.

A Brief Overview of Iraq’s Human Tragedy

IRAQ: IRAQ: Helping Widows and OrphansHelping Widows and Orphans

Widows & Orphans

 Subjects Discussed in the Slide Show

Statistical Experience of the last few years 2005-2009

The Technique of Reaching out to help the widows

Desperate Condition of most Widows and Orphans

Sub

ject

s D

iscu

ssed

Widows and orphans, then Brief introduction to Iraq

The insurgency and the devastation

Overview of the widows and Orphans

In the Press

Widows & Orphans

NY Times: February 22, 2009

As the number of widows has swelled during six years of war,

their presence on city streets begging for food or

as potential recruits by insurgents has become a vexing symbol of the breakdown of Iraqi self-sufficiency.

Women who lost their husbands had once been looked after by an extended support system of family, neighbors and mosques.

Widows & Orphans

New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/world/middleeast/23widows.html?_r=1

Among Iraqi women aged 15 to 80, 1 in 11 are estimated to be widows,

though officials admit that figure is hardly more than a guess

When an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President Bush in December,

he shouted that he was doing so on behalf of the war’s widows and orphans.

Widows & Orphans

NY Times continues about the tragedy:

Only about 120,000 widows — roughly one in six — receive any state aid, according to government figures. Mr. Sharmal, a Shiite, lost three sons to sectarian violence in Diyala Province, which was a center of the Sunni insurgency, during a 10-month period in 2006.

One son, a doctor, was killed in a parking garage as he walked to his car. A second died after gunmen sprayed bullets across a field of soccer players. The third, a police officer, was shot in the back of the head while on his way to work.

Widows & Orphans

The Plight

The estimated 740,000 widows left without breadwinners is mounting,

and with only a fraction of them receiving financial support from the government

Moussawi, (a member of the parliament), basing her estimate on a Ministry of Planning report from mid-2007,

put the number of divorcees and widows close to 1 million of a total of 8.5 million women aged between 15 and 80

Widows & Orphans

CNN Sat March 7, 2009: Survey by Oxfam

Oxfam and its Iraqi partner group Al-Amal Association, conducted the survey in five provinces -- Baghdad, Basra, Tameem, Najaf and Nineveh. Questioners interviewed 1,700 respondents starting last summer.A quarter of the women interviewed still do not have daily access to water, a third cannot send their children to school and, since the war started, over half have been the victim of violence," Hobbs said."And to add further insult more than three-quarters of widows, many of whom lost their husbands to the conflict, get no government pension which they are entitled to."

Widows & Orphans

CNN Sat March 7, 2009: Survey by Oxfam

Many women have been widowed and have had to run their families because their husbands "had been killed, disappeared, abducted or suffered from mental or physical abuse," the survey says.

The survey found that largely because of the conflict in Iraq, 35.5 percent of participants were acting as head of the household and that "nearly 25 percent had not been married."

Iraq in:1. Ancient history2. Middle ages3. Recent times

Widows & Orphans

Iraq in history

Iraq was the Cradle of Civilization

History goes back to 7,000-8,000 years

Ruled by numerous dynasties and rulers

Alexander the Great conquered the world but died in Babylon! (?Malignant form of malaria)

Mixture of cultures and ethnicities

Widows & Orphans

The Ancient Iraq: (By JOE BOB BRIGGS), NY

1. They invented irrigated farming 2. Invented writing 3. Figured out how to tell time 4. In the Code of Hammurabi, they invented the first

legal system 5. The first people to build cities and live in them 6. They invented the cavalry in war 7. Abraham, the father of Judaism, Christianity and

Islam, was from Iraq.

Widows & Orphans

Iraq in the Middle Ages

8. They wrote the greatest poetry, history and "sagas" in the world.

9. They established the first school for astronomers 10. Beginning around 800 A.D., the Iraqis founded

universities:a. to teach medicine, mathematics,b. philosophy, theology, literature and poetry.

