. Little things count, just don’t quit them.
