ACTION ALERT

For Immediate Release
27 October 2004

Ramadan Appeal: Donate to the People of Gaza

In the Name of God the Merciful, the Dispenser of Mercy

“The best charity is the one given during Ramadan” (Prophet Muhammad, PBUH).

Last September, Israel embarked on a campaign of killing, maiming and destruction in the Gaza Strip. Since then, hundreds of Palestinians have been Killed and injured, including a large number of children. Hundreds of homes in Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun, Khan Yunis, Rafah and Beit Lahia continue to be destroyed on a daily bases, leaving an already impoverished population
homeless and vulnerable to the rain and cold of winter, prompting the UN and humanitarian relief organizations to warn that the specter of malnutrition and food shortage is haunting Gaza.

Cognizant of the gravity of the dangers facing the people of Gaza, and recognizing its obligations as an integral part of the Palestinian people, Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition has set up an emergency relief fund. The purpose of the fund is to aid victims of the latest Israeli campaign of terror in the Gaza Strip, particularly during Ramadan, a period
of fasting and worship and a time of augmented compassion, solidarity and commiseration with the wretched and the oppressed. That is why the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) urged people to be generous in their giving during Ramadan: “The best charity is the one given during Ramadan”.

Al-Awda also urges Muslims to direct portions of their Zakat towards helping the victims of the latest Israeli onslaught against the people of Gaza. We especially call on all to allocate this year’s Zakat al-Fitr to helping provide Gazans with much needed food, water, and medical supplies. The children of Gaza deserve a break from the rhythms of an existence dictated
by wretchedness, killing and destruction. They also deserve an opportunity to enjoy a semblance of Eid (Feast). However, to do so, they need our urgent help.

God has made it incumbent upon Muslims to support one another. Practically every page of the Holy Qur’an includes exhortations to Muslims to be charitable. Beside it being a principal religious duty, giving sadaqah to the needy is one of the pathways to attaining moral transcendence. For Allah likened spending to help the needy to a single grain that produces even ears of corn, each ear containing more than one hundred grains. Those who spend for selfish reasons are like rocks upon which there is a thin layer of earth, which is easily washed away by pouring rain, leaving the bare rock that grows nothing. On the contrary, those who spend their wealth in the path of the Almighty, seeking His approval, are like the highlands which, if watered by rain, bring forth plenty, but which even in the absence of adequate rain
get adequate dew to grow a crop.

Therefore, Al-Awda calls on all people of conscience, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to heed the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) hadith (saying), “You will recognize the believers in their having mercy for one another, and in their love for one another, and in their kindness towards one another; like the body, when one member of it hurts, the rest of the body hurt”, by
donating to the Gaza Emergency Relief Fund.

All donations will be directed to the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees (UPWC) office in Gaza for distribution to the victims of Israel’s latest offensive in Northern Gaza.

Please make your donations payable to "Al-Awda" or "PRRC", write "Emergency Gaza Relief Fund" in the memo section, and mail it to:

Al-Awda
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA

To make a secure online donation using your credit card, go to:

For wire transfers, please use:

Account #: 1138509668
Sorting Code: 122000661
Bank Name: Bank of America
Address: 601 South Rancho Santa Fe Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069, USA

Al-Awda/PRRC is a non-profit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Under IRS guidelines, your donations to PRRC are fully tax-deductible.

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org
Tel: 760-685-3243
Fax: 360-933-3568