Abdullah Abdul Jabar Mahmoud Alqooheizi, a businessman, Ustadz Faisal Ibrahim Abdul Kareem Al Ameer, Humanitarian Relief Manager of the Islamic Association of Bahrain, and Imam of Grand Mosque in Bahrain Sheikh Rashid Mohammad Fatees Saleem Aljaheri made a four-day tour from June 16 to 19 to different parts of Mindanao to mingle with the Muslims here through mosque visitation and symposia.
The three financed the construction of seven mosques in Mindanao – two in Maguindanao, one in Sultan Kudarat, three in General Santos City, and one in Davao del Norte. The mosques were turned over in simple inaugural ceremonies.
Sheikh Salih D. Musa, country director of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth-Philippines (WAMY-Phil), a non-government organization through which the assistance was coursed, told the visitors, “the people of Mindanao are pleased with your help. Verily, only the Almighty can reciprocate your benevolence.”
WAMY-Phil. Is an affiliate of WAMY International which helps poor Muslims in poor countries through construction of mosques, improvement of Madaris (Islamic Schools), giving educational assistance to orphans, providing scholarship to deserving Muslim youth, sponsoring youth camps and propagating the message of Islam through various forms of Dawah (preaching).
During their visit at the WAMY Academy here on June 16, Sheikh Rashid Mohammad Aljaheri said they consider Muslims all over the world as one body to which whatever pain or joy Muslims here feel, “we feel the same in our country.”
“We are here to see you and to learn the strategies on how you propagate Islam, “ the Imam said. He said that everything a man does, it must come from his heart for it will “reap rewards in the hereafter.”
Sheikh Salih Musa was impressed by the visitors’ desire to help poor Moro though livelihood assistance. “We can do it by giving our women seminars in food processing, as well us giving technical training like driving, carpentry, masonry, and other skills training which can be their possession to earn for living.”
Sheikh Musa said the 10 mosques to be sponsored by Bahraini visitors will be constructed in poor Muslim communities in different parts of Mindanao while the orphanage will be constructed beside the WAMY Academy in Barangay Baluan here. (Gandhi C. Kinjiyo/MindaNews)