Do not await altruism because it no longer exists!

When I was watching students in the university courtyard where I was studying, I found them insulting a poor young man with the ugliest words that cannot be described due to their enormity: they were slandering his honor, insulting him because of his poverty. In the meantime, they respect the person who calls him names and insults him because he is rich and man of power even if that person does not respect anyone.

I thought of life —in those moments after I had seen the guy looking at the sky to cover his tears before people— as a big jungle. People do not care for what will happen to a young man whose morals were broken and his aspirations waned away. All their concerns and thoughts go around leading a prosperous and honorable life, and disrespecting the weak.

In modern times, the word altruism became weird to some people, not all people but specifically the rich, who do not care much for its meaning. What they care about is leading a good life and innovating new ways to get money. Mothers became in eddy, the father became in another eddy, and their children in a weird eddy that conquers the Arab countries as quickly as lightning and each one of them has his own business and personal life away from showing altruism toward others, is this a family in your opinion?

Nowadays, a brother does not recognize his brother because he is poor although he was brought up with him. They both ate and drank in the same house, laughed, and were pleased and were sadden together; have we learnt from the altruism of the Prophet (peace be upon him)?!

Women became businesswomen, fathers have their jobs, and children demand their personal freedom and demand a weird rearing that is completely different from our Islamic habits.

All we think about is money and power and leading a prosperous life even if we are away from Islam, from the teachings of Allah and His Book, and away from our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

We are now searching for the defaults of others to mock at. We are searching for their pasts to slander them, remind them of old stories, provoke them, and destroy their hopes and aspirations that they used to dream of.

It was reported on the authority of Habib ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) that Al Harith ibn Hisham, `Ikrimah, and `Ayyash (may Allah be pleased with them) went out on the Day of the Battle of Yarmouk until they could not move due to severe hunger. So, they called Al Harith ibn Hisham to bring some water to drink, thereupon, `Ikrimah looked at him. He said: Take him to `Ikrimah When he took him, `Ayyash looked at him and said: Give it to `Ayyash. However when water reached `Ayyash, he died and when it reached to the next, he died until they all were dead because of their great altruism. Who does do this these days in which neighbors do not know anything about one another and a friend does not ask about his friend or relative?

All we care about now is to lead a prosperous life and wearing expensive clothes which others cannot buy.

Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given (from the booty of Banû An-Nadîr), and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves even though they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful." [Surat Al Hashr: 9].

The One who is in the sky does not forget them and we also cannot forget them and should make them part of the eternal memory so that they cannot be forgotten. Why do not we repeat the glory of altruism that was in the era of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Let us come back to the time of the Prophet and his Companions who used to practice altruism toward one another in everything so that we can eradicate the disease that has spread in our minds and thoughts. We should go back to be a Muslim family that has become accustomed to altruism, loyalty, and sacrifice, and move away from hatred, envy, and gossip.