11. For the first 1,200 years of its existence, Baghdad was regarded as one of the most refined, civilized and festive cities in the world.

Widows & Orphans

Iraq in Recent times

Was ruled by the Ottomans, leading to neglect and disrepair

Invaded by British in 1st world war

Ruled by King Faisal and his descendants

Series of revolts ended with Ba’ath Party

Saddam Hussein manipulates, is in charge

Wars, misrule, devastation, and tyranny led to catastrophic results

Widows & Orphans

Ethnic and Sectarian sections of Iraq

Mostly Sunni

Mostly Shi’a

Kurdish area

Widows & Orphans

Iraq During Saddam Hussein

When Iraq was ruled by Ba’ath Party, headed by Saddam Hussein:

Dictatorship, Stalin typeCausing wars with Neighboring countriesDevastating the economy

Using Nationalism has led to social upheavalOil money was cleverly pilferedDuring the 35 years of Saddam’s rule, about 3-4 Million Iraqis had to flee the country: the Cream of the Society

Widows & Orphans

Iraq After Saddam Hussein

Americans helped form a government in IraqAl-Qaeda + Local Sunnis precipitated:1. the cruelest insurgency imagined2. Sectarian strife3. Infrastructure attacked, oil pipelines damaged4. Corruption becoming rampant5. Social upheaval led to extreme insecurityAl-Qaeda inflicted untold miseriesCriminals roam the streets kidnapping professionals for ransom money

Widows & Orphans

The Strife in Iraq

Started by the Extremists Fundamentalists

Wahhabis who were joined by:1. Al-Qaeda

2. The Ba’athists

3. The criminals released by Saddam

4. The fired officers of Saddam’s army

5. Saddam’s Secret Service

Widows & Orphans

The Wahhabis

Wahhabis religious leaders urging for spilling the blood:

1. Religious edicts2. Instructing their representatives in Iraq3. Supplying money and awards4. To kill 10 Shi’a you are titled as a Prince5. Get a prize money for killing an American,

police officer, soldier, or a Shi’i

Widows & Orphans

Social Catastrophe of the last few years

More than one million children are orphaned

More than 200,000 widows

Sectarian cleansing: People forced out of houses

Refugee in the worst shape

Basic services in shambles: electricity, water

Widows & Orphans

Project to help the widows and orphans

The 6 steps to help Widows and Orphans1. Channel money to the widows and orphans2. Tax-exempt3. Appealing to Iraqis as well as to others4. Distribution in Iraq is done by many members5. Distribution to each family is emailed to us6. Send a copy of the email to the contributor

Widows & Orphans

The Middle East

Provinces being helped

Widows & Orphans

The Middle East

Widows and orphans in Karbala & Najaf Provinces, (See encircled in red)Provinces as large as eastern MarylandNeed of the widows and their children is massive. Poverty is deepThe needs more acute lately

Province being helped

Widows & Orphans

Quran Account Inc.

On contributing to the widows and orphans through Quran Account:

1. You get a receipt for Tax-exempt2. Money is sent to Iraq through (World Wide

Welfare Organization)3. Distribution in Iraq is done by volunteers4. Details of distribution is emailed to us5. Copy of the receipt is mailed to the contributor

Widows & Orphans

Sample receipt

Names of contributors on the receipt

Receipt emailed to usand sent to each contributor

Widows & Orphans

Email received from Iraq

Contributed money was used for:

Blankets

Oil lamps

Food

Kerosene heaters

Cash

Medicine

Widows & Orphans

Email received from Iraq

Contributed funds used during Ramadhan

Names of Sheikhs undertaking the process

Charity money distributed

Meat and other supplies

Fabric for women dresses

Fabric for men apparel

Widows & Orphans

Their needs

Flour and meatClothes BlanketsOil lampsVegetablesKerosene heaters Fruits and other suppliesMedicineOther elementary necessities of life

