Indian family saved around $10,000 for Hajj after Hajj 2020 got canceled due to coronavirus. The family decides to spend Hajj savings to help the poor.
Arif Shah was very happy when he got the news that his name was on the list who will perform the Hajj this year, and had also given the permission to travel from India to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj 2020, with his son and wife. After saving money for years, he was managed to save $10,000 to perform Hajj.
On 24th March 2020, Indian authorities declared the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of Coronavirus in India, and the family had to cancel their Hajj pilgrimage trip due to the cancellation of International Hajj.
Having $10,000 in their savings, the family decides to spend hajj savings to help the unprivileged people, people who lost their jobs due to coronavirus pandemic.
Atif Shah lives in Surat, India with his family, in Gujrat the western state, and the situation there is getting worse. So along with the help of his 25-year-old son, Akram Shah, who works as a textile merchant and has been running Unity Charitable Trust (UCT) since 2016 to help the needy and poor.
Unity Charitable Trust (UCT) provides aid and services to those in need, regardless of their religion and status.
Akram Shah, who is the eldest among his six siblings told the media that he is aware of the sacrifices and the hard work his parents had to go through to save the money for Hajj pilgrimage and he said he is proud that his father decides to help people with his Hajj savings.
He also added that his father is happy about this decision and has no regrets.
Akram further said that we didn’t help Muslims only, we helped people belonging to every religion.
Arif Shah’s wife, Razia Shah told the media, that one goes for Hajj when Allah calls. She said she feels Allah wanted her family to help people who are suffering this time with Hajj savings. We used our Hajj savings to help the poor and it is also a noble cause.