Widows & Orphans

Experience during 2005

Project was started in Ramadhan 2005Appeals also during Eid

Appeals during other occasions

Word of mouth spread

Personal contact

Project continued ever since, growing steadily

Widows & Orphans

Year 2005: $8,468.19 was received

Through effort of Quran Account and Darul Salam, Inc,

Total Collected from Darul Salam and Quran Account: $8,468.38

Period 4 individual months

During Ramadhan and other occasions

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sep Oct Nov Dec

Widows & Orphans

Year 2006: $33,520.01 was received Through effort of Quran Account and Darul Salam, Inc,

$0.00

$2,000.00

$4,000.00

$6,000.00

$8,000.00

$10,000.00

$12,000.00

Jan Feb May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

C o n t r I b u t I o n s f o r e a c h m o n t h

Widows & Orphans

Year 2007: $63,728.90 was received

Through effort of Quran Account, Inc,

$0.00

$2,000.00

$4,000.00

$6,000.00

$8,000.00

$10,000.00

$12,000.00

$14,000.00

Jan Feb Mar Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

C o n t r I b u t I o n s f o r e a c h m o n t h

Widows & Orphans

Year 2008: $72,006.58 was received

Through effort of Quran Account, Inc,

$0.00

$2,000.00

$4,000.00

$6,000.00

$8,000.00

$10,000.00

$12,000.00

$14,000.00

$16,000.00

$18,000.00

$20,000.00

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

C o n t r I b u t I o n s f o r e a c h m o n t h

Widows & Orphans

Year 2009: $50,914.65 was received

Through effort of Quran Account, Inc,

$0.00

$2,000.00

$4,000.00

$6,000.00

$8,000.00

$10,000.00

$12,000.00

$14,000.00

$16,000.00

Jan Feb Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

C o n t r I b u t I o n s f o r e a c h m o n t h

Widows & Orphans

Year 2010: $43,898.97 was received

Through effort of Quran Account, Inc,

$0.00

$2,000.00

$4,000.00

$6,000.00

$8,000.00

$10,000.00

$12,000.00

Jan Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

C o n t r I b u t I o n s f o r e a c h m o n t h

Widows & Orphans

Comparative, Yearly: 2005-2010: Through effort of Quran Account, Inc,

$0.00

$10,000.00

$20,000.00

$30,000.00

$40,000.00

$50,000.00

$60,000.00

$70,000.00

$80,000.00

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

C o n t r I b u t I o n s f o r e a c h y e a r

Widows & Orphans

Contributor Parameters: Birth Place

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Iraq Persia USA Pakistan Kuwait Afghan Egypt Algeria Yemen

B i r t h p l a c e of C o n t r i b u t o r s

Widows & Orphans

Contribution by original nationality

9,005.0011500

8,723.00

2,650.00

29,304.00

1,080.00 700 100

5500

Iraq In Trust Iran USA Pakistan Kuwait Afghan Algeria Yemen

A m o u n t o f C o n t r i b u t i o n s b y O r i g i n a l N a t i o n a l i t y

For 2008

Widows & Orphans

Contributor residence in the US

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

MD VA CA TX IL PA MI OH IN UT AZ FL LA GA

N u m b e r o f C o n t r i b u t o r s f r o m e a c h S t a t e

Widows & Orphans

The Holy Quran about the orphans: (2:177)

It is not righteousness that ye just turn your faces Towards east or West;

but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; and

to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; and

to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; and

to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, …..

�م� و�ج�وه�ك � �وا �و�ل ت �ن أ &ر$ �ب ال �س� $ي ل�م�غ�ر&ب& و�ال ر&ق& �م�ش� ال �ل� ق&ب

2ه& &الل ب آم�ن� م�ن� &ر$ �ب ال ك&ن$ ـ� و�ل�ة& &ك �م�آلئ و�ال اآلخ&ر& & �و�م �ي و�ال

@ين� &ي $ب و�الن �اب& &ت �ك و�الذ�و&ي @ه& ب ح� ع�ل�ى �م�ال� ال �ى و�آت&ين� اك �م�س� و�ال �ام�ى �ت �ي و�ال �ى ب �ق�ر� الو�ف&ي &ين� &ل آئ و�الس$ &يل& ب الس$ �ن� و�اب

ق�اب& الر@�اة� ك الز$ �ى و�آت الص$الة� �ق�ام� و�أ

� ع�اه�د�وا &ذ�ا إ &ع�ه�د&ه&م� ب �م�وف�ون� و�ال

اء س�� �أ �ب ال ف&ي &ر&ين� و�الص$اب

&ك� ئ ـ� �ول أ س&� �أ �ب ال و�ح&ين� اء والض$ر$

ه�م� &ك� ئ ـ� �ول و�أ ص�د�ق�وا $ذ&ين� ال

$ق�ون� �م�ت ال

Widows & Orphans

The Holy Quran and the orphansAnd For The Love Of Allah, They Feed The Indigent, The Orphans, And The Captives. (Surah 76: Ayah 8)

الط$ع�ام� �ط�ع&م�ون� و�يbا &ين ك م&س� @ه& ب ح� ع�ل�ى

ا bير �س& و�أ &يمbا �ت و�يShow Kindness To Your Parents, Kinsfolk, And To The Orphans And The Needy, And Exhort To

Righteousness. (Surah 55: Ayah 9)

b انا &ح�س� إ �ن& &د�ي �و�ال &ال و�ب�ى ب �ق�ر� ال و�ذ&ي

�ام�ى �ت �ي و�ال � �وا و�ق�ول &ين& اك �م�س� و�ال

b نا ح�س� $اس& &لن …ل

Have You Seen The One Who Denies Religion? It Is He Who Turns Away The Orphan And Does Not Urge Others To Feed The Poor.... (Surah 107: Ayah 1-3)

�ذ@ب� �ك ي $ذ&ي ال �ت� �ي أ ر�� أ

$ذ&ي ال &ك� ف�ذ�ل &الد@ين& ب&يم� �ت �ي ال �د�ع� و�ال ي

& ط�ع�ام ع�ل�ى �ح�ض� ي

ك&ين& �م&س� ال

Widows & Orphans

The Prophet (pbuh) about the orphan

"The best home is one where the orphan is treated well and the worst one is where he is ill-treated."

The Prophet, (pbuh), addressed the people and said:

"Beware! Whoever is the guardian of an orphan who has property, should trade with it, and should not leave it (undeveloped), so that the Zakat should consume it."

Widows & Orphans

The Holy Quran and the orphans

A Giver Of Maintenance To The Widows And The Poor Is Like A Giver In The Way Of God, An Performer Of Prayers All Night, And Fasting During The Day. Bukhari

م�لة& أألر� على الس$اعيفي �الم�ج�اهد� ك والم&س�كين&

ل ـ� $لي ال & القائم أو الله& بيل& س�النهار & الصائم

I And The Person Who Takes Charge of the Orphan Will Be Like This In Heavens; And He Put His Index And Middle Finger Together. Bukhari

$ة& ن الج� في تيم& ـ� الي وكافل� أناهكذا

السبابة( بإصبعيه وأشاروالوسطى)

Widows & Orphans

Imam Ali and the orphans

Once, during his reign, when a quantity of honey was brought to the public treasury, Imam Ali, the Leader of the believers, asked for the orphans to be brought to him;

And while he distributed it, himself fed the orphans.When people expressed wonder at his action, he told them:"The Imam is the father of the orphans and so I feed them like a father would have fed his children."

“Teach the orphan in the manner you educate your own child; and if you have to punish him, punish him as you would your own child."

Widows & Orphans

In Conclusion

Help the Widows and Orphans1. Karbala and Najaf are Provinces in Iraq2. They contain numerous poor3. Your contributions feed and cloth4. Quran Account, Inc is tax-exempt

organization5. You will receive a receipt of how your

contribution was used in assisting the orphans and their mothers

Widows & Orphans

Please help

Be in God’s Care

Dr. A.S. Hashim